Middle East/North African Lit discussion

Hi Everybody -- I'm from the US (currently live in the midwest). I think I have much to learn and unfortunately have little in the way of first-hand ME experience. I do have a keen interest and am looking forward to learning and understanding the region better both through the books and through the great discussion w/ all of you. I feel like I have read very little thus far since most of the books you all have mentioned are new to me -- but I'm excited to tackle as many of them as I can.

Nile daughter wrote: "Marieke
Snow is based on a true story (as I got it) , the only thing I remeber that Orhan told his friend about writting (Museum of Innocence)in it in a letter ,I can not remember any..."

He mentioned Museum of Innocence in Snow, too? How funny! Omgosh Pamuk is making me laugh. Now I really must read more from him.

Wendy wrote: "Hi Everybody -- I'm from the US (currently live in the midwest). I think I have much to learn and unfortunately have little in the way of first-hand ME experience. I do have a keen interest and a..."

Many are new to me, too, Wendy! :)

Marieke wrote: Many are new to me, too, Wendy! :) ..."

I was going to say the same thing!

Wendy :
Reading about your intrest makes me happy :D

BTW, I am from The ME ...and I am still learning myself , do not worry ;) I am sure I will learn from you and every one here too :)

Marieke
Orhan is the kind of writers you like or hate , it seems no place in between !

My highest recommendations for writers of the region that I've read so far are for Ahdaf Soueif and Rabih Alameddine.
I have attempted to read as many books from the region as possible, but a lengthy list of "to be read" books still remains on my GR shelf. I acquire them faster than I can read them!
I've tried to tag my books accordingly ("middle-east", "africa" or by specific country), and I was wondering what other tags others are using here on GR. I wanted to use "mashriq" & "maghreb" also but wasn't sure it would make sense in terms of book categories.
I'm from Athens, Greece and my connections with the ME is that I lived my childhood in Damascus and Beirut. My maternal grandparents were refugees from Istanbul, and my father spent 4 yrs in the ME/N.Afr region during WWII (from the Tigris River all the way to Benghazi) so aside from my personal experiences I've got that heritage deeply rooted in me as well.
Hoping to accomplish some more worthwhile reading from the region soon!

Okyrhoe
Welcome , glad to have you with us :D wooow you have very Interesting back ground !

I am one of Ahdaf Soueif fans (you can say creasy ones !!)I am dead waiting for her new novel in Pharaonic era , I want her to finish it !!-I am crying :( - I did not read for Rabih Alameddine but I read about The Hakawati. oh god I am like you my (to read) is much looooonger than read !! :o

Nile daughter wrote: "Okyrhoe
Welcome , glad to have you with us :D wooow you have very Interesting back ground !

I am one of Ahdaf Soueif fans (you can say creasy ones !!)I am dead waiting for her ..."

When Ahdaf gave a talk on translation at the AUC last year, she PROMISED that she was going to stop doing so many interviews, articles, fund-raising etc. and she was going to buckle down and focus on her book. I hope!

Really, she is one of those few people in the universe I would split into 3, because we need more of them: a translator Ahdaf, a political organizer/leader Ahdaf, and a writer/critic Ahdaf.

Marcia wrote: "Nile daughter wrote: "Okyrhoe
Welcome , glad to have you with us :D wooow you have very Interesting back ground !

I am one of Ahdaf Soueif fans (you can say creasy ones !!)I am de..."

I hope she will !! can you lead me to any text (interview , speech ...etc) about her new novel ?

I read The Map of Love , In the Eye of the Sun and I Think of You: Stories , so I am definitely following the novelist one :D but I admit her fiction work is a political heavy meal too ! I also watched her on TV several times talking about her trips to palestine and I read the 1st part of Mezzaterra: Fragments from the Common Ground so I am more involved with her political activities , I still did not meet her critic face or the translator one -I read I Saw Ramallahin Arabic .

Oh God I am a boring fan !! :o

Nile daughter wrote: "Marcia wrote: "Nile daughter wrote: "Okyrhoe
Welcome , glad to have you with us :D wooow you have very Interesting back ground !

I am one of Ahdaf Soueif fans (you can say crea..."

Ah, she read like 10 pages from it, and I had it on tape, but I was too lazy to transcribe it, sorry!! And then I thought...if it's a work in progress, maybe she wouldn't like me to transcribe it.

Ok, I found the thread where I mentioned Sand Fish by Maha Gargash - currently not translated into Arabic but will probably be soon - and a book from Oman, also in English, written by an Expt living in Oman. Scent of a Rose by Jane Jaffer. Haven't read it yet so have no idea if it's any good!

Hope that helps :)
DR

Thanks DubaiReader ! :)

Hi Everybody! I am new at GD and this group and i am really happy to find a group to take some recomendations in ME fiction. I am from Turkey and live in Istanbul and I learned Arabic in Jordan when I was staying there seven years ago. My Arabic is good and I like reading contemporary Arabic literature. My favorite authors are Ahlam Mosteghanemi, Ghazi Qusaybi, Salwa Bekr, and Mohammed Shoukri.

Welcome, Nub! i am jealous of your arabic. :D
my tutor is from Jordan; i hope to go someday. We are currently reading a Mosteghanemi book so please do join the discussion!

Nub wrote: "Hi Everybody! I am new at GD and this group and i am really happy to find a group to take some recomendations in ME fiction. I am from Turkey and live in Istanbul and I learned Arabic in Jordan whe..."

Yella, welcome! Is it easy to get contemporary Arabic fiction in Istanbul?

Nub
Merhaba :D (the only word I know in Turkish :o )

Welcome and delighted to have you among us , you know Arabic !! That is great , please feel free to participate in the way you prefer :)

and sure we will need your help when we reach Turkey ! you can check Turkey's section in the bookshelves and recommend us more books if you like :)

thanks for the warm welcome. I think it is a good time to reread Memories in Flesh.
For Marcia, actually it's impossibe to find Arabic Fiction in Turkey, I get them when I am abroad or make my friends buy them while they are traveling in ME.
I'm gonna check Turkey's section and share my favorite Turkish authors.

Nub wrote: "thanks for the warm welcome. I think it is a good time to reread Memories in Flesh.
For Marcia, actually it's impossibe to find Arabic Fiction in Turkey, I get them when I am abroad or make my fr..."

If I ever have the good fortune to travel to Istanbul, I will certainly bring you some books from Cairo...

Nub wrote: "thanks for the warm welcome. I think it is a good time to reread Memories in Flesh.
For Marcia, actually it's impossibe to find Arabic Fiction in Turkey, I get them when I am abroad or make my fr..."

And very excited to see your list of Turkish authors. I'm embarrassed to say that, outside of Orhan Pamuk, I'm very ignorant of Turkish lit.

Marcia , me too I only read for Orhan Pamuk :o

I added some other books to the shelves , but I am not sure what is the best to read from Turkey !

hopefully our Turkish members can help us be selective! i can't remember if i've read anything besides Pamuk...i will have to check. my mind is blank at the moment. :(

How about The Bastard of Istanbul, Elif Shafak is a Turkish writer and I believe she wrote this in English, although her previous books were translations.

The Bastard of Istanbul was written in English and it is kind of controversial book for some Turkish and she faced a trial because some nationalists found the book 'insulting Turkishness'. I don't know what that means. Anyway, I guess most of you have already read Orhan Pamuk, so reading Elif would be a good idea. But I must confess that I like her first few books much more than the late ones.
I suggest to add 'Dear Shameless Death' by Latife Tekin for shelves. I have read it in Turkish and it become one of my favorite books. But I am not sure it has the same effect after translation.

Done and thanks :D I added Dear Shameless Death

I found this one Bliss: A Novel , what do you think , should we add it ?

which books do you recommend for Elif Shafak ?

******
Edit :

Dubai reader , I added The Bastard of Istanbul but according to Nub , we may choose other options then ? BTW ; Nub ..is it the same with Snow ?

Hi everybody, I have just joined into GR and its nice to find a group interested in Mena fictions an factions.
I am a norwegian and we have lived in Egypt every winter since 2003/04 and are now settled here in Dahab north of Sharm.
We started with political history and science and have spread wide from The Woman of Cairo to Taha Hussein: The Days. Of course Adhaf Souif have been a door opener to new egyptian novel. Just now I've bought "The map of love", but I'll first read Clinton Baileys:" Bedouin Poetry", because I feel I owe it to the bedouin people we have lived with in Assala part of town for years now. To understand their rich oral traditions. Somebody joining?
Nub, hello to you! I've read some books of tyrkian writers. Wouldn't you say some of the turkish litterature belong in the Mena literate sphere.
I have to confess I am not speaking or reading arabic, I'll start now and hope slowly I'll come to a sort of kindergarden level in five years.
Regards
skuls

I need a little navigation help. I am confused about what we are reading and when and how to discuss the books once read. Thank you.

Beatrice wrote: "I need a little navigation help. I am confused about what we are reading and when and how to discuss the books once read. Thank you."

Hi Beatrice,

in january and february we are reading any or all of the title in the "cruise book diving" folder. i'll link to them:
Wolf Dreams
The Bleeding of the Stone
Memory in the Flesh

and then we have a four-month "seminar," which right now is Edward Said's Orientalism. The "seminar" has a schedule which you'll see in the thread.

generally, as for what we are currently reading as a group, those books will always be displayed on the main page. however, many of us read other things so there will be "extra" threads here and there. I hope this helps! let me know if you need more help. I'm by myself until Egypt is back online because my co-moderator is in Cairo. Hopefully i won't drop the ball in her absence!

oh--we are discussing them whenever people are ready. discussions are slowly developing.

Marieke wrote: "oh--we are discussing them whenever people are ready. discussions are slowly developing."

" Yahh, suddenly I'm on the net. As things go on I am more for writing a book nor reading one. But put in perspective what is happening these days there is a few popular books I can recommend to you, Beatrice,: " The Yaccobian Building "
and " A Woman of Cairo". Both have clear messages behind the main stories. And they are easyread, but informative.
All the best from Dahab,Sinai:
Terje

Hello everyone. I have decided to join this group because I think that it's important to read about places/ persons and religions that we are ( according to ignorant politicians and religious groups) are supposed to be afraid of. Only through reading the stories by Middle eastern / African authors can we see the world through their eyes and realize that acceptance, compassion and respect are what we all need more of to move forward. Running out this afternoon to buy the first book!

Liz wrote: "Hello everyone. I have decided to join this group because I think that it's important to read about places/ persons and religions..."

Welcome to the group, Liz!

yes, welcome Liz! jump into any book discussion whenever you are ready. we are relatively informal around here. :D

Me? I'm a Canadian - from Toronto.

I just looooooov all these stories from the Middle East/Africa, etc.

Guess it was Kite Runner, etc., that got me going. Oh, but I lie . . . I remember about 10 years ago? Reading Sarayevo Days, Saryevo Nights . . . great book.

It's good to read about lands and cultures other than my own. But not everybody wants to read 'em . . . that's why I'm glad I FOUND YOU!

I'll order in a couple of these books, then join you.

I am sorry that I am so late welcoming you : , Beatrice , Liz and Carly

BTW , Terje , I saw A Woman of Cairo at a bookstore but did not buy , did you like it ?

I haven't been around lately, sorry. I am happy to see you are OK Nile Daughter.
Bliss: a Novel. I have not read it but like the movie version. Its author, Zulfu Livaneli is famous for his songs around Turkey. You can find it on YouTube if you want.
Snow was a bestseller. I liked it but it made me gloomy.
Terje, there are Turkish books in Mena sphere but I am really disappointed that my most favorite books are not translated yet. Anyway I am checking Amazon to find some new suggestions.

Nile daughter wrote: "Hello ,
I am from Egypt, I joined this group to enhance my readings about my region and explore how outsiders see it ..

Now I became a moderator with my friend Marieke , I hope you do not mind..."

Hi,
I am Franco-American and live in France. I joined because I am interested in the cultures and would love recommendations on novels in English.
I've been to Morocco and Jordan once each so not much actual experience of the this part of the world.

Nub wrote:""

Hi Nub,

I have read some Turkish books translated into Greek(but not yet into English). In Greece there is an active interest in Turkish literature and more books are translated into Greek than the other way round (apparently).
Two of the books I read are novels about the exchange of populations between our nations, from the TR point of view -- "Children of War" by Ahmet Yorulmaz and "Kritimu Girit'im benim" by Sabâ Altınsay. I read someplace that this is a fairly 'new' subject in TR literature. In Greek literature it is such a popular theme one is almost sick of it!

I recently was given Esmahan Aykol's "Goodbye Istanbul" (in Greek) & I hope to start reading it in the coming months.

Nub , Thank you :)

Trish , Welcome onboard , I hope you like it in here , feel free to explore all the threads :)

Hi everyone - i just saw the group and thought id give it a go, im not a very regular contributor to groups being quite busy but i might join the odd group read. Im a middle east consultant for a major luxury tour operator in the UK, travelled quite a bit in the region and a big reader! . my favourite book of this genre would be The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles.

The Paul Bowles book looks interesting. I just added it to my wish list. Your job sounds so cool! Glad you joined this group :-)

Thanks ND, I should add that Mahfouz is one of my favorite writers. I would like to reread the trilogy one day soon. I recently read The 40 rules of Love by Elif Shafak. The Sufi part was very, very interesting. It's good to see the various recommendations.

Wendy wrote: "The Paul Bowles book looks interesting. I just added it to my wish list. Your job sounds so cool! Glad you joined this group :-)"

thanks Wendy... core business is Egypt so slighlty quieter at the moment!

Hi all,

I am very excited to have found this group. I'm a touch obsessed with thses parts of the world and I'm happy to see so many fantastic recommendations. My TBR list is going to get VERY out of hand soon. I look forward to participating.

Jon : Nice to have you with us :) The Sheltering Sky seems interesting

Trish : Naguib Mahfouz is among my favorite authors too , I want to re-read the trilogy myself .

Shannon : very happy to have you with us , go a head and explore the group :)

Hi there! I love reading books about different places and cultures; I am also in the Great African Reads group. Just by glancing at a few of the threads, there already tons of books that I want to read now.

Melanie , happy to have you with us :)

yes! it is great to have Melanie with us here! :D

i think i missed out on welcoming shannon, jon, and carly. glad to have you with us!

and i'm happy to see Nub and Okyrhoe posting again. :D
i'm wondering...i know Greece is considered European, but what would you guys think of including Greek writing when we get to the Turkish part of the tour? i can't quite remember how we have the regions divided, but Greek people have lived and do live all around the mediterranean in "middle eastern" countries...

and a question about contemporary Greek and Turkish literature--if it hasn't been translated into English yet, what's the likelihood that it is in German? i should start looking into this. :D

Hi Melanie, I recognise those yellow boots!

Hi guys :)

I just joined this group a little over a week ago. Really, I just wanted some cool book recommendations from this side of the world, because I really enjoy the people and the literary tradition.

Anyone read Tahar Ben Jalloun? If so, what was your favorite book....I'm trying to decide what to get :)

Hello Convert_chica :)
Welcome on board
I did not read for Ben Jalloun , but as far as I know This Blinding Absence of Light is his best .