Five Books interview
Issandr El Amrani | Books I was recently interviewed by the great website Five Books, about the Arab world and books worth reading about it. I decided to give some broad (and somewhat idiosyncratic) recommendations. It was very difficult to choose what books to talk about, so in the end I went partly with books that give context to the current situation, and partly with very personal choices (and yes I fully expect to be branded an Orientalist for picking the Arabian Nights as my fifth choice, and I don't care — it's my favorite book.)
It made me think that I need to get around to making a longer list about what to read about the Arab world. I'd be interested to hear what readers believe should be included, and in what category (for instance, fiction, politics, history, religion, etc.) Putting together of 100 books might be a fun summer project.
Reader Comments (9)
I would recommend "Master and Disciple: The Cultural Foundation of Moroccan Authoritarianism" by Moroccan-American anthropologist Abdellah Hammoudi, as a good, forensic analysis of the Moroccan sociological and psychological dynamics underlying the way politics are conducted there. It's sometimes painful to read, as the author often delves into very specific topics and uses technical terms, but it is certainly worth the effort.
I am currently reading an absolutely amazing book. The author is Albert Hourani. A History of the Arab Peoples. Here is the citation in Chicago manual of style form.
Hourani, Albert. A History of the Arab Peoples. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2003).
Here is my personal review in my own words. This book provides a panoramic sweep of the Arabic peoples from pre-Islam to the present day. The author provides a thoughtful, precise and nuanced view of everything from the life of cities, the role of Jews and Christians, the caliphs, the rule of the Ottomons, the Maghrib and everything else you can imagine. The book is readable, and fascinating. It is simultaneously both scholarly and entertaining. This is a must read for anyone interested in the Arab world.
Warigia
I would really appreciate some good books on the muslim brotherhood, their history and their political influence in the arab world, particularily in syria and, of course, egypt.
Would be really nice!!
Greets from Germany
Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East: 1776 to the Present by Michael Oren
Inside Egypt: the Land of the Pharaohs on the Brink of a Revolution by John Bradley
Whatever Happened to the Egyptians? by Galal Amin
Politics of Piety by Saba Mahmood
Women and Gender in Islam by Leila Ahmed
Over-stating the Arab State by Nazih Ayubi
A great fiction book I recently read is by the Libyan author Ibrahim al-Koni: نداء ما كان بعيداً. It sheds light on Libya's history during the Ottoman rule. Very well written and quite inspiring.
orientalism (not about the arab world per se, but important for exactly that reason) - edward said
hollow land: israel's architecture of occupation - eyal weizman
politics of piety: the islamic revival and the feminist subject - saba mahmood
veiled sentiments: honor and poetry in beduoin society - lila abu-lughod
anything my ghada karmi
anything by ahdaf soueif
men in the sun and other palestinian stories - ghassan kanafani
i saw ramallah - mourid barghouti
the pessoptimist - emile habibi
I recommend the Richard Burton translation (unexpurgated) for amazing use of language and the world's best footnotes.
My fantasy book request is; A People's History of the Arab World, focusing on ground-level first-hand accounts of the events of the 19th and 20th centuries (and hell, longer if you got 'em) of the Arab lands-- I think lots of these first hand accounts are out there, but very few compiled with an eye toward ground-level history and translated into English.....
This is a fun crowd sourcing project!
For an insight into Egypt under Nasser, you can't beat Waguih Ghali's novel Beer in the Snooker Club. I came across it while in the library researching my undergrad dissertation and had to stop reading it because it made all the academic books in my pile seem mute.