“Book Reviews - Egypt Today” plus 1 more

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Book Reviews - Egypt Today Posted: 04 Jan 2010 08:28 AM PST

Ahlam Fatret Al-Naqaha (Dreams Of Recovery) Naguib Mahfouz (LE 8) The book's 'dreams' are 146 short narratives written by Nobel Prize laureate Naguib Mahfouz, one of Egypt's most significant contemporary writers, in 1994, while he was recovering from an attempt on his life. Some of the dreams are only made up of a few words and most of them are less than a page long. Mahfouz was injured and depressed, but his dreams offer a surprisingly fast-paced and entertaining read. Through this brief journey, the reader shares the writer's loneliness, isolation and fear of death: " When we lifted the lid of the box, we saw a terrifying snake that warned of death to whomever approached it," Mahfouz writes in one of his dreams. In his 129th dream, he imagines being on a mountaintop, extending his hand to help another climber; but far from being grateful, the man pulls his benefactor down. A few of the narratives are pleasurable fantasies: In one of them, a beautiful woman on a cart pulled by winged horses flies over minarets and rooftops, eventually landing on the peak of Giza's Great Pyramid. Most of the book's dreams are nostalgic memories of people and places, such as the famous nationalist musician Sayed Darwish and his old home in Abbassiya. In general, a somber, melancholic and, in some instances, almost macabre atmosphere prevails throughout the anthology. In his 119th dream, the author writes: "I arrived at the station at a critical time and took my place in the queue leading to the ticket booth. I remained between the cart and window until the final whistle sounded. I was still so far from the window. And this is how I missed the train." The 11-page preface was written by journalist and writer Sanaa el Beesy as a tribute to Mahfouz, on the occasion of his 93rd birthday. Farouk: Min Al-Milad Ila Al-Raheel (Farouk: From Birth To Departure) Latifa Mohammed Salem (LE 70) This is the third edition of the single most unbiased reference written on the life and times of King Farouk. Salem takes us through the controversy surrounding his life using solid references to shed light on previously unknown facts. The book begins with a look at the young King's upbringing in preparation for his future position. It then takes a closer look at political life in Egypt under his rule, examining the majority and the minority parties, the schism between Islam and Arabism, the positions of different ideological groups, life at the Palace and the military. The chapter "The Eagle and The Bear" — metaphors for the United States and Russia — analyzes the foreign political scene; Britain is also mentioned more than once in this section. The 10th chapter is one of the most interesting, as it gives a detailed account of the King's lavish lifestyle as well as focusing on his apparently possessive nature and reputation as a gambler. After the 11th and final chapter, entitled "The Fall," the third edition also contains a special supplement about the King's experiences during his final days in exile. The only major drawback of this book is the relative lack of images – the few photos are crammed at the end in a tiny appendix. Asr El-Elm (The Age of Science)Ahmed Zewail (LE 30) In the preface, Egyptian Nobel Prize laureate Naguib Mahfouz describes Asr El-Elm as, " a book that deserves to be read word by word, if for anything then for the extreme importance of its critical topics." The book is an investigation of the reasons behind the extreme development of some nations, the recent extraordinary upheaval of others and the continuous decline of the rest of the world. The book comprises two parts, separated by an interesting full-color photo gallery that includes a collection of pictures portraying the author with many celebrities on different occasions over the years. The first part is dedicated to the tremendously engaging autobiography of the author, divided into five eras, from his birth and upbringing in Egypt to his life in the United States, where he obtained a postgraduate degree — with a 'behind the scenes' look at his journey toward winning the Nobel Prize. The second part includes enlightening articles, public lectures, an outline for the implementation of a non-profit educational and research facility (the University of Science and Technology and the Technology Park, for which land was allocated in 2000 at Sixth of October City but implementation did not follow) and the speech that Zewail gave during his decoration by the Egyptian government in 1999. This is an inspiring book, written by an inspired writer who is not only evidently a talented economist, but also a great storyteller. Nithar Al-Mahw, Dafatir leltadween: Al-Daftar Al-Khamis (Scatterings of Obliteration, Notebooks: Notebook Number Five) Gamal El-Ghitany (LE 20) As the title suggests, this is a sort of scrapbook put together by one of Egypt's greatest contemporary thinkers. It's the fifth of El-Ghitany's intriguing personal journals and it takes the reader on a journey inside the brain of this true master. The highest points of the book are the occasional paragraphs entitled "Question." In some of them, the author philosophizes on issues such as "Where did yesterday go?" "Do we get born to die? Or die to get born?" and "White, Black Black, White which comes first?" Another topic that seems to grab El-Ghitany's attention is architecture, as confirmed by his recent appearance on a satellite TV show about this topic. In his notebook, El-Ghitany analyzes traditional Islamic architecture both in Egypt and Morocco. He also often recalls personal experiences, such as hearing news of the war on the radio while he was going back home from work or listening, as a child, to the words of an old teacher in class. Sometimes, through his words, the author draws caricatures of people seen through his window as they walk on the street. A mixture of reality and fantasy, pessimism and optimism, tragedy and humor, El-Ghitany's notebook is an interesting read – and not just for die-hard El-Gheitany fans. et All books reviewed here are 2005 editions from Dar El-Shorouk, available at Madbouli and finer bookstores everywhere. See et guide/listings, page 182 for the address of your neighborhood book shop.

A New Year’s resolution - Bismarck Tribune Posted: 05 Jan 2010 05:35 AM PST To read more in the coming year. That sounds like a worthy New Year's resolution. Most people would agree that it is a good idea to read more, yet it may seem difficult to fit in time for reading. The first thing to do is to find something to read that is enjoyable and just cannot be put down. Try something new- a different type of book never experienced before, such as a western, science fiction, or maybe a biography. It may be surprising what can be found enjoyable. Keep searching until something is found to capture the imagination. Set aside time in the evening or morning when everyone else is settled or sleeping so that there will be no disruptions. Write in time for reading in a daily schedule just like everything else that is important. It may be necessary to turn off the television or computer. Set a goal for the new year that is attainable. Start with just 10 to 15 minutes per day until it becomes a habit. Fifteen minutes per day could easily add up to one book per month, which totals 12 books over the coming year. Take into consideration that different types of books require different rates of reading. Technical books, for example, would take longer to read than a light fantasy. The number of books read is not what is important; it is what is gained from reading. Reading more will increase knowledge of the world, vocabulary, understanding of other viewpoints, relaxation, critical thinking, and even relieve stress. Make reading a family activity that includes children. This could be a quiet, relaxing time before they go to bed. Find a book of interest to everyone. There are hundreds of juvenile books that will keep most adults' attention. In a journal, keep track of books read, and make a wish list of books to read in the future. Ask friends and family for suggestions, or read book reviews in newspapers and magazines. Borrow books from friends or the library to give them a test drive. It is helpful to realize that it is OK to stop reading a book that doesn't hold the attention, and look for one that can be treasured. Take a book everywhere to take advantage of free moments while waiting in a line or waiting for an appointment. It can be surprising how the time will add up. Many people read while walking on a treadmill, or listen to audio books while driving or walking. In this modern age, it is common for many people to spend a great deal of time on the computer reading e-mails or visiting social Web sites. These people might enjoy an intriguing Web site at http://www.dailylit.com. It is based on the idea that a book can be read one page at a time through e-mail. Participants choose a book to be read from an extensive list of classics and contemporary works, provide an e-mail address, and then are automatically sent one page per day by e-mail at the time of day requested. Reading the e-mail usually takes less than five minutes per day. If the reader wants to continue the book right away, immediate delivery of more installments can be requested. This is a free service supported by sponsorships. A similar Web site is located at www.dailyreader.net. This is the perfect solution for the busy person who believes that there is no time to read a book. Other resolutions for the new year may come and go, but the benefits gained by reading one book or many books in the coming year will be kept forever. (Pam Krueger, M.Ed., is a freelance writer, academic language therapist and owner of Every 1 Reading tutoring in Bismarck. She can be reached at pam@every1reading.com.) Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

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