Today's Paper Pickings!

Loved this article in The Guardian's Saturday paper:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/mar/22/taiye-selasi-afropolitan-memoir

The Ugly Face of Injustice!

The Guardian posted this video (My Neighbourhood) on their website and it tells the story of a little boy whose family has been forced to share their home with Jewish settlers. Pending a court order they may have to fully hand over the house that his father built to the settlers who believe that nothing should stand in achieving the dream of a completely Jewish land which includes all of Palestine regardless of what happens to the Palestinian population already living there.

To view the video, click this link HERE.

What I'm Reading This Weekend!

Hope, A Tragedy by Shalom Auslander

Solomon Kugel has had enough of the past and its burdens. So, in the hope of starting afresh, he moved his family to a small rural town where nothing of import has ever happened. Sadly, Kugel's life isn't that simple. His family soon find themselves threatened by a local arsonist and his ailing mother won't stop reminiscing about the Nazi concentration camps she didn't actually suffer through. And when, one night, Kugel discovers a living, breathing, thought-to-be-dead specimen of history hiding in his attic, bad very quickly becomes worse. (Blurb on back of paperback)

This novel won the Jewish Quarterly Wingate Prize for Jewish Literature in February of this year. Upon receiving the award, Shalom's acceptance speech was quite literally brilliant with his wicked sense of humour shining through. In true Auslander style he ended by thanking everyone "for literally nothing".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3ofL4T7JNE

Sex And The Citadel by Shereen El Feki

As political change sweeps the streets and squares, parliaments and presidential palaces of the Arab world, Shereen El Feki has been looking at upheaval a little closer to home - in the sexual lives of men and women in Egypt and across the region. The result is an informative, insightful and engaging account of a highly sensitive, and still largely secret, aspect of Arab society.

Sex is entwined in religion and tradition, politics and economics, gender and generations, so it makes the perfect lens for examining the region's complex social landscape. From pregnant virgins to desperate housewives, from fearless activists to religious firebrands, from sex work to same-sex relations, Sex and the Citadel takes a fresh look at the Arab region and gives us unique and timely insight into everyday lives in a part of the world that is changing in front of our very eyes. (Blurb on back of paperback).

Shireen El Feki is a writer, broadcaster and academic who started her professional life in medical science before going on to become an award-winning journalist with The Economist and a presenter with Al Jazeera English. She is the former vice-chair of the UN's Global Commission on HIV and the Law, as well as TED Global Fellow. She writes for several publications and divides her time between Cairo and London.

Quotes From Books!

On Food

"Food loved her, and almost stood up and saluted when she came into the kitchen" - 'On Canaan's Side' by Sebastian Barry.

On Knowledge

"Knowledge is like brackish water at the bottom of an old vase unless it flows somewhere" - Shams in the novel 'Forty Rules of Love' by Elif Shafak

On Change

"It's never the changes we want that change everything" - 'The Brief, Wonderous Life of Oscar Woe' by Junot Diaz.

On Books

"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it is a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it" - 'Catcher in the Rye' by JD Salinger

On Parenthood

"All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack and a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair" - 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven' by Mitch Albom.

On Living

"If you don't go out in the woods, nothing will ever happen and your life will never begin" - 'Women Who Run With The Wolves' by Clarissa Pinkola-Estes

The Orange Prize Gets a New Name!

The longlist for The Orange Prize for Fiction is out not only with a list of new books but also with a new name. This prize is now to be called The 2013 Women's Prize For Fiction. 

Click HERE for the full list.

Arab Authors Making Headlines!

I was very upset to read yesterday that yet again Youssef Ziedan is under attack for his writings in Egypt and has been facing a series of interrogations by Egypt's Supreme State Security Prosecution. The author of 'Azazeel' now accustomed to controversy constantly accompanying his work has not let the latest series of events dampen his spirits though. On the contrary the latest interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper proves that he is defiant as ever. The interview, in Arabic, can be read HERE.

Thank God for cousins! One of the many I've got around the globe (lost count of how many they are really) sent me this YouTube link for a short movie called 'The Best in West About Islam'. The title is misleading somewhat in that the movie highlights the Islamic achievements (in architecture and even flying) in the Middle Ages as opposed to Islam as a religion. It is beautifully done and I do recommend it as an eye opener and a gentle reminder that the Middle Ages weren't so dark after all. Here is the LINK.

Lastly, according to Shereen El Feki, author of 'Sex & the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World' the sexual revolution will never happen in the Arab World. In fact the half-Egyptian, half-Welsh writer believes that the Arab World seems to be more conservative now than ever with regards to sexual freedom, virginity, abortion and views on homosexuality. Why? El Feki sheds light on the matter in a video on The Guardian's website. To view that, click HERE.

Sisterhood and After: A Brilliant Project!

Launched by the British Museum last Friday, on International Women's Day, 'Sisterhood and After: An Oral History of the Women's Liberation Movement', is an amazing project. Please take the time to check it out. Click HERE.

BookFabulous Pickings: Bassem Youssef

Yesterday, judging by my very short post (announcement really) I did have time on my hands to browse the internet and catch up on reading some paper clippings I'd left to the side for a more thorough reading, as you would! Anyway, to cut a long story short, I happened upon an online article about Bassem Youssef carried out by The Guardian in May 2012.

Now, if like myself, you do not live in the Middle East, in this case Egypt, then you might not be familiar with this personality who has swept the Arab World by storm. A heart surgeon, Bassem Youssef has swapped his doctor's garb for swanky suits to host one of Egypt's most politically satirical programs ever shown on Egyptian satellite channels named 'Al-Bernameg" (literally translated as 'The Programme'). It is a show that pokes fun namely at politicians, and people in authority in Egypt as well as other television personalities with the occasional guest appearance of well-known Arab entertainment stars attending as spectators in the audience or as guests to be interviewed on the show.  He also attempts quite convincing impersonations of various political figures. 'Al-Bernameg' is currently broadcast on CBC, a privately-owned satellite channel.

Bassem Youssef as Mohamed ElBaradei

The show is presented in Arabic and is close in format to that of America's 'Daily Show' hosted by Jon Stewart, a fact that Bassem is quick to proudly confirm in his interviews. He once openly admitted when asked that indeed he is a real fan of Stewart  and it would be a real honor to meet the man himself to share tips on how to make 'Al-Bernameg' an even more sterling show; not that Bassem seems to need any help in that regard at all. The popularity of the show has proved incredible and the fact that it is in its new season proves that it remains a major show hitting its mark over and over again. Youssef has since been a guest on Stewart's show.

However, the program's success is understandably accompanied with its own set of problems and most of all controversy. One can even argue that controversy is the main ingredient for its success. The recipe for the program is simple enough: You make everyone a target but some people are better targets to aim at than others, especially if your target happens to be Egypt's recently-elected President Mursi or the party of the Islamic Brotherhood to which the President belongs to. So far, Youssef has been hit with two defamation lawsuits concerning Egypt's president, a fact contested by the supporters of the program who look upon such lawsuits as the government's unease  at being criticised and even its total backtracking on promises to allow freedom of speech in the country. To understand where Youssef is coming from, it would do well to read a debate that he participated in hosted at the American University of Cairo and reported in the Egypt's Daily News. To read the article, click HERE.

You can watch episodes of "The Programme - البرنامج" by clicking HERE and to hear an interview with him on CNN in English, click HERE.

'The Biggest Book Show On Earth!'

It's World Book Day tomorrow and it is promising to be the biggest book show on Earth. It is dubbed a 'Once in a lifetime event' with nine bestselling authors and illustrators. You can watch a live streaming of the  hour-long event in schools and even at home and will be hosted by Tony Robinson.

To watch a teaser for this event and to sign up to view the free show as it is beamed live from the Queen Elizabeth Hall at 11am tomorrow, click HERE.

What to Read Today Now that the Sun is Out in London!

It's a beautiful day here in London today. Set to be the warmest day of the year so far at 15 Celsius, what better way to make use of the sunshine than by having your lunch break outside. And what better way to spend this glorious day than in the company of a lovely book. Not sure what to choose? Maybe these suggestions will help:

In the mood for a brilliant thriller/mystery? 

'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn: Who are you? What have you done to each other? These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. So what did happen to Nick's beautiful wife?

For our review of this book, click HERE.

Long to visit an ever-vibrant intriguing city?

'Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut', by Salma Abdelnour: A poignant and humorous journey of trying to resettle in Beirut and fumbling through the new realities of life in one of the world's most complex, legendary, ever-vibrant, ever-troubled cities. What's more, in a year of roiling changes around the Middle East and the rise of the Arab Spring, Salma found herself in the midst of the turmoil, experiencing it up close.

Looking for laugh out loud moments?

'How to be a Woman', by Caitlin Moran: It's a good time to be a woman: we have the vote and the Pill and we haven't been burnt as witches since 1727. However, a few nagging questions do remain: Why are we supposed to get Brazilians? Should we use Botox? Part memoir, part rant, Caitlin answers the questions that every modern woman is asking.

A touch of the classics and my favourite book ever?

'The Brothers Karamazov' by Fyodor Dostoyevsky: When brutal landowner Fyodor Karamazov is murdered, the lives of his sons is changed irrevocably. Mitya, the sensualist, whose bitter rivalry with his father immediately places him under suspicion for parricide. Ivan, the intellectual, whose mental tortures drive him to a breakdown, and the spiritual Alyosha, who tries to heal the family's rifts and the shadowy figure of their half-brother Smerdyakov. As the ensuing investigation and trial reveal the true identity of the murderer, Dostoyevsky's dark masterpiece evokes a world where the lines between innocence and corruption, good and evil, blur and everyone's faith in humanity is tested.

Review: 'Jinn Theory' by Aaron Vlek

The "Jinn Theory" is a novel that takes place in modern day Istanbul where main character Rafiq Reynard now lives and works. Born to an American father and Muslim mother, he grows up in America's 1960s where he feels he has completed "all the rites of passage required of his generation. That had included a deep sampling of the world's religious traditions". Stumbling upon sufism in the 1970s, Rafiq spends every last penny pouring over books written by sufi masters such as Ibn Arabi, Jami, al-Ghazali and others. He is hooked lock, stock and barrel "as though a leviathan has awakened in the depths of his soul and set his being on fire". Immersing himself in his new found Islam, Rafiq is "swept off his feet and into the most intense love affair of his life". 

Rafiq eventually leaves California when he decides to take a job working at a bookshop in England. It is during his time there that he meets one of the most important characters in this novel, that of Khosro Mirza Isfahani and his roommate Gary Magnusson. This 'chance' encounter has a deep impact on Rafiq's life and is to change the course of his life forever in the process creating a life long friendship and eternal spiritual bonds. Two years later, at the insistence of Khosro, Rafiq is prompted to take up the ownership of a bookshop in Istanbul (where Khosro's sister lives with her husband). Twenty years later, he is still there and that is where we meet him at the beginning of the novel.

Ensconced in his now well-stocked antique shop, we find Rafiq puzzling over two particular incidents that have interrupted his well-established routine. Having kept to himself most of his life in Istanbul, living in "solitary abandonment of the world" with no wife or family, the fact that the neighbourhood residents seem to all of a sudden bring their woes to his door seems to truly threaten his sense of safety. He "wanted to pray and meditate and read, he wanted to spend his time collecting beautiful things and hopefully selling them to people who'd ... pay him enough to keep him safe and secure in the world". Although aware of certain changes taking place he is also aware that it is futile to try and fight these changes even if all he wants is to be left alone.

Rafiq also discovers that his previously held impressions of the neighborhood residents is proving to be a whole lot different than he had previously thought. From Selim the mosque guardian and his young warden Azami, to the baker Ramsay, the young migraine-suffering Suhayl and even Hamid and his wife (Khosro's sister). The addition of new residents Michaela, her young family and her in-laws Jamal Butalib and Eileen is another of the distractions that Rafiq thinks he can do well without. Unaware to everyone involved, their fates will be forever entwined.

A central character to this novel is Tursun Nourazar. A wise Sufi Sheikh of the highest order, he is the epitome of what defines Sufism as an ascetic, mystical Muslim sect which emphasises the direct personal experience of God. A childhood friend of Khosro, the part of the novel in which the author tells us the story of how these two characters meet their Jinn in 1950s Qom in Iran, who is responsible for their religious awakening, is one of the most beautiful parts of the book. Tursun has to be the most beautiful character in the book as well and it is through his teachings and interactions with the novel's characters that we get a good sense of what Sufism is about.

Throughout the novel, we find that the author Vlek leans towards the idea that Sufism relies on the direct relationship between God and his worshippers with no need for a mediary. She is intolerant of would-be religious sheikhs who demand the full subservience and conformity of their subjects quashing all attempts of personal rationale and critical examination, treating their subjects as lambs, who without experience, can easily be led. This is very apparent in all the characters of the novel and particularly of Suhayl whose experience with his own Sheikh (Dr. Hassan Abusalem) is highlighted in the story. The Sheikh has forbidden Suhayl to seek any medical treatment for his debilitating migraines and has ordered him to recite Quranic verses to cure him of his condition. Once Suhayl starts to question his sheikh, he is threatened with expulsion from the order.

The elements of Sufism are all there in the 'Jinn Theory'. The teacher, one that traces his succession to such a job back to the prophet Muhammed, (Khosro and Tursun), the signs to the Signifier (the coin in Rafiq's shoe and the crooked trumpet), and then there are the Jinn, spirits mentioned in the Quran who inhabit an unseen world beyond the universe of humans. They can be good or evil and hence have freewill just like humans. Vlek has chosen to depict them as spirits who although can reveal themselves to whomever they choose appearing in human form, it is only those who have an open mind and a spiritual tendency and readiness who will and can actually see them for what they truly are. And although the Jinn play a central role in each of the character's religious awakening, as Tursun makes apparent to Selim it is always only about the relationship between God and his worshippers regardless of whose assistance is sought to get there.

This is a novel that I enjoyed for its subject matter although in the beginning I must admit that I found it a bit difficult to connect with the characters and I am still unsure of the necessity of the plot regarding Michaela and her family. We know from the onset of the novel that a big huge change is coming that will rock the neighbourhood to its foundation and I am afraid that when the event did finally happen I was left with a sense of disappointment. The ending in my opinion was very idealistic and conflict-ridden and I was just expecting more. And yet, I think this book would make a for an excellent book club choice. Themes of pre-ordained destiny, good vs bad, and how religion and spirituality fit in with today's modern Islamic world are key topics, in addition to themes of family, friendship, love and belief. It is an excellent opportunity to learn more about this wonderful and mystical branch of Islam.

In Javier Marias' new book "The Infatuations", Diaz Varela says to main character Maria Dolz that "once you've finished a novel, what happened in it is of little importance and soon forgotten. What matters are the possibilities and ideas that the novel's imaginary plot communicates to us and infuses us with, a plot that we recall far more vividly than real events and to which we pay much more attention" and Aaron Vlek commands attention and I look forward to reading more from this author.

About the author:

American author Aaron Vlek completed an undergraduate degree at Sarah Lawrence College where she focused on Islamic history, the modern state of Iran and the central mystical saints of the middle ages. She also completed an additional close read of the works of several of the prominent ideologues of the last century and why their ideas have shaped the narratives that dominate the news today. Vlek is a convert of 35 years to moderate spiritual Islam and a peripheral student of Sufism.

Further reading: Idris Shah, Sufism

Friday Highlights: Sayed Kashua at Jewish Book Week

Sayed Kashua

Jewish Book Week continues in London this weekend. One of the guest speakers is the award-winning author Sayed Kashua (سيد قشوع), author of several books in the Hebrew language one of which is 'Let it Be Morning ليكن صباحا' - which I read in Arabic last year although it has also been translated into several other languages including English (I will post a review soon). Kashua is also a columnist for the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz. 

Kashua is also the creator of the TV sitcom 'Arab Labor - شغل عرب' broadcast on Israeli television screens and viewed the world over. Kashua, with his dry wit and intelligent humour, has succeeded with his hit television comedy in beaming Palestinian perspectives and points of view right into Israeli living rooms as part of a satirical tv show that focuses on the daily life of Arab Amjad (played by Norman Issa) and his wish to genuinely integrate into Israeli society. Trust me when I say that it is a genuinely good show (although I have yet to see series 3), both funny and sad, it has been labelled as "The Seinfeld of the Middle East'.

Personally, I have totally enjoyed everything this intelligent writer has offered up so far and as for his latest book 'Exposure', this morning I made sure to download it onto my Kindle in order to get to it as soon as possible.

(To book tickets for the event, click HERE).