What We Are Reading Today: ‘Frankenstein in Baghdad’

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Updated 06 September 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Frankenstein in Baghdad’

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Author: Ahmed Saadawi

This novel by Iraqi author Ahmed Saadawi blends elements of horror, satire, and magical realism to craft a compelling commentary on the human condition in war-torn Baghdad.

Set in the aftermath of the 2003 US invasion, the story follows a junk dealer named Hadi who decides to assemble a “human” from the body parts of victims left on the streets after suicide bombings and insurgent attacks.   

Hadi’s creation is a patchwork creature that comes to life and begins roaming the streets of the city, seeking revenge on those responsible for the deaths of the individuals from whom it was assembled.

As the creature carries out its violent mission, a rich cast of characters is drawn into the story, including an elderly woman haunted by the ghost of her late husband, a journalist seeking to break a major story, and a government agent tasked with hunting down and destroying the creature.   

Through these interwoven narratives, Saadawi creates a darkly humorous and thought-provoking allegory for the chaos in post-invasion Iraq. The monster serves as a physical embodiment of the trauma, violence, and social breakdown experienced by the Iraqi people, with its bloodthirsty quest for vengeance mirroring the cycle of retribution that gripped the country.

What struck me most was how Saadawi was able to seamlessly blend elements of horror, magical realism, and social commentary to craft a work that felt both unsettlingly strange and yet hauntingly relatable. The character of the monster became a powerful metaphor for the dehumanizing effects of the war.

Saadawi’s prose is both lyrical and grounded, capturing the details of daily life in Baghdad, while also imbuing the narrative with moments of poetic beauty and philosophical rumination. His characters, too, are richly drawn, each struggling with their own personal demons and moral quandaries as they are swept up in the chaos unfolding around them.

Ultimately, "Frankenstein in Baghdad" is a powerful and imaginative work that uses the framework of the classic gothic horror tale to explore the enduring trauma of war and the dehumanizing effects of violence. Through its metaphorical monster and tapestry of interlocking stories, the novel offers a vivid, unsettling, and ultimately unforgettable portrait of a society grappling with the aftermath of invasion and occupation.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Arabian Love Poems’

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Updated 04 October 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Arabian Love Poems’

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Author: Nizar Kabbani

Nizar Kabbani’s book “Arabian Love Poems” (1998), translated by Palestinian scholars Bassam Frangieh and Clementina R. Brown, takes readers on an emotional journey driven by the power of love and grief.

Legendary poet Kabbani (1923-1998) was born in Damascus, Syria, and was one of the most popular Arab poets of the 20th century.

During his lifetime, Kabbani was a diplomat, poet, writer and publisher. Inspired by his surroundings, Kabbani’s collection anthology explores the themes of love, religion, grief, as well as Arab and women empowerment.

As the title of the book suggests, “Arabian Love Poems” has a theme of love embedded in each poem. Kabbani gives readers a glimpse of his romantic mind through his poetry that pierces the soul.

Unlike many popular poets who write poetry in traditional forms such as sonnets, Kabbani uses a flexible style of writing called “free verse poetry,” resulting in an effortlessly flowing piece consisting of uncensored thoughts.

Although Kabbani uses simple and direct language in his poetry, he never fails to capture the depth of his emotions. If anything, the simplicity of his poetry is what makes it resonate with most readers.

What makes this book a standout is the sensory imagery, providing the reader with a beautiful visualization through his carefully crafted words.

 “I hadn’t told them about you.

“But they saw you bathing in my eyes.

“I hadn’t told them about you.

“But they saw you written in my words.

“The perfume of love cannot be concealed.”

Translated books can often fail to capture the essence felt in the original text, but the translation from Arabic to English in “Arabian Love Poems” is truly superb. It gives the English reader the chance to dive into the rich world of Arab poetry.

 


What We Are Reading Today: How the New World Became Old

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Updated 04 October 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: How the New World Became Old

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  • How the New World Became Old tells the extraordinary story of how Americans discovered that the New World was not just old—it was a place rooted in deep time

Author: Caroline Winterer

During the 19th century, Americans were shocked to learn that the land beneath their feet had once been stalked by terrifying beasts. T. rex and Brontosaurus ruled the continent.

North America was home to saber-toothed cats and woolly mammoths, great herds of camels and hippos, and sultry tropical forests now fossilized into massive coal seams.

How the New World Became Old tells the extraordinary story of how Americans discovered that the New World was not just old—it was a place rooted in deep time.

 

 


What We Are Reading Today: The Beekeeper’s Guide

What We Are Reading Today: The Beekeeper’s Guide
Updated 03 October 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: The Beekeeper’s Guide

What We Are Reading Today: The Beekeeper’s Guide

Authors: Meredith May, Claire Jones, Anne Rowberry, & Margaret Murdin 

Beekeeping is a popular pastime that more and more people are taking up for fun or even modest profit.

Today, you will find hives not only in large fields or rural spaces, but also in city gardens and on rooftops—to the benefit of both bee and beekeeper.

If you’re at the early or middle stages of your beekeeping journey and need a go-to guide on establishing and maintaining your hives, “The Beekeeper’s Guide” is the perfect companion. 


Book Review: ‘Principles for Dealing With the Changing World Order’

Book Review: ‘Principles for Dealing With the Changing World Order’
Updated 03 October 2024
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Book Review: ‘Principles for Dealing With the Changing World Order’

Book Review: ‘Principles for Dealing With the Changing World Order’
  • Dalio, an American investor and founder of Bridgewater Associates, translated his rich experience in finance into economic cycles, political systems, and the rise and fall of empires through history

Published in 2021, the book “Principles for Dealing With the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail” explores the dynamics that shape global structures in terms of power.

The author, Ray Dalio, highlights historical patterns, explaining in detail the reasons behind the rise of certain countries and the fall of other nations as well, while at the same time providing a system on how to understand the shifting geopolitical landscape. 

Dalio, an American investor and founder of Bridgewater Associates, translated his rich experience in finance into economic cycles, political systems, and the rise and fall of empires through history. 

Further, he outlines several principles through the chapters that control these transitions, focusing specifically on the connection between economic and cultural aspects. 

One of the book’s strengths is the author’s simple structure. Dalio divides his thoughts into digestible sections for his readers, explaining complex terms as simple paragraphs and presenting major indicators of society such as wealth distribution and local conflicts.

His analytics add details of special events while also providing readers with the tools to anticipate future developments. 

What is worth mentioning is that the author’s insights are somehow relevant to the present-day changing world, where globalization and technological advancements challenge traditional power dynamics.

He emphasizes the potential for a conflict between established powers and rising countries while stressing the importance of adaptability and resilience in an era marked by uncertainty.

However, some readers argue that the author’s view may be overly simplifying complex geopolitical realities. While his foundations are based on historical patterns, the challenges of this time, such as climate change and artificial intelligence, require adequate solutions beyond historical analogies.  

Overall, the book was rated 4.7 out of 5 by over 7,000 readers. It stimulates critical thinking and analysis of the political relations of the world we live in. 

The author’s mixing of historical analysis of events and personal insights as well makes the book a must for readers such as policymakers, business leaders, and others who might be interested in understanding the global powers that are shaping the world.
 


Review: In ‘Huddud’s House,’ Syrian poet pens heart wrenching love letter to Damascus

Review: In ‘Huddud’s House,’ Syrian poet pens heart wrenching love letter to Damascus
Updated 02 October 2024
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Review: In ‘Huddud’s House,’ Syrian poet pens heart wrenching love letter to Damascus

Review: In ‘Huddud’s House,’ Syrian poet pens heart wrenching love letter to Damascus

JEDDAH: Syrian poet and writer Fadi Azzam’s novel “Huddud’s House,” poignantly translated by Ghada Alatrash, paints a kaleidoscope of Damascene life, from its artists and lovers to its doctors and politicians, during its recent period of great turmoil and destruction.
Beginning at the cusp of the Arab revolution and civil war in Syria, the novel is an epic that delves into the depths and dark pits of the human heart. It is a searing depiction of humans’ capacity to love in all forms, resist and grow, as well as their power to destroy, oppress, and wage war.
Among its central characters is Fadi or Fidel Al-Abdullah, a law student, artist, womanizer, famous filmmaker, or religious extremist — depending on which part of his story you’re reading. His character arc is a prominent thread in the novel’s theme of identity and exile, capturing the nature of identity as perpetually in flux.His married lover, Layl, a doctor, is a complex portrayal of a woman torn between desire and duty.
Anees, a heart surgeon in Britain, sees his life take a swift turn when a phone call beckons him to the homeland. In Damascus, he inherits his grandfather’s property, Huddud’s House, initially poised as a promising windfall.
But the ancient house itself, and the locals who care about its heritage and cultural significance, help the doctor uncover its treasures and secrets such as historical artifacts and documents about Syria and her people painstakingly penned by its former guardians.
In the story, Huddud’s House stands as a powerful symbol of Syrian resistance and perseverance against oppression: “This was the fortieth time that this house encountered destruction, but its history testifies that each time it returned greater than before,” reads an excerpt. 
“Huddud’s House” is an emotionally fraught and sweeping story of human connection during war, as well as a harrowing testimony partially based on true accounts of the brutalities endured by the Syrian people during the great upheaval of their homeland.
Azzam’s novel cements storytelling’s pivotal role in preserving truth, history, and heritage.
And at the heart of this particular story is a powerful idea: To love  is to resist.