Middle East/North African Lit discussion

Many cruises offer seminars for people who like to learn a lot and i think our cruise should be no different! So we will feature a few side reads throughout the year. Members are free to drop in and ask or answer questions about the books at their own leisure. These will not be structured readings or discussions.

Great idea!

I guess we can also recommend here some reference books that we can thing of reading it at some point .

I want to read the following :
A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East

A History of the Arab Peoples

I'm currently reading The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II, Volume 2 by Fernand Braudel. Here's the wiki. link of this French historian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernand_...

But be prepared for a long reading. More than 600 pages for the first volume The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II, Volume I & more than 1400 pages for the second book. Nevertheless, Fernand Braudel's books are relevant and could be named "reference" books of the history of The Mediterranean World.


Amin Maalouf's books The Crusades Through Arab Eyes & In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong

Here's the wiki.link of Amin Maalouf's author.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amin_Maa...

I would like to read the first one. I have read the second one which is particularly brillant. A relevant reflexion by Amin Maalouf on Identity.

Amin Maalouf's quotes on Identity.

"What makes me myself rather than anyone else is the very fact that I am poised between two countries, two or three languages, and several cultural traditions. It is precisely this that defines my identity. Would I exist more authentically if I cut off a part of myself"

" For it is often the way we look at other people that imprisons them within their own narrowest allegiances. And it is also the way we look at them that may set them free."

Thanks Michelle for the recommendations :)

Wow , Braudel's book seems a heavy read !

For Maalouf , I want to read both books too , I think the second will be very interesting as an independent referance read :)

I only read Samarkand for Maalouf and I enjoyed reading it a lot .


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Since we will be visiting Turkey , anyone interested in reading A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East as an open side read ?

ND Yes I will be interested in reading this book.

Nile daughter wrote: "Thanks Michelle for the recommendations :)

Wow , Braudel's book seems a heavy read !

For Maalouf , I want to read both books too , I think the second will be very interesting as an independen..."

Braudel's books are "academic" books, Nile Daughter. I have added them to learn some points of The Mediterranean World's history during the cruise.

For Maalouf, I have read The Rock of Tanios and In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong.
I agree with you, In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong could be named a independent reference book to read.

I have enjoyed reading them both.

Those are great suggestions, Michelle. and make me wish i had more time for reading!

i have read one or two things from Maalouf but would like to read more. i think both the Crusades book and Identity would make great side reads (or some other group-type read). Lots to discuss in there!

and ND, i'd definitely be interested in reading "A Peace to End all Peace." hopefully i can squeeze it in somehow...

Marieke wrote: "Those are great suggestions, Michelle. and make me wish i had more time for reading!

i have read one or two things from Maalouf but would like to read more. i think both the Crusades book and Iden..."

I agree Marieke. So many books, so little time to read! and to write!

Amin Maalouf "Identity" should be an interesting book to discuss. I haven't read " The Crusades" yet but both would make great side reads.

Agree …agree ….agree …So many books, so little time to read!:(


I guess we can have such interesting books as side reference reads in turns with open periods (we can not stop this section until everyone finish reading Orientalism ) ! :p

So , Ghada and Marieke , would you like to start discussing "A Peace to End all Peace." by November ?

Sure, hope i will be finished with it by then. I think I have to change my way of reading and start reading more than one book at the same time.

I am soooooooooooooooooooo frustrated now, after i finally found it in borders I could not buy it because of publications restrictions?????????????????????????????????
Go on girls enjoy the read till I find I way to get it

Ghada , you do not have a digital copy ?

I had one on my tap but i was trying to be smart and deleted all the data on it including the book and when i tryed to buy it it did not work :-(

Ghada wrote: "I had one on my tap but i was trying to be smart and deleted all the data on it including the book and when i tryed to buy it it did not work :-("

You can get it again ;)

ND wish I can but it seems I deleted tha app that opens it. I will still try to get it but not sure when. I just hate reading from my :'(

YES, I have a copy now. Thank u ND I would not have been able to do it without ur help

Ghada wrote: "YES, I have a copy now. Thank u ND I would not have been able to do it without ur help"

:) , Don’t mention it …

i have a copy of Peace to End All Peace. i'm just trying to figure out how i will ever fit it in. i will try. i still haven't read The Lemon Tree, though. :(
or Orientalism, for that matter. *shame on me*

Marieke wrote: "i have a copy of Peace to End All Peace. i'm just trying to figure out how i will ever fit it in. i will try. i still haven't read The Lemon Tree, though. :(
or Orientalism, for that matter. *shame..."

Don't put it that hard on yourself ...I am facing the same sitiuation dear ..:o

I think we may postpone A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East utill we see our plan for 2012 , ok ?

After looking throgh the book i really need to read it on parer because i wanna read it with my husband, i will start looking for one today and i am not sure when i will get it so i will wait and see

Haaz recommended "the venture of islam" in anther thread

http://www.goodreads.com/series/70227...

We were talking in anther thread about Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East , I found it to be a very interesting read to accompany our readings in here (starting from Late Modern history (until early 20th century ) - even though I am not sure if/when I will be able to read myself !

It studies the contemporary literature of our region (prose and poetry) through , dividing into historical periods and check its development, also it is divided into for four categories : Arabic, Turkish , Persian and Urdu literature . The historical periods themselves are interesting:

* 1910-50 ; between WW1 and WW2 (when literature was a tool for forming national identities)
* 1950-80 postcolonial middle east (era of regional wars) .
*1980-2010 from the rise of political Islam and globalization .

It seems the book is analyzing specific authors and literature pieces to reflect, I am not sure if we will be needing to read them or not and I am not even sure if that chosen items in the book are available in English .

The book introduction reminded me of “Orientalism” ! ...any way This book is how literature reflected history …

If this book is discussed, I'll definitely request it from the library again. This time I'll try to be better at actually reading it instead of letting it languish on my shelf. I am interested in experiencing more Middle Eastern Literature to find areas I'd like to continue reading.

About Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East, 20-25% of literature in it had never before been translated to English. Norton published it. The prose and poetry selected tell the experiences of people in forming their own identity after the end of colonialism. Interview about "Tablet & Pen" with the author Reza Aslan

Asmah wrote: "About Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East, 20-25% of literature in it had never before been translated to English. Norton published it. The prose and poetry..."

Thanks for that info Asmah. That piques my interest even more.

Great :D

I hope more members will join .

Asmah , I echo Sue ; Thanks for the link , I am still reading it !

Mona ,As a group We will be reading all the book . but we need to set dates .

* *It is a huge book with three main sections , we can determine :
- a starting date in general ?
15 April , 15 May ..?

- a total reading period ? and may a starting date for each section to make it easier .

A month to month and half for each ?

I've had this book on my night table for a few months now. Very pleased to see we will reading in here ! I think a starting date for each section is a great idea. That way we'll be able to take our time and absorb all the information properly :)

I've got to decide whether to buy it or use the library copy. Maybe I'll start with the library copy and see how I enjoy it. Then if I do, I can decide Kindle vs paper.

Good to hear that Miss Juliette :)
Sue , I think this would be a good plan .

So wich date is more appropriate : 15 April , 15 May or later ..?
Is a month enough for each section ?

For me, probably May 15th or later.

Sue wrote: "For me, probably May 15th or later."

I agree: May 15th for the first section would work for me too. I think one section per month is reasonable :)

Any date works for me; but the most time I'd spend on a section is five days. Ordinarily, I would attempt to read the whole work in five days; however I see the value of taking time to get the most from poetry by rereading it. I'll have to see what happens while I'm reading the book.

Ok , let it be "May 15th" and a month for each section (more or less) .

Asmah ,
wow ...you are fast :D
Sure ; you can read the whole book at any rate that suits you . we will only adjust the discussion as section by section , and That goes for everyone of course .Ok ?

Of course!
I'm excited about this. And the schedule means I have a few months within which to take another stab at Orientalism. :)

Marieke wrote: "Of course!
I'm excited about this. And the schedule means I have a few months within which to take another stab at Orientalism. :)"

Great , let me know if you finished Orientalism :)