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賮賷 亘賱丕丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱
乇賵丕賷丞 鬲賵囟丨 賱賳丕 兀賳 丕賱丨亘 賷亘賯賶 賴賵
丕賱丨亘 毓賱賶 丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 丕賱禺賷丕賳丞 貙 丕賱丨夭賳貙
丕賱乇賷亘丞貙 丕賱睾囟亘貙 丕賱廿乇賴丕亘 丕賱爻賷丕爻賷鈥�
賮賷 亘賱丕丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱 乇購卮丨鬲 賱噩丕卅夭丞 亘賵賰乇
丕賱賲乇賲賵賯丞 賮賷 亘乇賷胤丕賳賷丕.
亘丕賰賵乇丞 兀丿亘賷丞 賲孬賷乇丞 賱賱賲卮丕毓乇 賵賲賲賷夭丞..
氐丨賷賮丞 丕賱睾丕乇丿賷丕賳
丕賱丨亘 毓賱賶 丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 丕賱禺賷丕賳丞 貙 丕賱丨夭賳貙
丕賱乇賷亘丞貙 丕賱睾囟亘貙 丕賱廿乇賴丕亘 丕賱爻賷丕爻賷鈥�
賮賷 亘賱丕丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱 乇購卮丨鬲 賱噩丕卅夭丞 亘賵賰乇
丕賱賲乇賲賵賯丞 賮賷 亘乇賷胤丕賳賷丕.
亘丕賰賵乇丞 兀丿亘賷丞 賲孬賷乇丞 賱賱賲卮丕毓乇 賵賲賲賷夭丞..
氐丨賷賮丞 丕賱睾丕乇丿賷丕賳
256 pages
First published January 1, 2006
324 people are currently reading
9480 people want to read
About the author
Hisham Matar
19听books1,343听followersHisham Matar was born in New York City, where his father was working for the Libyan delegation to the United Nations. When he was three years old, his family went back to Tripoli, Libya, where he spent his early childhood. Due to political persecutions by the Ghaddafi regime, in 1979 his father was accused of being a reactionary to the Libyan revolutionary regime and was forced to flee the country with his family. They lived in exile in Egypt where Hisham and his brother completed their schooling in Cairo. In 1986 he moved to London, United Kingdom, where he continued his studies and received a degree in architecture. In 1990, while he was still in London, his father, a political dissident, was kidnapped in Cairo. He has been reported missing ever since. However, in 1996, the family received two letters with his father's handwriting stating that he was kidnapped by the Egyptian secret police, handed over to the Libyan regime, and imprisoned in the notorious Abu-Salim prison in the heart of Tripoli. Since that date, there has been no more information about his father's whereabouts.
Hisham Matar began writing poetry and experimented in theatre. He began writing his first novel In the Country of Men in early 2000. In the autumn of 2005, the publishers Penguin International signed a two-book deal with him, and the novel was a huge success.
Hisham Matar began writing poetry and experimented in theatre. He began writing his first novel In the Country of Men in early 2000. In the autumn of 2005, the publishers Penguin International signed a two-book deal with him, and the novel was a huge success.
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August 13, 2009
The child narrator鈥檚 point of view is only the tip of the iceberg. It鈥檚 as if the boy鈥檚 view of the world is warped by the surface of the water. Actually, Suleiman isn鈥檛 a particularly likeable character. On the contrary, the reader is discouraged from identifying with the first person narrator, for he recounts episodes of his boyhood in which he indulges in inexplicable cruel behavior which contrasts sharply with the boy's childish innocence in the face of evil and deceit.
While the book鈥檚 language is pretty much straightforward and uncomplicated, to the point that at first I thought this wasn鈥檛 going to be worth my while, as I read on, became engrossed by the subversive elements of the plot, and the constant interplay of the two temporal pasts of the narrative (Najwa-the mother鈥檚 past vs. Suleiman-the boy鈥檚 past).
In the Country of Men has been criticized by Arab commentators for being politically vague, for depicting the opposition to the Libyan regime as a slipshod endeavor, in effect caricaturing the resistance movement. IMO this is what gives the book its humanity and poignancy.
The novel's primary critique of contemporary Arab society is that this country of 鈥榤en鈥� no longer operates according to 鈥榤anly鈥� codes of conduct. All sense of justice, faith, honor, respect seems to have decayed.
This can be seen in the juxtaposition between the strict moral codes women must still adhere to, a seemingly anachronistic tradition that persists in a society whose ruling regime loudly proclaims a total break with the past, the ushering in of the 鈥榤odern鈥�, the 鈥榬evolutionary鈥�, etc.
We observe that the most devout adherents of The Guide are men who unashamedly forego ideological principles when it is convenient for themselves or for their superiors: Um Masood can be bribed by a cake topped with strawberries; the secret police try to score with Suleiman鈥檚 mother in exchange for overlooking the 鈥榮hame鈥� of her drinking binges.
And despite all the macho talk of capturing the 鈥榯raitors鈥�, the pistol-toting Sharief promptly abandons his idealistic mission when the 鈥榤ighty hand鈥� decides to spare Suleiman鈥檚 father.
However, the opposition isn't any better. Najwa鈥檚 brother, despite an American wife and a comfortable life abroad, reverts to the old ways when it comes to dealing with the matter of the family鈥檚 honour being compromised by the young girl.
Faraj (Suleiman鈥檚 father), who is apparently one of the main financial benefactors of the opposition, has married an underage girl he has never seen before and even went so far as to deflower her as she lay unconscious with fear on her wedding night in accordance with tradition.
Who better, then, to understand the futility of the 'resistance' than Najwa, (Suleiman鈥檚 mother). As a woman, as a victim of patriarchal status quo, she is aware that her husband鈥檚 struggle with the totalitarian regime is a futile battle. The system cannot be overcome when the men fighting it are themselves oppressors. And this is what In the Country of Men illustrates, by intertwining the two narratives: the subjugation of Najwa to the rule of men, and the subjugation of Faraj to the rule of the regime.
Najwa鈥檚 adolescent 鈥榗rime鈥� is that she was found talking to a boy in a public caf茅. The 鈥楬igh Council鈥� of male family elders acted with the 鈥榚fficiency rivaling that of a German factory鈥� in meting out the punishment after a closed 鈥榯rial鈥� in which she is not allowed to come to her own defense. Her sentence begins with incarceration, beatings, a forced marriage, denial of access to books, and concludes with the rape on her wedding night. She remembers: 鈥淲hen I got home every light in my life was put out.鈥�
Years later, her husband鈥檚 fate echoes her own oppression. At the moment of Faraj鈥檚 arrest she immediately understands the enormity of his predicament: the possibility of being placed 鈥榖ehind the sun for ever鈥�.
His capture by the Revolutionary Committee men is followed by events paralleling her own submission: a mock trial, incarceration, beatings, forced confession, forced pledge of loyalty, deprived of his books, release.
The ironic twist in this role reversal is that it is the woman who now holds the trump card --> She makes the morally superior choice to save him at all costs whereas no man or woman (not even her own mother) was willing to rescue/protect her. In the country of men, it is the woman who saves the day, overcoming the 鈥榗owardly鈥� stance of the Scheherazades past and present - idealists/fantasists who choose slavery over risking all for freedom.
Najwa negotiates with her neighbor Ustath Jafer the until then much feared highranking Mokhabarat official and pledges obedience to the regime on behalf of her husband, as she had once given her own wedding pledge to him in order to 鈥榮ave鈥� her family鈥檚 honor: 鈥楢 word had been given and word had been received, men鈥檚 words that could never be taken back or exchanged.鈥�
Finally, I want to point out the crowning ironic symbol: The white handkerchief, a testament of Najwa's virgin 鈥榟onor鈥� upon her bridal bed, becomes the white sheet on the mirror protecting the 鈥榲iolated鈥� husband from his own reflected image upon his return home a badly bruised and broken man.
While the book鈥檚 language is pretty much straightforward and uncomplicated, to the point that at first I thought this wasn鈥檛 going to be worth my while, as I read on, became engrossed by the subversive elements of the plot, and the constant interplay of the two temporal pasts of the narrative (Najwa-the mother鈥檚 past vs. Suleiman-the boy鈥檚 past).
In the Country of Men has been criticized by Arab commentators for being politically vague, for depicting the opposition to the Libyan regime as a slipshod endeavor, in effect caricaturing the resistance movement. IMO this is what gives the book its humanity and poignancy.
The novel's primary critique of contemporary Arab society is that this country of 鈥榤en鈥� no longer operates according to 鈥榤anly鈥� codes of conduct. All sense of justice, faith, honor, respect seems to have decayed.
This can be seen in the juxtaposition between the strict moral codes women must still adhere to, a seemingly anachronistic tradition that persists in a society whose ruling regime loudly proclaims a total break with the past, the ushering in of the 鈥榤odern鈥�, the 鈥榬evolutionary鈥�, etc.
We observe that the most devout adherents of The Guide are men who unashamedly forego ideological principles when it is convenient for themselves or for their superiors: Um Masood can be bribed by a cake topped with strawberries; the secret police try to score with Suleiman鈥檚 mother in exchange for overlooking the 鈥榮hame鈥� of her drinking binges.
And despite all the macho talk of capturing the 鈥榯raitors鈥�, the pistol-toting Sharief promptly abandons his idealistic mission when the 鈥榤ighty hand鈥� decides to spare Suleiman鈥檚 father.
However, the opposition isn't any better. Najwa鈥檚 brother, despite an American wife and a comfortable life abroad, reverts to the old ways when it comes to dealing with the matter of the family鈥檚 honour being compromised by the young girl.
Faraj (Suleiman鈥檚 father), who is apparently one of the main financial benefactors of the opposition, has married an underage girl he has never seen before and even went so far as to deflower her as she lay unconscious with fear on her wedding night in accordance with tradition.
Who better, then, to understand the futility of the 'resistance' than Najwa, (Suleiman鈥檚 mother). As a woman, as a victim of patriarchal status quo, she is aware that her husband鈥檚 struggle with the totalitarian regime is a futile battle. The system cannot be overcome when the men fighting it are themselves oppressors. And this is what In the Country of Men illustrates, by intertwining the two narratives: the subjugation of Najwa to the rule of men, and the subjugation of Faraj to the rule of the regime.
Najwa鈥檚 adolescent 鈥榗rime鈥� is that she was found talking to a boy in a public caf茅. The 鈥楬igh Council鈥� of male family elders acted with the 鈥榚fficiency rivaling that of a German factory鈥� in meting out the punishment after a closed 鈥榯rial鈥� in which she is not allowed to come to her own defense. Her sentence begins with incarceration, beatings, a forced marriage, denial of access to books, and concludes with the rape on her wedding night. She remembers: 鈥淲hen I got home every light in my life was put out.鈥�
Years later, her husband鈥檚 fate echoes her own oppression. At the moment of Faraj鈥檚 arrest she immediately understands the enormity of his predicament: the possibility of being placed 鈥榖ehind the sun for ever鈥�.
His capture by the Revolutionary Committee men is followed by events paralleling her own submission: a mock trial, incarceration, beatings, forced confession, forced pledge of loyalty, deprived of his books, release.
The ironic twist in this role reversal is that it is the woman who now holds the trump card --> She makes the morally superior choice to save him at all costs whereas no man or woman (not even her own mother) was willing to rescue/protect her. In the country of men, it is the woman who saves the day, overcoming the 鈥榗owardly鈥� stance of the Scheherazades past and present - idealists/fantasists who choose slavery over risking all for freedom.
Najwa negotiates with her neighbor Ustath Jafer the until then much feared highranking Mokhabarat official and pledges obedience to the regime on behalf of her husband, as she had once given her own wedding pledge to him in order to 鈥榮ave鈥� her family鈥檚 honor: 鈥楢 word had been given and word had been received, men鈥檚 words that could never be taken back or exchanged.鈥�
Finally, I want to point out the crowning ironic symbol: The white handkerchief, a testament of Najwa's virgin 鈥榟onor鈥� upon her bridal bed, becomes the white sheet on the mirror protecting the 鈥榲iolated鈥� husband from his own reflected image upon his return home a badly bruised and broken man.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2010
From my blog:
written by Hisham Matar and published in February 2007 by The Dial Press. This is Matar's bio as written on the end flap:
Hisham Matar was born in 1970 in New York city to Libyan parents and spent his childhood in Tripoli and Cairo. He lives in London and is currently at work on his second novel. In the Country of Men will be published in twenty-two languages.
This was a difficult book to read, not because of the density of the writing - dense it was not - but because the characters drew you into their lives in such a way that you wanted to, but couldn't, dialog with them. The story is told through the eyes and voice of a 9-year-old boy, Suleiman, as he describes how he sees what's happening to his family - his mother, his father, and his uncle - and their immediate friends and relatives in Libya in 1979.
The story is tragic in many ways, but life is life and tragedy is part of it. You have to take it as it is because it's the only way to get to know, appreciate, and respect those whose lives are different from our own.
Just the other evening, a group of us were talking about what we perceived as the tragic lives of an elderly couple we all know, a couple who never has enough money to buy healthy food or clothing and who lives in substandard housing. Yet, you can't go in and fix the situation, or even try, unless you're asked, because the damage to human dignity, when you try to make a "happily ever after," according to our own individual standards, is often more damaging than the "tragic" circumstances themselves.
Thus is was with this book. I kept wanting to "explain things" to this little boy, to tell him to grow up and learn what it means to keep a secret, to trust his family, even though it seemed that all the world was falling apart. So much I wanted to tell him. I wanted to hold him in my arms with my hands close to his mouth to keep him quiet, perhaps in the way you might do with a small child. I wanted Suleiman to be more mature than he was, and I wondered why he wasn't. I wanted to tell his mother that she needed to help him grow up by explaining more than she did. The book made me want to get involved and "fix things."
But this was Suleiman's life, his mother's life, his father's life, his uncle's life, and the lives of their friends and relatives, and I could only observe. It's better that way. We can't rule the universe; and even if we could, our disasters might be worse than the real ones we perceive.
The book was disturbing, but I'm glad I read it. The story will stay with me for a long time. I'm glad Hisham Matar told the story in a way I could read and feel it. I am better, even though sadder, for having experienced a bit of Suleiman's life. Like the rest of us who survive childhood - and Suleiman did, we go on and we make of our lives what we can, the best we can. I hope he is doing well!
written by Hisham Matar and published in February 2007 by The Dial Press. This is Matar's bio as written on the end flap:
Hisham Matar was born in 1970 in New York city to Libyan parents and spent his childhood in Tripoli and Cairo. He lives in London and is currently at work on his second novel. In the Country of Men will be published in twenty-two languages.
This was a difficult book to read, not because of the density of the writing - dense it was not - but because the characters drew you into their lives in such a way that you wanted to, but couldn't, dialog with them. The story is told through the eyes and voice of a 9-year-old boy, Suleiman, as he describes how he sees what's happening to his family - his mother, his father, and his uncle - and their immediate friends and relatives in Libya in 1979.
The story is tragic in many ways, but life is life and tragedy is part of it. You have to take it as it is because it's the only way to get to know, appreciate, and respect those whose lives are different from our own.
Just the other evening, a group of us were talking about what we perceived as the tragic lives of an elderly couple we all know, a couple who never has enough money to buy healthy food or clothing and who lives in substandard housing. Yet, you can't go in and fix the situation, or even try, unless you're asked, because the damage to human dignity, when you try to make a "happily ever after," according to our own individual standards, is often more damaging than the "tragic" circumstances themselves.
Thus is was with this book. I kept wanting to "explain things" to this little boy, to tell him to grow up and learn what it means to keep a secret, to trust his family, even though it seemed that all the world was falling apart. So much I wanted to tell him. I wanted to hold him in my arms with my hands close to his mouth to keep him quiet, perhaps in the way you might do with a small child. I wanted Suleiman to be more mature than he was, and I wondered why he wasn't. I wanted to tell his mother that she needed to help him grow up by explaining more than she did. The book made me want to get involved and "fix things."
But this was Suleiman's life, his mother's life, his father's life, his uncle's life, and the lives of their friends and relatives, and I could only observe. It's better that way. We can't rule the universe; and even if we could, our disasters might be worse than the real ones we perceive.
The book was disturbing, but I'm glad I read it. The story will stay with me for a long time. I'm glad Hisham Matar told the story in a way I could read and feel it. I am better, even though sadder, for having experienced a bit of Suleiman's life. Like the rest of us who survive childhood - and Suleiman did, we go on and we make of our lives what we can, the best we can. I hope he is doing well!
May 10, 2013
Kod nas je objavio Marso... Proverite za拧to je ova knjiga podobijala tolike nagrade (ili bila u u啪em/拧irem izboru za nagrade)... Libija... Za ljubitelje "Lovca na zmajeve" ili "Jutra u D啪eninu"... ili "Pitanja i odgovora" i "Belog tigra"...
December 14, 2020
丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕 夭賳丿诏蹖 讴賳蹖丿
賲亘賴賵鬲 丕蹖賳 丨噩賲 丕夭 鬲氐賵蹖乇貙 賲亘賴賵鬲 丕蹖賳 丨噩賲 丕夭 鬲噩乇亘賴貙 賲亘賴賵鬲 丕蹖賳 丨噩賲 丕夭 賲賱賲賵爻 亘賵丿賳 丕鬲賮丕賯丕鬲!
丿乇 讴卮賵乇 賲乇丿丕賳 丿乇亘丕乇賴 夭賳丕賳 丕爻鬲貙 丿乇亘丕乇賴 賲丕丿乇丕賳 丕爻鬲貙 丿乇亘丕乇賴 讴爻丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 芦卮賵乇丕蹖 毓丕賱蹖 賲乇丿丕賳禄 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 賳丕丿蹖丿賴 诏乇賮鬲賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堎嗀� 趩賵賳 賲乇丿 賳蹖爻鬲賳丿. 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕 亘毓丿 丕夭 爻乇诏匕卮鬲 賳丿蹖賲賴 賵 亘丕賵乇賲 賳賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 趩賯丿乇 賲蹖鈥屫堌з� 禺賵亘 賳賵卮鬲. 亘毓丿 丕夭 讴鬲丕亘 禺丕賳賲 丕鬲賵賵丿 鬲氐賵乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 亘賴鬲乇蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 爻丕賱 2020 乇丕 禺賵丕賳丿賴鈥屫з� 賵賱蹖 丕賱丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫ㄛ屬嗁� 讴賴 賲胤乇 賴賲丕賳 讴丕乇蹖 讴賴 丕鬲賵賵丿 賲蹖鈥屫堌ж池� 丿乇 爻乇诏匕卮鬲 賳丿蹖賲賴 讴賳丿 亘丕 蹖讴 乇賵丕蹖鬲 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕賳噩丕賲 丿丕丿 亘丿賵賳 丕蹖賳讴賴 卮毓丕乇 丿賴丿. 丕賵 賴賲 丕夭 馗賱賲 毓賱蹖賴 夭賳丕賳 賳賵卮鬲 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 丨讴賵賲鬲鈥屬囏й� 鬲賵鬲丕賱蹖鬲乇 乇丕 賳蹖夭 賳賯丿 讴乇丿.
趩賯丿乇 禺賵卮丨丕賱賲 讴賴 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕 禺賵丕賳丿賲 賵 趩賯丿乇 丕賮爻賵爻 賲蹖鈥屫堌辟� 讴賴 丨丿賵丿 蹖讴 爻丕賱 丿乇 賯賮爻賴 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏й屬� 亘賵丿 賵賱蹖 賳賵亘鬲卮 賳賲蹖鈥屫簇�. 丿乇 賲噩賲賵毓 鬲噩乇亘賴鈥屫й� 鬲讴乇丕乇 賳卮丿賳蹖 丕爻鬲 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賵 丨鬲賲丕 亘丕蹖丿 亘蹖卮 丕夭 蹖讴 亘丕乇 禺賵丕賳丿 賵 賱丨馗丕鬲蹖 乇丕 讴賴 賲胤乇 爻丕禺鬲賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 讴乇丿賴.
賲亘賴賵鬲 丕蹖賳 丨噩賲 丕夭 鬲氐賵蹖乇貙 賲亘賴賵鬲 丕蹖賳 丨噩賲 丕夭 鬲噩乇亘賴貙 賲亘賴賵鬲 丕蹖賳 丨噩賲 丕夭 賲賱賲賵爻 亘賵丿賳 丕鬲賮丕賯丕鬲!
丿乇 讴卮賵乇 賲乇丿丕賳 丿乇亘丕乇賴 夭賳丕賳 丕爻鬲貙 丿乇亘丕乇賴 賲丕丿乇丕賳 丕爻鬲貙 丿乇亘丕乇賴 讴爻丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 芦卮賵乇丕蹖 毓丕賱蹖 賲乇丿丕賳禄 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 賳丕丿蹖丿賴 诏乇賮鬲賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堎嗀� 趩賵賳 賲乇丿 賳蹖爻鬲賳丿. 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕 亘毓丿 丕夭 爻乇诏匕卮鬲 賳丿蹖賲賴 賵 亘丕賵乇賲 賳賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 趩賯丿乇 賲蹖鈥屫堌з� 禺賵亘 賳賵卮鬲. 亘毓丿 丕夭 讴鬲丕亘 禺丕賳賲 丕鬲賵賵丿 鬲氐賵乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 亘賴鬲乇蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 爻丕賱 2020 乇丕 禺賵丕賳丿賴鈥屫з� 賵賱蹖 丕賱丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫ㄛ屬嗁� 讴賴 賲胤乇 賴賲丕賳 讴丕乇蹖 讴賴 丕鬲賵賵丿 賲蹖鈥屫堌ж池� 丿乇 爻乇诏匕卮鬲 賳丿蹖賲賴 讴賳丿 亘丕 蹖讴 乇賵丕蹖鬲 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕賳噩丕賲 丿丕丿 亘丿賵賳 丕蹖賳讴賴 卮毓丕乇 丿賴丿. 丕賵 賴賲 丕夭 馗賱賲 毓賱蹖賴 夭賳丕賳 賳賵卮鬲 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 丨讴賵賲鬲鈥屬囏й� 鬲賵鬲丕賱蹖鬲乇 乇丕 賳蹖夭 賳賯丿 讴乇丿.
趩賯丿乇 禺賵卮丨丕賱賲 讴賴 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕 禺賵丕賳丿賲 賵 趩賯丿乇 丕賮爻賵爻 賲蹖鈥屫堌辟� 讴賴 丨丿賵丿 蹖讴 爻丕賱 丿乇 賯賮爻賴 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏й屬� 亘賵丿 賵賱蹖 賳賵亘鬲卮 賳賲蹖鈥屫簇�. 丿乇 賲噩賲賵毓 鬲噩乇亘賴鈥屫й� 鬲讴乇丕乇 賳卮丿賳蹖 丕爻鬲 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賵 丨鬲賲丕 亘丕蹖丿 亘蹖卮 丕夭 蹖讴 亘丕乇 禺賵丕賳丿 賵 賱丨馗丕鬲蹖 乇丕 讴賴 賲胤乇 爻丕禺鬲賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 讴乇丿賴.
November 20, 2021
I think Matar is the first Libyan writer I have read (admittedly he was born in the States and later moved to Britain). This is a simple but powerful story of Suleiman, a nine-year old boy growing up in Tripoli whose parents fall foul of Gadafy's revolutionary regime - a society in which very little is as it appears to a young boy's perspective.
There is a degree of retrospective introspection, as the narrator ends up living in exile in Cairo, where he has been sent by his parents for his own protection after his father is released from police custody, and he is not always very likeable, but it was interesting to read about Libya from the perspective of somebody who was brought up there. I can understand why this one was shortlisted for the Booker.
There is a degree of retrospective introspection, as the narrator ends up living in exile in Cairo, where he has been sent by his parents for his own protection after his father is released from police custody, and he is not always very likeable, but it was interesting to read about Libya from the perspective of somebody who was brought up there. I can understand why this one was shortlisted for the Booker.
May 6, 2017
賳毓賲丿 賳丨賳 丕賱賯乇丕亍 廿匕丕 兀丨亘亘賳丕 賰丕鬲亘賸丕 賲丕 廿賱賶 賲丨丕賵賱丞 丕賰鬲卮丕賮 丕賱賲夭賷丿 毓賳賴貙 廿賲賾丕 亘賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱賲夭賷丿 賲賳 賰鬲亘賴貙 兀賵 亘丕賱丕胤賱丕毓 毓賱賶 爻賷乇鬲賴 丕賱匕丕鬲賷丞貙 兀賵 亘賲鬲丕亘毓丞 丨賵丕乇丕鬲賴 賵賱賯丕亍丕鬲賴 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 賵丕賱氐丨賮賷丞. 賵賱賰賳 賮賷 乇兀賷賷 賴賳丕賱賰 卮賷亍 丌禺乇 兀賰孬乇 兀賴賲賷丞 賲賳 匕賱賰 賰賱賾賴.
賲丕 賴賷 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱鬲賷 賯乇兀賴丕 賴匕丕 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賵鬲乇賰鬲 賮賷賴 賵賮賷 賰鬲丕亘鬲賴 兀孬乇賸丕 賱丕 賷賲丨賶. 丿毓賰賲 賲賳 賴丐賱丕亍 丕賱賰購鬲賾丕亘 丕賱賲睾乇賵乇賷賳 丕賱匕賷賳 賷丿賾毓賵賳 亘兀賳賴賲 賱賲 賷鬲兀孬乇賵丕 亘賰丕鬲亘 兀賵 亘賰鬲丕亘貙 賮賴丐賱丕亍 毓丿丕 毓賳 賰賵賳賴賲 賷賰匕亘賵賳貙 賮廿賳賰 賱賳 鬲噩丿 賮賷賲丕 賷賰鬲亘賵賳賴 卮賷卅賸丕 賷爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 賮賷 丕賱睾丕賱亘.
丿賵爻鬲賵賷賮爻賰賷 丕賱匕賷 賯丕賱 賷賵賲賸丕 "賰賱賳丕 禺乇噩賳丕 賲賳 賲毓胤賮 睾賵睾賵賱" 丿賮毓賳賷 賱賯乇丕亍丞 賯氐丞 丕賱賲毓胤賮 賱賳賷賯賵賱丕賷 睾賵睾賵賱貙 賵兀賵乇賴丕賳 亘丕賲賵賰 丕賱匕賷 鬲丨丿孬 賰孬賷乇賸丕 毓賳 乇賵丕賷丞 "丕賱卮賷丕胤賷賳" 賱丿賵爻鬲賵賷賮爻賰賷 丿賮毓賳賷 賱丕賯鬲賳丕卅賴丕. 賵賱賵賱丕 乇亘賷毓 噩丕亘乇 賱賲丕 賯乇兀鬲 乇賵丕賷丞 "丨亘 賵賯賲丕賲丞" 賱廿賷賮丕賳 賰賱賷賲丕 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賰乇乇鬲 賰孬賷乇賸丕 賮賷 賲賯丕賱丕鬲賴. 賵兀毓鬲乇賮 亘兀賳賳賷 賱賲 兀賯乇兀 乇賵丕賷丞 "賲丕卅丞 毓丕賲 賲賳 丕賱毓夭賱丞" 賱賲丕乇賰賷夭 廿賱丕 亘毓丿 兀賳 亘丕賱睾 賲賷賱丕賳 賰賵賳丿賷乇丕 亘賲丿丨賴丕 夭丕毓賲賸丕 亘兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賳鬲賴鬲 賲毓賴丕 (兀賵 卮賷卅賸丕 賯乇賷亘賸丕 賲賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賲毓賳賶). 賵賱賵賱丕 廿卮丕丿丞 賲丕乇賷賵 賮丕乇睾丕爻 賷賵爻丕 亘乇賵丕賷丞 "噩丕賲毓 丕賱賰鬲亘" 賱噩賵爻鬲丕亘賵 賮丕亘賷乇賵賳 賱賲丕 賯乇兀鬲賴丕貙 賵賱丕 兀馗賳賳賷 賰賳鬲 爻兀賯乇兀 "兀賵乇卮賱賷賲" 賱賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱賷 噩賵賳爻丕賱賵 廿賲. 鬲賮丕乇賷爻 賱賵賱丕 賲賳丨 噩賵夭賷賴 爻丕乇丕賲睾賵 氐賰 丕賱鬲賮賵賯 賵丕賱毓馗賲丞 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 賱賴.
賱匕賱賰 毓賳丿賲丕 丕賱鬲賯賷鬲 亘丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 丕賱賱賷亘賷丞 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 賳噩賵賶 亘賳 卮鬲賵丕賳貙 氐丕丨亘丞 乇賵丕賷丞 "夭乇丕賷亘 丕賱毓亘賷丿"貙 賮賷 賲毓乇囟 兀亘賵馗亘賷 賱賱賰鬲丕亘 丕睾鬲賳賲鬲 丕賱賮乇氐丞 賱爻丐丕賱賴丕 毓賲丕 鬲賳氐丨 亘賯乇丕亍鬲賴 賲賳 乇賵丕賷丕鬲. 匕賰乇鬲 賱賷 賳噩賵賶貙 亘丨賲丕爻賺 卮丿賷丿貙 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 賵賱賰賳 賱賲 賷毓賱賯 亘匕丕賰乇鬲賷 丕賱賲孬賯賵亘丞 丨賷賳賴丕 爻賵賶 丕爻賲 賴卮丕賲 賲胤乇 賵乇賵丕賷鬲賴 "賮賷 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱". 賵亘丕賱賮毓賱 丨乇氐鬲 毓賱賶 丕賯鬲賳丕卅賴丕 賲賳 丿丕乇 丕賱卮乇賵賯 賮賷 丌禺乇 兀賷丕賲 丕賱賲毓乇囟貙 賵丕爻鬲睾乇亘鬲 亘兀賳賳賷 賱丕 兀毓乇賮 賴匕丕 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 丕賱賱賷亘賷 丕賱匕賷 賷賰鬲亘 亘丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭賷丞 賵賮丕夭鬲 乇賵丕賷丕鬲賴 亘丕賱毓丿賷丿 賲賳 丕賱噩賵丕卅夭 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 賮賷 丕賱睾乇亘貙 賵賱賰賳 夭丕賱 丕爻鬲睾乇丕亘賷 毓賳丿賲丕 賵噩丿鬲 亘兀賳 丕賱胤亘毓丞 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賲賳 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 "賮賷 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱" 氐丕丿乇丞 賮賷 毓丕賲 佗贍佟佴 亘賷賳賲丕 氐丿乇鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭賷丞 毓丕賲 佗贍贍佴. 兀賷 兀賳賳丕 丕丨鬲噩賳丕 佟锟斤拷 爻賳賵丕鬲 賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賰丕鬲亘 毓乇亘賷 賳丕賱 鬲賯丿賷乇丕 賮賷 兀賲乇賷賰丕 賵兀賵乇賵亘丕 賱賲 賷賳賱 乇亘毓賴 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱毓乇亘賷.
賵賴賳丕 丕爻鬲胤乇丕丿貙 賱丕丨馗鬲 亘兀賳 賳噩賵賶 亘賳 卮鬲賵丕賳 賰丕賳鬲 爻毓賷丿丞 噩丿賸丕 亘賱賯丕亍 丕賱賯乇丕亍 丕賱廿賲丕乇丕鬲賷賷賳 賮賷 賲毓乇囟 兀亘賵馗亘賷 賱賱賰鬲丕亘 賵賰兀賳賴丕 賮丕夭鬲 亘噩丕卅夭丞 丕賱亘賵賰乇貙 賵賱賲丕 爻兀賱鬲賴丕 賲賲丕夭丨賸丕貙 賯丕賱鬲 賱賷 亘賱賴噩鬲賴丕 丕賱賱賷亘賷丞 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 : 賵賰賷賮 賱丕 兀賮乇丨 亘賯乇丕卅賷 賲賳 丕賱廿賲丕乇丕鬲 賵賴賷 丕賱丿賵賱丞 丕賱鬲賷 賲賳丨鬲賳賷 兀賵賱 噩丕卅夭丞 賮賷 賲爻賷乇鬲賷 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 (賮丕夭鬲 賲爻乇丨賷鬲賴丕 (丕賱賲毓胤賮) 亘噩丕卅夭丞 賲賴乇噩丕賳 丕賱卮丕乇賯丞 賱賱廿亘丿丕毓 丕賱毓乇亘賷 毓丕賲 佗贍贍佗 )
毓賵丿丞 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 兀賵賱 賲丕 賯乇兀鬲賴 賲賳 賲賯鬲賳賷丕鬲 丕賱賲毓乇囟貙 賵兀賳賴賷鬲賴丕 賱噩賲丕賱賴丕 賮賷 賷賵賲賺 賵丕丨丿. 鬲丿賵乇 兀丨丿丕孬 乇賵丕賷丞 賴卮丕賲 賲胤乇 賮賷 毓丕賲 佟侃侑侃貙 兀賷 兀孬賳丕亍 丨賰賲 丕賱賯匕丕賮賷 賱賱賷亘賷丕貙 賵毓賱賶 丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 兀賳賴丕 匕丕鬲 胤丕亘毓 爻賷丕爻賷 廿賱丕 兀賳 丕賱噩賲賷賱/丕賱噩丿賷丿 賮賷賴丕 賴賵 兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲賳賯賱 賵噩賴丞 賳馗乇 胤賮賱 賱丕 賷鬲噩丕賵夭 毓賲乇賴 侃 兀毓賵丕賲 賷賳賯賱亘 毓丕賱賲賴 乇兀爻賸丕 毓賱賶 毓賯亘 毓賳丿賲丕 賷鬲賵乇胤 賵丕賱丿賴貙 賲毓 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 兀氐丿賯丕卅賴貙 賮賷 丕賱丕賳鬲賲丕亍 賱鬲賳馗賷賲 爻乇賾賷貙 賵賷噩丿 賳賮爻賴 賮噩兀丞 賮賷 賲賵丕噩賴丞 毓丕賱賲 丕賱賰亘丕乇 丕賱賯匕乇 賵丕賱丿賳卅.
兀賳賴賷鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵兀賳丕 賲賲鬲賳 賱賳噩賵賶 亘賳 卮鬲賵丕賳 賲乇鬲賷賳貨 賲乇丞 賱兀賳賴丕 賰鬲亘鬲 "夭乇丕賷亘 丕賱毓亘賷丿" 賵賲乇丞 賱兀賳賴丕 兀乇卮丿鬲賳賷 賱賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.
賲丕 賴賷 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱鬲賷 賯乇兀賴丕 賴匕丕 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賵鬲乇賰鬲 賮賷賴 賵賮賷 賰鬲丕亘鬲賴 兀孬乇賸丕 賱丕 賷賲丨賶. 丿毓賰賲 賲賳 賴丐賱丕亍 丕賱賰購鬲賾丕亘 丕賱賲睾乇賵乇賷賳 丕賱匕賷賳 賷丿賾毓賵賳 亘兀賳賴賲 賱賲 賷鬲兀孬乇賵丕 亘賰丕鬲亘 兀賵 亘賰鬲丕亘貙 賮賴丐賱丕亍 毓丿丕 毓賳 賰賵賳賴賲 賷賰匕亘賵賳貙 賮廿賳賰 賱賳 鬲噩丿 賮賷賲丕 賷賰鬲亘賵賳賴 卮賷卅賸丕 賷爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 賮賷 丕賱睾丕賱亘.
丿賵爻鬲賵賷賮爻賰賷 丕賱匕賷 賯丕賱 賷賵賲賸丕 "賰賱賳丕 禺乇噩賳丕 賲賳 賲毓胤賮 睾賵睾賵賱" 丿賮毓賳賷 賱賯乇丕亍丞 賯氐丞 丕賱賲毓胤賮 賱賳賷賯賵賱丕賷 睾賵睾賵賱貙 賵兀賵乇賴丕賳 亘丕賲賵賰 丕賱匕賷 鬲丨丿孬 賰孬賷乇賸丕 毓賳 乇賵丕賷丞 "丕賱卮賷丕胤賷賳" 賱丿賵爻鬲賵賷賮爻賰賷 丿賮毓賳賷 賱丕賯鬲賳丕卅賴丕. 賵賱賵賱丕 乇亘賷毓 噩丕亘乇 賱賲丕 賯乇兀鬲 乇賵丕賷丞 "丨亘 賵賯賲丕賲丞" 賱廿賷賮丕賳 賰賱賷賲丕 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賰乇乇鬲 賰孬賷乇賸丕 賮賷 賲賯丕賱丕鬲賴. 賵兀毓鬲乇賮 亘兀賳賳賷 賱賲 兀賯乇兀 乇賵丕賷丞 "賲丕卅丞 毓丕賲 賲賳 丕賱毓夭賱丞" 賱賲丕乇賰賷夭 廿賱丕 亘毓丿 兀賳 亘丕賱睾 賲賷賱丕賳 賰賵賳丿賷乇丕 亘賲丿丨賴丕 夭丕毓賲賸丕 亘兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賳鬲賴鬲 賲毓賴丕 (兀賵 卮賷卅賸丕 賯乇賷亘賸丕 賲賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賲毓賳賶). 賵賱賵賱丕 廿卮丕丿丞 賲丕乇賷賵 賮丕乇睾丕爻 賷賵爻丕 亘乇賵丕賷丞 "噩丕賲毓 丕賱賰鬲亘" 賱噩賵爻鬲丕亘賵 賮丕亘賷乇賵賳 賱賲丕 賯乇兀鬲賴丕貙 賵賱丕 兀馗賳賳賷 賰賳鬲 爻兀賯乇兀 "兀賵乇卮賱賷賲" 賱賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱賷 噩賵賳爻丕賱賵 廿賲. 鬲賮丕乇賷爻 賱賵賱丕 賲賳丨 噩賵夭賷賴 爻丕乇丕賲睾賵 氐賰 丕賱鬲賮賵賯 賵丕賱毓馗賲丞 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 賱賴.
賱匕賱賰 毓賳丿賲丕 丕賱鬲賯賷鬲 亘丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 丕賱賱賷亘賷丞 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 賳噩賵賶 亘賳 卮鬲賵丕賳貙 氐丕丨亘丞 乇賵丕賷丞 "夭乇丕賷亘 丕賱毓亘賷丿"貙 賮賷 賲毓乇囟 兀亘賵馗亘賷 賱賱賰鬲丕亘 丕睾鬲賳賲鬲 丕賱賮乇氐丞 賱爻丐丕賱賴丕 毓賲丕 鬲賳氐丨 亘賯乇丕亍鬲賴 賲賳 乇賵丕賷丕鬲. 匕賰乇鬲 賱賷 賳噩賵賶貙 亘丨賲丕爻賺 卮丿賷丿貙 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 賵賱賰賳 賱賲 賷毓賱賯 亘匕丕賰乇鬲賷 丕賱賲孬賯賵亘丞 丨賷賳賴丕 爻賵賶 丕爻賲 賴卮丕賲 賲胤乇 賵乇賵丕賷鬲賴 "賮賷 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱". 賵亘丕賱賮毓賱 丨乇氐鬲 毓賱賶 丕賯鬲賳丕卅賴丕 賲賳 丿丕乇 丕賱卮乇賵賯 賮賷 丌禺乇 兀賷丕賲 丕賱賲毓乇囟貙 賵丕爻鬲睾乇亘鬲 亘兀賳賳賷 賱丕 兀毓乇賮 賴匕丕 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 丕賱賱賷亘賷 丕賱匕賷 賷賰鬲亘 亘丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭賷丞 賵賮丕夭鬲 乇賵丕賷丕鬲賴 亘丕賱毓丿賷丿 賲賳 丕賱噩賵丕卅夭 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 賮賷 丕賱睾乇亘貙 賵賱賰賳 夭丕賱 丕爻鬲睾乇丕亘賷 毓賳丿賲丕 賵噩丿鬲 亘兀賳 丕賱胤亘毓丞 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賲賳 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 "賮賷 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱" 氐丕丿乇丞 賮賷 毓丕賲 佗贍佟佴 亘賷賳賲丕 氐丿乇鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭賷丞 毓丕賲 佗贍贍佴. 兀賷 兀賳賳丕 丕丨鬲噩賳丕 佟锟斤拷 爻賳賵丕鬲 賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賰丕鬲亘 毓乇亘賷 賳丕賱 鬲賯丿賷乇丕 賮賷 兀賲乇賷賰丕 賵兀賵乇賵亘丕 賱賲 賷賳賱 乇亘毓賴 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱毓乇亘賷.
賵賴賳丕 丕爻鬲胤乇丕丿貙 賱丕丨馗鬲 亘兀賳 賳噩賵賶 亘賳 卮鬲賵丕賳 賰丕賳鬲 爻毓賷丿丞 噩丿賸丕 亘賱賯丕亍 丕賱賯乇丕亍 丕賱廿賲丕乇丕鬲賷賷賳 賮賷 賲毓乇囟 兀亘賵馗亘賷 賱賱賰鬲丕亘 賵賰兀賳賴丕 賮丕夭鬲 亘噩丕卅夭丞 丕賱亘賵賰乇貙 賵賱賲丕 爻兀賱鬲賴丕 賲賲丕夭丨賸丕貙 賯丕賱鬲 賱賷 亘賱賴噩鬲賴丕 丕賱賱賷亘賷丞 丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 : 賵賰賷賮 賱丕 兀賮乇丨 亘賯乇丕卅賷 賲賳 丕賱廿賲丕乇丕鬲 賵賴賷 丕賱丿賵賱丞 丕賱鬲賷 賲賳丨鬲賳賷 兀賵賱 噩丕卅夭丞 賮賷 賲爻賷乇鬲賷 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 (賮丕夭鬲 賲爻乇丨賷鬲賴丕 (丕賱賲毓胤賮) 亘噩丕卅夭丞 賲賴乇噩丕賳 丕賱卮丕乇賯丞 賱賱廿亘丿丕毓 丕賱毓乇亘賷 毓丕賲 佗贍贍佗 )
毓賵丿丞 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 兀賵賱 賲丕 賯乇兀鬲賴 賲賳 賲賯鬲賳賷丕鬲 丕賱賲毓乇囟貙 賵兀賳賴賷鬲賴丕 賱噩賲丕賱賴丕 賮賷 賷賵賲賺 賵丕丨丿. 鬲丿賵乇 兀丨丿丕孬 乇賵丕賷丞 賴卮丕賲 賲胤乇 賮賷 毓丕賲 佟侃侑侃貙 兀賷 兀孬賳丕亍 丨賰賲 丕賱賯匕丕賮賷 賱賱賷亘賷丕貙 賵毓賱賶 丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 兀賳賴丕 匕丕鬲 胤丕亘毓 爻賷丕爻賷 廿賱丕 兀賳 丕賱噩賲賷賱/丕賱噩丿賷丿 賮賷賴丕 賴賵 兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲賳賯賱 賵噩賴丞 賳馗乇 胤賮賱 賱丕 賷鬲噩丕賵夭 毓賲乇賴 侃 兀毓賵丕賲 賷賳賯賱亘 毓丕賱賲賴 乇兀爻賸丕 毓賱賶 毓賯亘 毓賳丿賲丕 賷鬲賵乇胤 賵丕賱丿賴貙 賲毓 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 兀氐丿賯丕卅賴貙 賮賷 丕賱丕賳鬲賲丕亍 賱鬲賳馗賷賲 爻乇賾賷貙 賵賷噩丿 賳賮爻賴 賮噩兀丞 賮賷 賲賵丕噩賴丞 毓丕賱賲 丕賱賰亘丕乇 丕賱賯匕乇 賵丕賱丿賳卅.
兀賳賴賷鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵兀賳丕 賲賲鬲賳 賱賳噩賵賶 亘賳 卮鬲賵丕賳 賲乇鬲賷賳貨 賲乇丞 賱兀賳賴丕 賰鬲亘鬲 "夭乇丕賷亘 丕賱毓亘賷丿" 賵賲乇丞 賱兀賳賴丕 兀乇卮丿鬲賳賷 賱賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.
August 14, 2014
賮賷 賱賷亘賷丕 丨丿孬鬲 孬賵乇鬲丕賳
孬賵乇賴 囟丿 丕賱毓賯賷丿 丕賱賯匕丕賮賷
!! 賵賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷賴
乇賵丕賷賴 氐丕丿賯賴 賵賲賳 丕賱賯賱亘 賵賱賱賯賱亘 賵氐賱鬲
丕賱賲卮丕賴丿 賵丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賵丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱賱賷亘賷
丕賱匕賷 賷睾賱賷 毓賱賶 賳丕乇 賴丕丿卅賴
兀乇囟 丕賱賳賮丕賯 賵丕賱兀賰丕匕賷亘
卮噩丕毓賴 丕賱兀亘 亘賲賵丕噩賴賴 丕賱毓賳賮 丕賱亘賵賱賷爻賷
賵毓丿賲 丕賱乇囟賵禺 賱賱鬲賴丿賷丿丕鬲
賵丕賱孬賲賳 丕賱匕賷 丿賮毓賴 賲賯丕亘賱 氐賲賵丿賴 賵丿賮丕毓賴 毓賳
賲亘丕丿卅賴 賵廿賷賲丕賳賴 亘丕賱丨乇賷賴 賵丕賱毓丿丕賱賴
丕賱乇賵丕賷賴 乇睾賲 賯爻賵鬲賴丕 廿賱丕 兀賳 賲丕 賷賱胤賮 兀噩賵丕卅賴丕
賴賷 賯氐賴丕 亘賱爻丕賳 胤賮賱
亘乇賷亍 賲賱丕卅賰賷 賷乇賶 賲丕 賷丿賵乇 丨賵賱賴
賵賷丨賰賷賴 丿賵賳 賲賵丕乇亘賴 賵禺丿丕毓
鬲爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍賴 兀賰孬乇 賲賳 賲乇賴
賵禺氐賵氐丕 賸 兀賳 丕賱兀噩賵丕亍 丕賱毓丕賲賴 賵丕賱賮囟丕亍 丕賱爻賷丕爻賷
丕賱賱賷亘賷 亘毓丿 丕賱孬賵乇賴 賯丿 賰卮賮 賵馗賴乇 毓賱賶 丕賱兀毓賱丕賲 賲丕
賰丕賳 賲禺亘賵亍 賵睾賷乇 賲賰卮賵賮
噩丿賷乇賴 亘丕賱兀賴鬲賲丕賲
賵亘丕賱賵賯賵賮 賱賴丕 丿賯賷賯賴 兀丨鬲乇丕賲
孬賵乇賴 囟丿 丕賱毓賯賷丿 丕賱賯匕丕賮賷
!! 賵賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷賴
乇賵丕賷賴 氐丕丿賯賴 賵賲賳 丕賱賯賱亘 賵賱賱賯賱亘 賵氐賱鬲
丕賱賲卮丕賴丿 賵丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賵丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱賱賷亘賷
丕賱匕賷 賷睾賱賷 毓賱賶 賳丕乇 賴丕丿卅賴
兀乇囟 丕賱賳賮丕賯 賵丕賱兀賰丕匕賷亘
卮噩丕毓賴 丕賱兀亘 亘賲賵丕噩賴賴 丕賱毓賳賮 丕賱亘賵賱賷爻賷
賵毓丿賲 丕賱乇囟賵禺 賱賱鬲賴丿賷丿丕鬲
賵丕賱孬賲賳 丕賱匕賷 丿賮毓賴 賲賯丕亘賱 氐賲賵丿賴 賵丿賮丕毓賴 毓賳
賲亘丕丿卅賴 賵廿賷賲丕賳賴 亘丕賱丨乇賷賴 賵丕賱毓丿丕賱賴
丕賱乇賵丕賷賴 乇睾賲 賯爻賵鬲賴丕 廿賱丕 兀賳 賲丕 賷賱胤賮 兀噩賵丕卅賴丕
賴賷 賯氐賴丕 亘賱爻丕賳 胤賮賱
亘乇賷亍 賲賱丕卅賰賷 賷乇賶 賲丕 賷丿賵乇 丨賵賱賴
賵賷丨賰賷賴 丿賵賳 賲賵丕乇亘賴 賵禺丿丕毓
鬲爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍賴 兀賰孬乇 賲賳 賲乇賴
賵禺氐賵氐丕 賸 兀賳 丕賱兀噩賵丕亍 丕賱毓丕賲賴 賵丕賱賮囟丕亍 丕賱爻賷丕爻賷
丕賱賱賷亘賷 亘毓丿 丕賱孬賵乇賴 賯丿 賰卮賮 賵馗賴乇 毓賱賶 丕賱兀毓賱丕賲 賲丕
賰丕賳 賲禺亘賵亍 賵睾賷乇 賲賰卮賵賮
噩丿賷乇賴 亘丕賱兀賴鬲賲丕賲
賵亘丕賱賵賯賵賮 賱賴丕 丿賯賷賯賴 兀丨鬲乇丕賲
September 16, 2014
I'm a Libyan, so as soon as I heard of the existence of this book I ran to get it. There aren't many Libyan authors (because, as usual, of Gadhafi), so I have respect for the ones out there.
My expectations for this book were really high. After the revolution any bit of culture that was Libya-related was treated like gold. I knew a lot of people who loved this book, so I guess I built it up in my head to be a masterpiece or something.
Unfortunately it didn't meet up to my ridiculous fantasies. The story is told from the point of the view of the main protagonist, a nine year boy named Suleiman. While the portrayal of life under Gadhafi was accurate, it was told through the impatient and shallow perspective of a child. The story didn't really have a plot, it was more a short memoir. More than once I was reminded of The Kite Runner, albeit with more stilted dialogue and a slower pace.
A lot of elements confused me, like the vaguely Oedipal relationship with the his mother, the fact that no one every explained to him what was going on, how he would begin narrating an event and then abruptly stop and move on to something else.
What I'm trying to say is, without blatantly insulting a fellow Libyan, is that the book was interesting in the fact that it is one of the few books that speak from a Libyan point of view, but as a novel is wasn't particularly engaging.
My expectations for this book were really high. After the revolution any bit of culture that was Libya-related was treated like gold. I knew a lot of people who loved this book, so I guess I built it up in my head to be a masterpiece or something.
Unfortunately it didn't meet up to my ridiculous fantasies. The story is told from the point of the view of the main protagonist, a nine year boy named Suleiman. While the portrayal of life under Gadhafi was accurate, it was told through the impatient and shallow perspective of a child. The story didn't really have a plot, it was more a short memoir. More than once I was reminded of The Kite Runner, albeit with more stilted dialogue and a slower pace.
A lot of elements confused me, like the vaguely Oedipal relationship with the his mother, the fact that no one every explained to him what was going on, how he would begin narrating an event and then abruptly stop and move on to something else.
What I'm trying to say is, without blatantly insulting a fellow Libyan, is that the book was interesting in the fact that it is one of the few books that speak from a Libyan point of view, but as a novel is wasn't particularly engaging.
August 23, 2022
I began by reading and I wanted more. , by the same author, is fiction with a strong autobiographical basis. Having read the two books in this order one can easily differentiate between fictional and non-fictional elements. The two books are not the same; reading them both is not repetitive.
In this book, we look at a young Libyan boy growing up under Qaddafi's military dictatorship. The year is 1979, and the boy's father is a dissident fighting for change. We see through the eyes of a nine-year-old. The boy is trying to understand his parents' troubled relationship. He is trying to understand the world around him. It is a coming of age story about a young boy who wants to be a man, still loves his mother deeply with the immature love of a child and yet also loves, admires and respects his father. Growing up is about growing independent, and the book shows this with a deft eye. We observe the boy鈥檚 relationships with classmates, neighbors, and family. The ride is emotional, so "observe" is in fact the wrong word. The book shines in how it so accurately and so heartrendingly shows his innocence and his growing awareness of an adult world where opposition has dire consequences. What do you choose? Are you quiet, do you say nothing, do you stay in line, do you follow under the shelter of the wall or do you oppose and put both yourself and your family in danger? And if your mother and father see this differently, can you not understand both? But still you are only nine!
The lines moved me. If I write them here will one grasp their poignancy? The novel ends with his mother straightening his collar. This brought tears to my eyes.
The audiobook is narrated by Khalid Abdallah. Many will love his narration because he dramatizes with fervor. I prefer to hear every word spoken clearly rather than having them jumbled in expressions of anger, sadness and frenzy. I'd rather figure out for myself words' emotional content.
The book emphasizes more the emotional turmoil of living under Qaddafi鈥檚 reign of terror than focusing on historical content.
**
* 4 stars
* 4 stars
* TBR
* TBR
In this book, we look at a young Libyan boy growing up under Qaddafi's military dictatorship. The year is 1979, and the boy's father is a dissident fighting for change. We see through the eyes of a nine-year-old. The boy is trying to understand his parents' troubled relationship. He is trying to understand the world around him. It is a coming of age story about a young boy who wants to be a man, still loves his mother deeply with the immature love of a child and yet also loves, admires and respects his father. Growing up is about growing independent, and the book shows this with a deft eye. We observe the boy鈥檚 relationships with classmates, neighbors, and family. The ride is emotional, so "observe" is in fact the wrong word. The book shines in how it so accurately and so heartrendingly shows his innocence and his growing awareness of an adult world where opposition has dire consequences. What do you choose? Are you quiet, do you say nothing, do you stay in line, do you follow under the shelter of the wall or do you oppose and put both yourself and your family in danger? And if your mother and father see this differently, can you not understand both? But still you are only nine!
The lines moved me. If I write them here will one grasp their poignancy? The novel ends with his mother straightening his collar. This brought tears to my eyes.
The audiobook is narrated by Khalid Abdallah. Many will love his narration because he dramatizes with fervor. I prefer to hear every word spoken clearly rather than having them jumbled in expressions of anger, sadness and frenzy. I'd rather figure out for myself words' emotional content.
The book emphasizes more the emotional turmoil of living under Qaddafi鈥檚 reign of terror than focusing on historical content.
**
* 4 stars
* 4 stars
* TBR
* TBR
August 15, 2019
This is one of the saddest books I鈥檝e ever read. Reading this book has also brought to life all the stories my dad used to tell me about what it was like to live in Egypt with its inequality, dictatorship governments, and that your every action is monitored.
It may sound like something from Orwell 1984, but it鈥檚 not, it鈥檚 the harsh reality for many living in a region where prosperity and success is granted to a very very small select few, while the majority of the population can barely afford to eat three square meals, or where the majority can鈥檛 even read because it isn鈥檛 a priority for the government. It鈥檚 a place where you will never get the same opportunities that I am lucky to have.
I feel very privileged to live where I do after reading this story.
It may sound like something from Orwell 1984, but it鈥檚 not, it鈥檚 the harsh reality for many living in a region where prosperity and success is granted to a very very small select few, while the majority of the population can barely afford to eat three square meals, or where the majority can鈥檛 even read because it isn鈥檛 a priority for the government. It鈥檚 a place where you will never get the same opportunities that I am lucky to have.
I feel very privileged to live where I do after reading this story.
April 28, 2011
卮丕毓乇賷丞 噩丿丕 貙 乇睾賲 噩賵賴丕 丕賱賰卅賷亘 貙 賰乇賴鬲 丕賱賲丐賱賮 賮賷 賱丨馗丕鬲 賲毓賷賳丞 貙 賱兀賳賴 丕爻鬲丿乇噩 亘乇丕亍丞 丕賱丕胤賮丕賱 廿賱賶 毓丕賱賲 丕賱爻賷丕爻丞 .. 賲卮賴丿 丕毓丿丕賲 乇卮賷丿 賰丕賳 賲丐賱賲丕 噩丿丕 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賷 貙 賵 賴賲噩賷丕 噩丿丕 .. 賵丿丿鬲 賱賵 兀毓乇賮 賱賷亘賷丕 賵丕丨丿丕 賱兀爻鬲賮爻乇 賲賳賴 毓賳 丨賯賷賯丞 丕賱兀賲乇 .. - 賱賰賳 賱賳 兀爻鬲睾乇亘 賲丕 賯乇兀鬲 賲丕 丿丕賲 丕賱賯匕丕賮賷 賷丨賰賲賴賲 - ..
兀丨亘亘鬲 卮丕毓乇賷鬲賴丕 噩丿丕 ..
兀丨亘亘鬲 賳噩賵賶 噩丿丕 .. 噩毓賱鬲賳賷 兀爻鬲丨囟乇 賳噩賵賶 賲賳賷賮 賵噩亘乇丕 賮賷 毓丕賱賲 亘賱丕 禺乇丕卅胤 賱丕 兀毓賱賲 賱賲丕匕丕 貙 乇亘賲丕 賴匕丕 丕賱噩賳賵賳 丕賱毓卮賯賷 - 賱賰賳賴丕 賲禺鬲賱賮丞 .. 賴賷 兀賷囟丕 乇囟賷鬲 丕賱毓亘賵丿賷丞 賵丌孬乇鬲賴丕 毓賱賶 丕賱賲賵鬲 ..
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噩匕亘鬲賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賲賯丕胤毓 賱賲 兀賮賰乇 賮賷賴丕 賲賳 賯亘賱 .. 丨丿賷孬 賳噩賵賶 毓賳 卮賴乇夭丕丿 丕賱鬲賷 丕乇鬲囟鬲 丕賱毓亘賵丿賷丞 亘丿賷賱丕 毓賳 丕賱賲賵鬲 .. 丨丿賷孬 爻賱賷賲丕賳 毓賳 丕賱鬲賵鬲 賵賲睾丕賮賱丞 丕賱賲賱丕卅賰丞 賱賱賴 賱鬲爻乇賯賴 賵 鬲夭乇毓賴 賮賷 丕賱兀乇囟 亘毓丿 賳夭賵賱 丌丿賲 丕賱賷賴丕 ..
賱賰賳 賮賷 亘毓囟 丕賱賱丨馗丕鬲 兀丨爻爻鬲 兀賳 爻賱賷賲丕賳 賱賷爻 丕亘賳 丕賱鬲丕爻毓丞 丕賳賲丕 丕亘賳 丕賱鬲爻毓賷賳 - 賱賲丕 丨賲賱賴 丕賷丕賴 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賲賳 賵毓賷
兀丨亘亘鬲 卮丕毓乇賷鬲賴丕 噩丿丕 ..
兀丨亘亘鬲 賳噩賵賶 噩丿丕 .. 噩毓賱鬲賳賷 兀爻鬲丨囟乇 賳噩賵賶 賲賳賷賮 賵噩亘乇丕 賮賷 毓丕賱賲 亘賱丕 禺乇丕卅胤 賱丕 兀毓賱賲 賱賲丕匕丕 貙 乇亘賲丕 賴匕丕 丕賱噩賳賵賳 丕賱毓卮賯賷 - 賱賰賳賴丕 賲禺鬲賱賮丞 .. 賴賷 兀賷囟丕 乇囟賷鬲 丕賱毓亘賵丿賷丞 賵丌孬乇鬲賴丕 毓賱賶 丕賱賲賵鬲 ..
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噩匕亘鬲賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賲賯丕胤毓 賱賲 兀賮賰乇 賮賷賴丕 賲賳 賯亘賱 .. 丨丿賷孬 賳噩賵賶 毓賳 卮賴乇夭丕丿 丕賱鬲賷 丕乇鬲囟鬲 丕賱毓亘賵丿賷丞 亘丿賷賱丕 毓賳 丕賱賲賵鬲 .. 丨丿賷孬 爻賱賷賲丕賳 毓賳 丕賱鬲賵鬲 賵賲睾丕賮賱丞 丕賱賲賱丕卅賰丞 賱賱賴 賱鬲爻乇賯賴 賵 鬲夭乇毓賴 賮賷 丕賱兀乇囟 亘毓丿 賳夭賵賱 丌丿賲 丕賱賷賴丕 ..
賱賰賳 賮賷 亘毓囟 丕賱賱丨馗丕鬲 兀丨爻爻鬲 兀賳 爻賱賷賲丕賳 賱賷爻 丕亘賳 丕賱鬲丕爻毓丞 丕賳賲丕 丕亘賳 丕賱鬲爻毓賷賳 - 賱賲丕 丨賲賱賴 丕賷丕賴 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賲賳 賵毓賷
September 17, 2013
The book is, once again, a narrative told by the people of a country, about their country for their country (and the world).
As communism is dying around the world, and the effects it had on people's lives are appearing more and more all over the planet, the reader is drawn into this story by the nine year old Suleima writing about his life in Libya and what happened to his nuclear family, the extended family, the neighbor and friends in 1979 during the regime of Mohammar Khadafi. His dad, Faraj, is a successful businessman who did nothing unacceptable when he raped his unconscious fifteen year old virgin bride, Najwa, on their wedding night, since it was totally fine in their male dominated culture. But for the unhappy, unwilling bride, it created years of bitterness which she had to address on her own through her secret martini-addiction and cigarettes.
Suleima witnesses her struggle as well as his father's political struggle and it has an effect on his inexperienced, young thoughts and decisions. He learns how to recognize danger, but also misinterprets people's intentions towards him, resulting in him betraying people he loved the most without knowing it.
The boy tells three people's stories in one narrative His own, his mother's and his father's. It is the oppressed Najwa, his mother, who ended up resolving their situation and change their lives.
An excellent read!
As communism is dying around the world, and the effects it had on people's lives are appearing more and more all over the planet, the reader is drawn into this story by the nine year old Suleima writing about his life in Libya and what happened to his nuclear family, the extended family, the neighbor and friends in 1979 during the regime of Mohammar Khadafi. His dad, Faraj, is a successful businessman who did nothing unacceptable when he raped his unconscious fifteen year old virgin bride, Najwa, on their wedding night, since it was totally fine in their male dominated culture. But for the unhappy, unwilling bride, it created years of bitterness which she had to address on her own through her secret martini-addiction and cigarettes.
Suleima witnesses her struggle as well as his father's political struggle and it has an effect on his inexperienced, young thoughts and decisions. He learns how to recognize danger, but also misinterprets people's intentions towards him, resulting in him betraying people he loved the most without knowing it.
The boy tells three people's stories in one narrative His own, his mother's and his father's. It is the oppressed Najwa, his mother, who ended up resolving their situation and change their lives.
An excellent read!
June 10, 2014
Betrayal. A stab in the back. If devoid of conscience, it is free of hurt; else you can never free yourself from the crushing ugly rock of repentance, of self pity.
Did little Suleiman, a mere nine year old child know that he was betraying the ones he loved the most, murdering the hopes of a rebellion, a fight for a cause, a secret mission, a revolution to eradicate another? Was there a realization, even a tiny bit of shame when he did so?
And for what, this heinous misdeed? It isn't easy for a child to cope when the fatal realization dawns on him that his small world that he breathes in is built on a plinth of glorious lies. Is his Baba what he veritably knows him to be? Why does he leave them so frequently when he knows that Mama falls ill whenever he abandons them? Why can鈥檛 he be a simple man like Ustath Rashid, his best friends鈥� father? Left alone to be the man of the house, he is laden with his incapacitated Mama鈥檚 impressionable stories of her past, tales of woe and oppression a child should never discover. A boundary of hatred engulfs him when he realizes that his Baba has lied to him, to his Mama; what is this secret he can鈥檛 be told about? The internal turmoil lurking in a child鈥檚 mind can turn him into a monster, a fire breathing deadly ogre surpassing all confines of treachery.
Hisham Matar鈥檚 story is based in Libya, during the trying times of Gadaffi鈥檚 revolutionary regime. It is a crushing tale of clandestine rebellion against this regime by a handful of comrades who strive for a better Libya, a free Libya lacking in oppression and dictatorship. It is the story of young Suleiman鈥檚 ugly and blatant utterance of truth, his gruesome effort of disentangling himself and breaking free from the cosmos of lies built around him. But truth comes at a price, at a devastating price.
The writing lacks poetry, in fact is bland. It is plainly evident that the author thinks in his native language and what you read is a literal translation. You will inadvertently compare the story with Khaled Hosseini鈥檚 鈥楾he Kite Runner鈥�. The stories from this part of the world are turning out into cliches but where the writing lacks in color, it compensates in its horrific simplicity and grotesque threadbare incidents of cruelty. Not for a moment did I feel any sympathy for the child; in fact I have to vulgarly admit that I hated him.
Throttling freedom and strangling views under the veil of ideologies isn't manly, at all!
Did little Suleiman, a mere nine year old child know that he was betraying the ones he loved the most, murdering the hopes of a rebellion, a fight for a cause, a secret mission, a revolution to eradicate another? Was there a realization, even a tiny bit of shame when he did so?
And for what, this heinous misdeed? It isn't easy for a child to cope when the fatal realization dawns on him that his small world that he breathes in is built on a plinth of glorious lies. Is his Baba what he veritably knows him to be? Why does he leave them so frequently when he knows that Mama falls ill whenever he abandons them? Why can鈥檛 he be a simple man like Ustath Rashid, his best friends鈥� father? Left alone to be the man of the house, he is laden with his incapacitated Mama鈥檚 impressionable stories of her past, tales of woe and oppression a child should never discover. A boundary of hatred engulfs him when he realizes that his Baba has lied to him, to his Mama; what is this secret he can鈥檛 be told about? The internal turmoil lurking in a child鈥檚 mind can turn him into a monster, a fire breathing deadly ogre surpassing all confines of treachery.
Hisham Matar鈥檚 story is based in Libya, during the trying times of Gadaffi鈥檚 revolutionary regime. It is a crushing tale of clandestine rebellion against this regime by a handful of comrades who strive for a better Libya, a free Libya lacking in oppression and dictatorship. It is the story of young Suleiman鈥檚 ugly and blatant utterance of truth, his gruesome effort of disentangling himself and breaking free from the cosmos of lies built around him. But truth comes at a price, at a devastating price.
The writing lacks poetry, in fact is bland. It is plainly evident that the author thinks in his native language and what you read is a literal translation. You will inadvertently compare the story with Khaled Hosseini鈥檚 鈥楾he Kite Runner鈥�. The stories from this part of the world are turning out into cliches but where the writing lacks in color, it compensates in its horrific simplicity and grotesque threadbare incidents of cruelty. Not for a moment did I feel any sympathy for the child; in fact I have to vulgarly admit that I hated him.
Throttling freedom and strangling views under the veil of ideologies isn't manly, at all!
February 27, 2018
袨褌 械写薪邪 褋褌褉邪薪邪 褉芯屑邪薪褗褌 褋褌褗锌胁邪 薪邪 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻邪 芯褋薪芯胁邪, 泻邪褌芯 褉邪蟹泻邪蟹胁邪 蟹邪 褋谢褍褔胁邪褖芯褌芯 褋械 胁 袥懈斜懈褟 胁 泻褉邪褟 薪邪 70-褌械, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 褉械卸懈屑褗褌 薪邪 袣邪写邪褎懈 芯锌褉芯锌邪褋褌褟胁邪 斜械蟹斜褉芯泄 卸懈胁芯褌懈. 袟邪 锌芯泻芯谢械薪懈褟 薪邪锌褉械写. 袨褌 写褉褍谐邪 鈥� 懈 蟹邪 屑械薪 锌芯-锌褉懈褌械谐邪褌械谢薪邪褌邪 鈥� 褌芯胁邪 械 泻薪懈谐邪 蟹邪 芯褌薪芯褕械薪懈褟褌邪 胁褗褌褉械 胁 械锟斤拷薪芯 褋械屑械泄褋褌胁芯 懈 薪邪 褋械屑械泄褋褌胁芯褌芯 褋褗褋 褋胁械褌邪. 袦邪泄泻邪褌邪, 褔懈懈褌芯 褉邪蟹泻邪蟹懈 锌褉械薪邪褋褟褌 胁 写褉褍谐懈 褋胁械褌芯胁械 鈥� 褌褟 械 薪械卸薪芯, 薪芯 薪械胁懈薪邪谐懈 锌芯薪褟褌薪芯 锌褉懈褋褗褋褌胁懈械; 斜邪褖邪褌邪, 蟹邪 泻芯谐芯褌芯 褌懈 褋械 懈褋泻邪 写邪 褋懈 写芯褋褌芯械薪, 薪芯 褉褟写泻芯 薪邪屑懈褉邪褕 薪邪褔懈薪 写邪 谐芯 写芯斜谢懈卸懈褕; 锌褉懈褟褌械谢懈褌械 芯褌 褍谢懈褑邪褌邪 鈥� 屑懈薪懈邪褌褞褉械薪 屑芯写械谢 薪邪 褋胁械褌邪 薪邪 胁褗蟹褉邪褋褌薪懈褌械; 褋褗褋械写懈褌械, 褕锌懈芯薪懈褌械, 褋邪褌褉邪锌懈褌械, 斜褍薪褌芯胁薪懈褑懈褌械 鈥� 褋胁械褌褗褌 懈屑邪 懈 褋泻褉懈褌邪 褋褌褉邪薪邪 懈 芯锌芯蟹薪邪胁邪薪械褌芯 褲 锌芯薪褟泻芯谐邪 褉邪薪褟胁邪.
袦邪褌邪褉 械 褋锌芯泻芯械薪 懈 褋褗蟹械褉褑邪褌械谢械薪 邪胁褌芯褉, 薪械 锌褉械锌褍褋泻邪 斜褟褋薪芯 锌褉械蟹 褋褞卸械褌邪, 薪邪斜谢褞写邪胁邪, 斜芯褉邪胁懈 褍屑械谢芯 褋褗褋 褋懈屑胁芯谢懈 懈 懈写械懈. 袠屑邪 懈蟹褟褖械薪 褋谢芯谐. 袛械泄褋褌胁懈械褌芯 械 褋褗斜褉邪薪芯 胁 芯薪芯胁邪 蟹薪芯泄薪芯 谢褟褌芯 薪邪 79-邪 谐芯写懈薪邪, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 鈥炑囆拘残敌�, 卸懈胁芯褌薪芯 懈 斜褍斜芯谢械褔泻邪 芯褌褔邪褟薪芯 褌褗褉褋械褏邪 褋褟薪泻邪鈥�, 蟹邪 写邪 褋械 褋锌邪褋褟褌 芯褌 鈥炐残敌沸葱笛佈娧壭狙傂锯€� 褋谢褗薪褑械. 袥褟褌芯褌芯, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 械写薪芯 写械胁械褌谐芯写懈褕薪芯 屑芯屑褔械 锌芯褉邪褋褌胁邪 锌芯 锌褉懈薪褍写邪. 袩褉械胁芯写褗褌 薪邪 袧邪写褟 袪芯蟹芯胁邪 械 芯斜褉邪蟹褑芯胁.
袦邪褌邪褉 械 褋锌芯泻芯械薪 懈 褋褗蟹械褉褑邪褌械谢械薪 邪胁褌芯褉, 薪械 锌褉械锌褍褋泻邪 斜褟褋薪芯 锌褉械蟹 褋褞卸械褌邪, 薪邪斜谢褞写邪胁邪, 斜芯褉邪胁懈 褍屑械谢芯 褋褗褋 褋懈屑胁芯谢懈 懈 懈写械懈. 袠屑邪 懈蟹褟褖械薪 褋谢芯谐. 袛械泄褋褌胁懈械褌芯 械 褋褗斜褉邪薪芯 胁 芯薪芯胁邪 蟹薪芯泄薪芯 谢褟褌芯 薪邪 79-邪 谐芯写懈薪邪, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 鈥炑囆拘残敌�, 卸懈胁芯褌薪芯 懈 斜褍斜芯谢械褔泻邪 芯褌褔邪褟薪芯 褌褗褉褋械褏邪 褋褟薪泻邪鈥�, 蟹邪 写邪 褋械 褋锌邪褋褟褌 芯褌 鈥炐残敌沸葱笛佈娧壭狙傂锯€� 褋谢褗薪褑械. 袥褟褌芯褌芯, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 械写薪芯 写械胁械褌谐芯写懈褕薪芯 屑芯屑褔械 锌芯褉邪褋褌胁邪 锌芯 锌褉懈薪褍写邪. 袩褉械胁芯写褗褌 薪邪 袧邪写褟 袪芯蟹芯胁邪 械 芯斜褉邪蟹褑芯胁.
October 4, 2017
Matar writes beautifully, here鈥攕ometimes to a fault. Told through the eyes of a 9-year-old Libyan boy in the early years of Khaddafy's reign, the novel suffers from child-narrator-syndrome: the boy couldn't possibly grasp the significance of what was befalling his family the way the narration suggests. The complex character of his mother interested me more than anything else in this rather slow-moving, Proustian take on a harrowing situation.
May 11, 2020
丕賱乇賾賵丕賷賭賭賭賭賭丞 丕賱鬲賷 乇卮丨鬲 賱賱賮賵夭 亘噩丕卅夭丞 亘賵賰乇
賱毓丕賲 2006.
鬲鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 賱賷亘賷賭賭賭賭賭丕 賮賷 毓賴丿 丕賱賯匕賾丕賮賷 賵鬲乇賰夭 噩購賭賭賭賭賭賱 丕賴鬲賲丕賲賴丕 毓賱賶 毓賲賱 丕賱賲禺丕亘乇丕鬲 "丕賱賱噩賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賳 丕賱孬賵乇賷賾賭賭賭賭賭丞"貙 賲賵丕囟賷毓 毓丿賾丞 鬲胤乇賯 賱賴丕 丕賱賰丕鬲亘:
夭賵丕噩 丕賱賯丕氐賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭乇丕鬲:
夭賵丕噩 丕賱賯丕氐乇丕鬲 噩亘乇丕賸 賵毓丕丿丕鬲 賵鬲賯丕賱賷丿 丕賱鬲賷 鬲丨丕氐乇 乇賵丕亘胤 丕賱丨亘 賵賳馗乇鬲賴賲 丕賱丿丕卅賲丞 賱賱毓賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭丕乇.
"賰丕賳鬲 睾乇賮丞 賰卅賷亘丞 賱丕 卮賷亍 賮賷賴丕 爻賵賶 爻乇賷乇 囟禺賲"
賵廿賳 賱賲 賷賰賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賲賵囟賵毓 賲賳 丕賱賳賯丕胤 丕賱兀爻丕爻賷賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭丞 賵賱賰賳 卮賰賾賱 丿毓丕卅賲 兀爻丕爻賷丞 賱賱爻賭賭賭賭乇丿 賵賯囟賷丞 賱丕 鬲賯賱 兀賴賲賷鬲賴丕 毓賳 亘丕賯賷 丕賱賯囟丕賷丕.
毓賲賱 丕賱賲禺丕亘乇丕鬲 "丕賱賱噩丕賳 丕賱孬賵乇賷丞"毓賱賶 廿毓鬲賯丕賱 賵鬲毓匕賷亘 賵廿毓丿丕賲 賰賱 賲賳 鬲爻賵賾賱 賱賴 賳賮爻賴 亘丕賱廿賳賯賱丕亘 毓賱賶 丨賰賲 丕賱賯匕丕賮賷
賰賱 賲毓丕乇囟 賱賱賳馗丕賲 賴賵 禺丕卅賳 賷爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賲賵鬲 賴匕丕 賴賵 卮毓丕乇賴賲.
爻賱賷賲賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賳 胤賮賱 賳噩賵賶 賵賮乇噩 賴賵 丕賱爻丕乇丿 賱賴匕賴 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 亘賱爻丕賳 毓匕亘 賵胤賮賵賱賭賭賭賷 賷亘丨孬 毓賳 廿噩丕亘丕鬲 賱兀爻兀賱鬲賴 貙 賷鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 毓丕賱賲 丕賱鬲賵鬲 賵兀氐丕亘毓 丕賱爻賲爻賲 賵丨賱賵賶 丕賱賳毓賳丕毓 .
廿賳賴 賲賳 丕賱兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱賵丕賯毓賷丞 丕賱賲丐賱賲賭賭賭賭賭賭丞 噩丿丕賸 貙 賵丿丕卅賲賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賸 賲丕 賱丕賯賶 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱賯丕卅賲 毓賱賶 爻乇丿 丕賱兀胤賮賭賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賱 賲丨亘賾丞 賵噩賲賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賱 賱丿賷.
"賳丨賳 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱亘賱丕丿 賱丕 賳賮賴賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賲 兀賵噩丕毓 丕賱賯賱賵亘"
賱毓丕賲 2006.
鬲鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 賱賷亘賷賭賭賭賭賭丕 賮賷 毓賴丿 丕賱賯匕賾丕賮賷 賵鬲乇賰夭 噩購賭賭賭賭賭賱 丕賴鬲賲丕賲賴丕 毓賱賶 毓賲賱 丕賱賲禺丕亘乇丕鬲 "丕賱賱噩賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賳 丕賱孬賵乇賷賾賭賭賭賭賭丞"貙 賲賵丕囟賷毓 毓丿賾丞 鬲胤乇賯 賱賴丕 丕賱賰丕鬲亘:
夭賵丕噩 丕賱賯丕氐賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭乇丕鬲:
夭賵丕噩 丕賱賯丕氐乇丕鬲 噩亘乇丕賸 賵毓丕丿丕鬲 賵鬲賯丕賱賷丿 丕賱鬲賷 鬲丨丕氐乇 乇賵丕亘胤 丕賱丨亘 賵賳馗乇鬲賴賲 丕賱丿丕卅賲丞 賱賱毓賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭丕乇.
"賰丕賳鬲 睾乇賮丞 賰卅賷亘丞 賱丕 卮賷亍 賮賷賴丕 爻賵賶 爻乇賷乇 囟禺賲"
賵廿賳 賱賲 賷賰賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賲賵囟賵毓 賲賳 丕賱賳賯丕胤 丕賱兀爻丕爻賷賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭丞 賵賱賰賳 卮賰賾賱 丿毓丕卅賲 兀爻丕爻賷丞 賱賱爻賭賭賭賭乇丿 賵賯囟賷丞 賱丕 鬲賯賱 兀賴賲賷鬲賴丕 毓賳 亘丕賯賷 丕賱賯囟丕賷丕.
毓賲賱 丕賱賲禺丕亘乇丕鬲 "丕賱賱噩丕賳 丕賱孬賵乇賷丞"毓賱賶 廿毓鬲賯丕賱 賵鬲毓匕賷亘 賵廿毓丿丕賲 賰賱 賲賳 鬲爻賵賾賱 賱賴 賳賮爻賴 亘丕賱廿賳賯賱丕亘 毓賱賶 丨賰賲 丕賱賯匕丕賮賷
賰賱 賲毓丕乇囟 賱賱賳馗丕賲 賴賵 禺丕卅賳 賷爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賲賵鬲 賴匕丕 賴賵 卮毓丕乇賴賲.
爻賱賷賲賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賳 胤賮賱 賳噩賵賶 賵賮乇噩 賴賵 丕賱爻丕乇丿 賱賴匕賴 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 亘賱爻丕賳 毓匕亘 賵胤賮賵賱賭賭賭賷 賷亘丨孬 毓賳 廿噩丕亘丕鬲 賱兀爻兀賱鬲賴 貙 賷鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 毓丕賱賲 丕賱鬲賵鬲 賵兀氐丕亘毓 丕賱爻賲爻賲 賵丨賱賵賶 丕賱賳毓賳丕毓 .
廿賳賴 賲賳 丕賱兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱賵丕賯毓賷丞 丕賱賲丐賱賲賭賭賭賭賭賭丞 噩丿丕賸 貙 賵丿丕卅賲賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賸 賲丕 賱丕賯賶 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱賯丕卅賲 毓賱賶 爻乇丿 丕賱兀胤賮賭賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賱 賲丨亘賾丞 賵噩賲賭賭賭賭賭賭丕賱 賱丿賷.
"賳丨賳 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱亘賱丕丿 賱丕 賳賮賴賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賭賲 兀賵噩丕毓 丕賱賯賱賵亘"
July 15, 2020
Suleiman was nine years old in 1979 Libya. His father was active politically in the underground movement opposing Quddafi's dictatorship. His mother fluctuated between burying her regrets and fears with her "medicine," and trying to keep her family safe.
The telephone was bugged, a neighbor was executed, his father's life was in danger. The young boy was trying to understand what he observed, what he was told . . . and what he feared.
The book is told from the point of view of a nine-year-old child in a terribly stressful situation. Suleiman didn't always make the best decisions, but his world was falling apart and he didn't know who he could trust. This is a thoughtful, compassionate, fictional book written by an author whose father was also a political prisoner.
The telephone was bugged, a neighbor was executed, his father's life was in danger. The young boy was trying to understand what he observed, what he was told . . . and what he feared.
The book is told from the point of view of a nine-year-old child in a terribly stressful situation. Suleiman didn't always make the best decisions, but his world was falling apart and he didn't know who he could trust. This is a thoughtful, compassionate, fictional book written by an author whose father was also a political prisoner.
April 27, 2018
袣薪懈谐邪褌邪 褉邪蟹泻邪蟹胁邪 蟹邪 褍卸邪褋懈褌械 薪邪 褉械卸懈屑邪 薪邪 袣邪写邪褎懈 锌褉械蟹 芯褔懈褌械 薪邪 械写薪芯 9-谐芯写懈褕薪芯 屑芯屑褔械. 袠褋褌懈薪褋泻邪褌邪 懈褋褌芯褉懈褟, 芯斜邪褔械, 械 蟹邪 卸械褋褌芯泻芯褌芯, 薪械薪邪胁褉械屑械薪薪芯 锌芯褉邪褋褌胁邪薪械, 蟹邪 褋褗褌褉械褋械薪懈褟褌邪 胁 褋械屑械泄褋褌胁芯褌芯 懈 芯斜褖薪芯褋褌褌邪, 泻芯懈褌芯 锌芯-褔械褋褌芯 褉邪蟹写械谢褟褌, 薪芯 锌芯薪褟泻芯谐邪 懈 褋褗斜懈褉邪褌 褏芯褉邪褌邪.
December 9, 2017
"賱毓賱 丕賱卮賰 兀爻賵兀 賲賳 丕賱丨夭賳貙 賵丕賱賷賯賷賳 兀孬賲賳 賲賳 丕賱丨亘 "
August 3, 2023
Set mostly in Libya in 1979, this is the story of a family caught up in the turmoil and oppression of Gaddafi鈥檚 regime. It is told through the eyes of nine-year-old Suleiman as he struggles to make sense of what is happening around him. His father is part of the intelligentsia, a group of liberal reformers that becomes a target for persecution. His father is subjected to the cruelties of a police state, including betrayal, arrest, imprisonment, and torture. Interrogations are shown on television. Occasionally the State kills someone in a public execution. The storyline follows Suleiman as he gradually realizes the true nature of what is happening. He tries to protect his mother, and she withdraws into substance abuse.
Matar does not allow the storyline to devolve into a litany of disturbing events (though there is plenty). He also portrays the relationships among families and friends to support each other as their world crumbles around them. He explores the way some people can get ensnared in treachery and violence. The writing is strong, and the narrative is gripping. This book examines how relationships evolve in an environment based on fear and tyranny, which is, unfortunately, still pertinent in today鈥檚 world.
Matar does not allow the storyline to devolve into a litany of disturbing events (though there is plenty). He also portrays the relationships among families and friends to support each other as their world crumbles around them. He explores the way some people can get ensnared in treachery and violence. The writing is strong, and the narrative is gripping. This book examines how relationships evolve in an environment based on fear and tyranny, which is, unfortunately, still pertinent in today鈥檚 world.
Read
August 2, 2019
AFRICAN BOOKS MARATHON
BOOK: 3
TITLE: In the Country of Men
AUTHOR: Hisham Matar
COUNTRY: Libya
I chose this book because it takes place in Libya of 1979. My father was working in Bengazi (2nd largest city in Libya) in 1979, and things he told me where present in this book.
Policemen everywhere; in shops, in the streets, phone calls were usually tracked, you had to be careful of what you were saying, your posture, and attitude.
1979
10 years (1969) after Muammar Qaddafi's bloodless coup d'茅tat and we see life in Libya under Qaddafi (The Guide) through the eyes of nine-year-old Suleiman.
Seeing Libya through the eyes of a young boy is like seeing an iceberg above the sea level. You only see a small percentage. What's below is something larger and more complex.
The boy's narration; (although we understand it is narrated by Suleiman in retrospective, now a 24-year-old and as a grown-up man can give more information and more description that what we might expect from a 9-year-old) is still a boy's narration, and we feel as outsiders. We don't know why A' is considered a traitor, and why B' was hanged, and why C' escaped Libya. The boy narrator leaves a lot to the imagination.
I can't say that nothing really happens. A lot of things happen but they are presented as trivial every-day events, and the whole story feels like a soap-opera, where there's no much development of characters, and the plot takes a long time to develop, and when it does it's barely noticeable. There's no real climax or denouement, just several smaller climaxes and denouements.
Suleiman is not a 100% likeable character, he betrays people around him, he tells secrets of his family to random people, he can be violent sometimes (usually kicking and throwing stones), he has an Oedipal relationship with his mother which is severed every time his father is at home, he feels resentment against others, for reasons unexplained and many more.
When he discovers that his father is not on a trip abroad but he actually stayed in Tripoli, he feels betrayed by his father's lie and now he begins to understand when the grown-ups lie to him and demands explanations usually through the medium of tantrums.
"Suddenly the wider world becomes a frightening place where parents lie and questions go unanswered." ( and this last applies to the reader too)
To sum up, the plot had an open beginning and ending and a straightforward plot, didn't love it but didn't hate it either so I feel I should give this book a 3,5 stars. My 1st contact with Libya and certainly not the last.
You can see the complete list of my African Books here:
BOOK: 3
TITLE: In the Country of Men
AUTHOR: Hisham Matar
COUNTRY: Libya
I chose this book because it takes place in Libya of 1979. My father was working in Bengazi (2nd largest city in Libya) in 1979, and things he told me where present in this book.
Policemen everywhere; in shops, in the streets, phone calls were usually tracked, you had to be careful of what you were saying, your posture, and attitude.
1979
10 years (1969) after Muammar Qaddafi's bloodless coup d'茅tat and we see life in Libya under Qaddafi (The Guide) through the eyes of nine-year-old Suleiman.
Seeing Libya through the eyes of a young boy is like seeing an iceberg above the sea level. You only see a small percentage. What's below is something larger and more complex.
The boy's narration; (although we understand it is narrated by Suleiman in retrospective, now a 24-year-old and as a grown-up man can give more information and more description that what we might expect from a 9-year-old) is still a boy's narration, and we feel as outsiders. We don't know why A' is considered a traitor, and why B' was hanged, and why C' escaped Libya. The boy narrator leaves a lot to the imagination.
I can't say that nothing really happens. A lot of things happen but they are presented as trivial every-day events, and the whole story feels like a soap-opera, where there's no much development of characters, and the plot takes a long time to develop, and when it does it's barely noticeable. There's no real climax or denouement, just several smaller climaxes and denouements.
Suleiman is not a 100% likeable character, he betrays people around him, he tells secrets of his family to random people, he can be violent sometimes (usually kicking and throwing stones), he has an Oedipal relationship with his mother which is severed every time his father is at home, he feels resentment against others, for reasons unexplained and many more.
When he discovers that his father is not on a trip abroad but he actually stayed in Tripoli, he feels betrayed by his father's lie and now he begins to understand when the grown-ups lie to him and demands explanations usually through the medium of tantrums.
"Suddenly the wider world becomes a frightening place where parents lie and questions go unanswered." ( and this last applies to the reader too)
To sum up, the plot had an open beginning and ending and a straightforward plot, didn't love it but didn't hate it either so I feel I should give this book a 3,5 stars. My 1st contact with Libya and certainly not the last.
You can see the complete list of my African Books here:
March 31, 2021
芦賰丕賳 賷賲賱兀賳賶 賴匕丕 丕賱卮毓賵乇 亘丕賱丨丕噩丞 廿賱賶 兀賳 兀睾丿賵 乇噩賱丕 亘爻乇毓丞 賰亘賷乇丞貙 賵賱賰賳 賱賷爻 賱兀賯賵賲 亘丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 丕賱賲乇鬲亘胤丞 亘丕賱乇噩賵賱丞 賵丕賲鬲賷丕夭丕鬲賴丕貙 亘賱 賱兀睾賷乇 丕賱賲丕囟賶貙 賱兀賳賯匕 鬲賱賰 丕賱氐亘賷丞 賲賳 賷賵賲賴丕 丕賱兀爻賵丿禄.
丕賳鬲賴賷鬲 賲賳 賯乇丕亍丞 乇賵丕賷丞 賮賶 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱貙 兀噩賱爻 賲鬲兀賲賱丕 爻賯賮 丕賱丨噩乇丞 丕賱兀亘賷囟 賱丿賯丕卅賯貙 孬賲 兀賲爻賰 賴丕鬲賮賶 丕賱賲丨賲賵賱 賵兀卮睾賱 賲賳 芦賷賵鬲賷賵亘禄 賮賷丿賷賵 賲賯鬲賱 丕賱賯匕丕賮賶貙 兀鬲兀賲賱 賳馗乇賴 丕賱丿賴卮丞 賮賶 毓賷賳賷賴 賵賴賵 賷賲爻丨 賵噩賴賴 亘賷丿賷賴 賮賶 賲賵囟毓 丕賱兀賱賲 賮賷噩丿 丿賲丕亍賴 毓賱賶 賰賮賷賴貙 丕賱氐賵乇丞 丕賱賲賴夭賵夭丞 賵丕賱兀賷丕丿賶 丕賱賰孬賷乇丞 丕賱鬲賶 鬲賯賵丿賴 賵氐賮毓賴貙 兀毓賷丿 丕賱賲卮賴丿 賲乇丕乇丕 賵兀鬲賮乇爻 賮賶 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴貙 兀鬲賮乇噩 丿賵賳 兀賶 賲卮丕毓乇 兀賵 丕賳賮毓丕賱丕鬲 賰兀賳賶 兀鬲丕亘毓 噩夭亍丕 賲賳 丕賱毓賲賱 丕賱兀丿亘賶 賱丕 丕賰孬乇.
丕賱丌賳 賮賯胤 賵氐賱鬲 賱賳賴丕賷丞 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.
芦賮賶 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱禄 鬲丿賵乇 禺賱丕賱 丨賰賲 丕賱乇卅賷爻 丕賱兀爻亘賯 賲毓賲乇 丕賱賯匕丕賮賶 賱賱賷亘賷丕貙 丨賵賱 氐亘賶 賮賶 丕賱鬲丕爻毓丞 芦爻賱賷賲丕賳禄 賷胤賵賯賴 毓賷賵賳 丕賱亘氐丕氐賷賳 丕賱賲鬲丨賮夭丞 丕賱匕賷賳 賷賳鬲馗乇賵賳 毓賵丿丞 賵丕賱丿賴.
丕賱乇賵丕賶 賴賵 丕賱胤賮賱 爻賱賷賲丕賳 賳賮爻賴貙 賵賲毓 賰賱 氐賮丨丞 鬲鬲兀賲賱 丕賱毓丕賱賲 賲賳 毓賷賳 氐亘賶 賮賶 丕賱鬲丕爻毓丞貙 毓賷賳 賲賳丿賴卮丞 賲氐丿賵賲丞 賵賲禺鬲賱賮丞貙 賮爻賱賷賲丕賳 賱賷爻 胤賮賱丕 賲賱丕卅賰賷丕貙 賮賰賲丕 兀賳賴 亘乇賶亍 賵亘爻賷胤 賴賵 兀賷囟丕 賲鬲賵乇胤 賮賶 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬貙 賮賷鬲賳賲乇 賵賷禺丿毓 賵賷賰匕亘 賵賷卮賶.
丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 卮丿賷丿丞 丕賱噩賲丕賱貙 賵丕賱賵氐賮 丕賱賮賵鬲賵睾乇丕賮賶 丕賱亘丿賷毓 賱賱兀丨丿丕孬 賷噩毓賱賰 鬲乇賶 毓丕賱賲丕 賯丕爻賷丕 賷丨賰賲賴 賯賷賲 丕賱乇噩丕賱 丕賱賲卮賵賴丞 賵鬲賳丕賮爻賴賲 賵爻賷胤乇鬲賴賲 賵囟賷賯 兀賮賯賴賲.
賷賯丕賱 丿賵賲丕 芦丕賰鬲亘 毓賲丕 鬲毓乇賮禄貙 賵賴匕丕 亘丕賱囟亘胤 賲丕 賷賮毓賱賴 賴卮丕賲 賲胤乇貙 賮丕賱賰丕鬲亘 丕賱匕賶 丕禺鬲賮賶 賵丕賱丿賴 賮噩兀丞 鬲丿賵乇 乇賵丕賷丕鬲賴 丕賱禺賷丕賱賷丞 毓賳 毓丕賱賲 賷毓乇賮 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴 噩賷丿丕貙 毓丕賱賲 丕賱兀亘 丕賱匕賶 鬲賱鬲賮鬲 丨賵賱賰 賮噩兀丞 賮賱丕 鬲噩丿賴貙 賰賱 鬲賮氐賷賱賴 乇氐丿賴丕 賴卮丕賲 賮賶 毓丕賱賲賴 兀毓丕丿 廿賳鬲丕噩賴丕 賮賶 賯丕賱亘 賯氐氐賶 噩丿賷丿 賲爻鬲賯賱 亘匕丕鬲賴 賱丕 毓賱丕賯賴 賱賴丕 亘賯氐鬲賴 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷丞 賱賰賳賴 賷丨賲賱 丿賮賯丞 丕賱賲卮丕毓乇 丕賱鬲賶 毓丕賷卮賴丕 賱爻賳賵丕鬲.
賵芦賮賶 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱禄 氐丕丿乇丞 亘丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭賷丞 賵鬲乇噩賲賴丕 賱賱毓乇亘賷丞 丕賱乇賵丕卅賶 賲丨賲丿 毓亘丿丕賱賳亘賶貙 賵賴賶 鬲乇噩賲丞 禺賱丕亘丞 鬲丿爻 丕賱賱賴噩丞 丕賱賱賷亘賷丞 亘匕賰丕亍 賮賶 賲賵丕囟毓 賲丨丿丿賴 賮鬲噩毓賱賰 賱丕 鬲鬲禺賷賱 賱賱丨馗丞 兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲鬲乇噩賲丞 毓賳 賱睾丞 兀禺乇賶.
賵賴卮丕賲 噩丕亘 丕賱賱賴 賲胤乇 賰丕鬲亘 亘乇賷胤丕賳賶 賲賳 兀氐賱 賱賷亘賶 賵賱丿 賮賶 丕賱賵賱丕賷丕鬲 丕賱賲鬲丨丿丞 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷丞 毓丕賲 1970貙 賵賳卮乇鬲 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賮賶 芦賮賶 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱禄 毓丕賲 2006 賵乇卮丨鬲 賮賶 丕賱賯丕卅賲丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 賱噩丕卅夭丞 賲丕賳 亘賵賰乇 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 孬賲 丕鬲亘毓賴丕 亘乇賵丕賷丞 丕禺鬲賮丕亍 毓丕賲 2011 孬賲 賳卮乇 賲匕賰乇丕鬲賴 芦丕賱毓賵丿丞禄 毓丕賲 2016 丨賵賱 乇丨賱丞 亘丨孬賴 毓賳 賵丕賱丿賴 丕賱賲毓丕乇囟 丕賱亘丕乇夭 賱賳馗丕賲 丕賱賯匕丕賮賶 丕賱匕賶 丕禺鬲賮賶 賮賶 鬲爻毓賷賳賷丕鬲 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱賲丕囟賶貙 賵賮丕夭鬲 芦丕賱毓賵丿丞禄 亘噩丕卅夭丞 亘賵賱賷鬲夭乇 毓賳 賮卅丞 丕賱爻賷乇丞 丕賱匕丕鬲賷丞.
芦兀鬲爻賱賱 廿賱賶 爻乇賷乇賴丕 賵兀賳丕 亘賰丕賲賱 賲賱丕亘爻賶 丕賱賲丿乇爻賷丞貙 孬賲 兀鬲賯賵賯毓 賮賶 丕賱鬲噩賵賷賮 丕賱匕賶 禺賱賮鬲賴 賮賶 丕賱賲賱丕亍丕鬲 賵兀鬲爻丕亍賱 賵丕賱丿賮亍 賷爻乇賶 賮賶 禺丿賶 賲賳 賵爻丕丿鬲賴丕貙 賰賷賮 賱賱賮乇丿賵爻 兀賳 賷賰賵賳 卮賷卅丕 賲禺鬲賱賮丕 毓賳 賴匕丕責禄.
丕賳鬲賴賷鬲 賲賳 賯乇丕亍丞 乇賵丕賷丞 賮賶 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱貙 兀噩賱爻 賲鬲兀賲賱丕 爻賯賮 丕賱丨噩乇丞 丕賱兀亘賷囟 賱丿賯丕卅賯貙 孬賲 兀賲爻賰 賴丕鬲賮賶 丕賱賲丨賲賵賱 賵兀卮睾賱 賲賳 芦賷賵鬲賷賵亘禄 賮賷丿賷賵 賲賯鬲賱 丕賱賯匕丕賮賶貙 兀鬲兀賲賱 賳馗乇賴 丕賱丿賴卮丞 賮賶 毓賷賳賷賴 賵賴賵 賷賲爻丨 賵噩賴賴 亘賷丿賷賴 賮賶 賲賵囟毓 丕賱兀賱賲 賮賷噩丿 丿賲丕亍賴 毓賱賶 賰賮賷賴貙 丕賱氐賵乇丞 丕賱賲賴夭賵夭丞 賵丕賱兀賷丕丿賶 丕賱賰孬賷乇丞 丕賱鬲賶 鬲賯賵丿賴 賵氐賮毓賴貙 兀毓賷丿 丕賱賲卮賴丿 賲乇丕乇丕 賵兀鬲賮乇爻 賮賶 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴貙 兀鬲賮乇噩 丿賵賳 兀賶 賲卮丕毓乇 兀賵 丕賳賮毓丕賱丕鬲 賰兀賳賶 兀鬲丕亘毓 噩夭亍丕 賲賳 丕賱毓賲賱 丕賱兀丿亘賶 賱丕 丕賰孬乇.
丕賱丌賳 賮賯胤 賵氐賱鬲 賱賳賴丕賷丞 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.
芦賮賶 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱禄 鬲丿賵乇 禺賱丕賱 丨賰賲 丕賱乇卅賷爻 丕賱兀爻亘賯 賲毓賲乇 丕賱賯匕丕賮賶 賱賱賷亘賷丕貙 丨賵賱 氐亘賶 賮賶 丕賱鬲丕爻毓丞 芦爻賱賷賲丕賳禄 賷胤賵賯賴 毓賷賵賳 丕賱亘氐丕氐賷賳 丕賱賲鬲丨賮夭丞 丕賱匕賷賳 賷賳鬲馗乇賵賳 毓賵丿丞 賵丕賱丿賴.
丕賱乇賵丕賶 賴賵 丕賱胤賮賱 爻賱賷賲丕賳 賳賮爻賴貙 賵賲毓 賰賱 氐賮丨丞 鬲鬲兀賲賱 丕賱毓丕賱賲 賲賳 毓賷賳 氐亘賶 賮賶 丕賱鬲丕爻毓丞貙 毓賷賳 賲賳丿賴卮丞 賲氐丿賵賲丞 賵賲禺鬲賱賮丞貙 賮爻賱賷賲丕賳 賱賷爻 胤賮賱丕 賲賱丕卅賰賷丕貙 賮賰賲丕 兀賳賴 亘乇賶亍 賵亘爻賷胤 賴賵 兀賷囟丕 賲鬲賵乇胤 賮賶 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬貙 賮賷鬲賳賲乇 賵賷禺丿毓 賵賷賰匕亘 賵賷卮賶.
丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 卮丿賷丿丞 丕賱噩賲丕賱貙 賵丕賱賵氐賮 丕賱賮賵鬲賵睾乇丕賮賶 丕賱亘丿賷毓 賱賱兀丨丿丕孬 賷噩毓賱賰 鬲乇賶 毓丕賱賲丕 賯丕爻賷丕 賷丨賰賲賴 賯賷賲 丕賱乇噩丕賱 丕賱賲卮賵賴丞 賵鬲賳丕賮爻賴賲 賵爻賷胤乇鬲賴賲 賵囟賷賯 兀賮賯賴賲.
賷賯丕賱 丿賵賲丕 芦丕賰鬲亘 毓賲丕 鬲毓乇賮禄貙 賵賴匕丕 亘丕賱囟亘胤 賲丕 賷賮毓賱賴 賴卮丕賲 賲胤乇貙 賮丕賱賰丕鬲亘 丕賱匕賶 丕禺鬲賮賶 賵丕賱丿賴 賮噩兀丞 鬲丿賵乇 乇賵丕賷丕鬲賴 丕賱禺賷丕賱賷丞 毓賳 毓丕賱賲 賷毓乇賮 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴 噩賷丿丕貙 毓丕賱賲 丕賱兀亘 丕賱匕賶 鬲賱鬲賮鬲 丨賵賱賰 賮噩兀丞 賮賱丕 鬲噩丿賴貙 賰賱 鬲賮氐賷賱賴 乇氐丿賴丕 賴卮丕賲 賮賶 毓丕賱賲賴 兀毓丕丿 廿賳鬲丕噩賴丕 賮賶 賯丕賱亘 賯氐氐賶 噩丿賷丿 賲爻鬲賯賱 亘匕丕鬲賴 賱丕 毓賱丕賯賴 賱賴丕 亘賯氐鬲賴 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷丞 賱賰賳賴 賷丨賲賱 丿賮賯丞 丕賱賲卮丕毓乇 丕賱鬲賶 毓丕賷卮賴丕 賱爻賳賵丕鬲.
賵芦賮賶 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱禄 氐丕丿乇丞 亘丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭賷丞 賵鬲乇噩賲賴丕 賱賱毓乇亘賷丞 丕賱乇賵丕卅賶 賲丨賲丿 毓亘丿丕賱賳亘賶貙 賵賴賶 鬲乇噩賲丞 禺賱丕亘丞 鬲丿爻 丕賱賱賴噩丞 丕賱賱賷亘賷丞 亘匕賰丕亍 賮賶 賲賵丕囟毓 賲丨丿丿賴 賮鬲噩毓賱賰 賱丕 鬲鬲禺賷賱 賱賱丨馗丞 兀賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲鬲乇噩賲丞 毓賳 賱睾丞 兀禺乇賶.
賵賴卮丕賲 噩丕亘 丕賱賱賴 賲胤乇 賰丕鬲亘 亘乇賷胤丕賳賶 賲賳 兀氐賱 賱賷亘賶 賵賱丿 賮賶 丕賱賵賱丕賷丕鬲 丕賱賲鬲丨丿丞 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷丞 毓丕賲 1970貙 賵賳卮乇鬲 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賮賶 芦賮賶 亘賱丿 丕賱乇噩丕賱禄 毓丕賲 2006 賵乇卮丨鬲 賮賶 丕賱賯丕卅賲丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 賱噩丕卅夭丞 賲丕賳 亘賵賰乇 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 孬賲 丕鬲亘毓賴丕 亘乇賵丕賷丞 丕禺鬲賮丕亍 毓丕賲 2011 孬賲 賳卮乇 賲匕賰乇丕鬲賴 芦丕賱毓賵丿丞禄 毓丕賲 2016 丨賵賱 乇丨賱丞 亘丨孬賴 毓賳 賵丕賱丿賴 丕賱賲毓丕乇囟 丕賱亘丕乇夭 賱賳馗丕賲 丕賱賯匕丕賮賶 丕賱匕賶 丕禺鬲賮賶 賮賶 鬲爻毓賷賳賷丕鬲 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱賲丕囟賶貙 賵賮丕夭鬲 芦丕賱毓賵丿丞禄 亘噩丕卅夭丞 亘賵賱賷鬲夭乇 毓賳 賮卅丞 丕賱爻賷乇丞 丕賱匕丕鬲賷丞.
芦兀鬲爻賱賱 廿賱賶 爻乇賷乇賴丕 賵兀賳丕 亘賰丕賲賱 賲賱丕亘爻賶 丕賱賲丿乇爻賷丞貙 孬賲 兀鬲賯賵賯毓 賮賶 丕賱鬲噩賵賷賮 丕賱匕賶 禺賱賮鬲賴 賮賶 丕賱賲賱丕亍丕鬲 賵兀鬲爻丕亍賱 賵丕賱丿賮亍 賷爻乇賶 賮賶 禺丿賶 賲賳 賵爻丕丿鬲賴丕貙 賰賷賮 賱賱賮乇丿賵爻 兀賳 賷賰賵賳 卮賷卅丕 賲禺鬲賱賮丕 毓賳 賴匕丕責禄.
October 18, 2015
Some authors make a political statement with their stories, powerful because of the emotional connections we make as readers to the circumstances. In this case, and despite the multiple awards and award nominations, I felt the story was a thin veil over circumstances that the author wanted to talk about. The nine year old makes confusing decisions, isn't afraid when a normal child would be, leading to destruction around him. He felt emotionally distant. At the same time, the author ends up not giving the reader very much background information on what is actually going on, since he tries to keep it to the world of that same nine year old. I'd have to go read another book to understand the context. I would prefer if it was all included here!
At the same time, I wonder if that was the author's intent - to portray the confusion a child would feel during war, revolution, and oppression. In his small universe, the parts of life he depends on - family, friends, school - are all disrupted by forces he isn't sure if he should fear or show loyalty to. He suspects his Dad may be a traitor, what is a child to do when he isn't told everything?
At the same time, I wonder if that was the author's intent - to portray the confusion a child would feel during war, revolution, and oppression. In his small universe, the parts of life he depends on - family, friends, school - are all disrupted by forces he isn't sure if he should fear or show loyalty to. He suspects his Dad may be a traitor, what is a child to do when he isn't told everything?
March 26, 2018
乇賵丕賷丞 賲丐賱賲丞 毓賲賷賯 鬲賲爻 丕賱賵丕賯毓 亘氐丿賯 賵鬲賲賷胤 丕賱賱孬丕賲 毓賳 賵噩賴 丕賱丨賯賷賯丞 丕賱亘卮毓 賵鬲毓乇賷 賲丕 丿兀亘 丕賱賲賳丕賮賯賷賳 賵 丕賱丕賮丕賯賷賳 毓賱賶 鬲賵乇賷鬲賴 貙 賵兀氐乇 丕賱賲胤亘賱賷賳 毓賱賶 鬲噩賲賷賱賴 賵 鬲夭賵賷賯賴貙 兀賰孬乇 賲丕鬲賲賳賷鬲賴 賱賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 丕賱丨賵丕乇丕鬲 丕賱賯賱賷賱丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲禺賱賱鬲賴丕 亘丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓丕賲賷丞 丕賱賱賷亘賷丞 .. 賱丕 兀毓乇賮 乇亘賲丕 兀乇丿鬲 賱賴丕 兀賳 鬲鬲夭賷賳 亘丨賱賴 賱賷亘賷丞 賰丕賲賱丞 .
March 28, 2021
鈥檚 unfolds in the first-person voice of nine-year old Suleiman living in Gaddafi鈥檚 Libya and struggling to make sense of the events disrupting his life. Whether it is through his omnipresent, larger-than-life images or through the brutal actions of his revolutionary army and secret police, Gaddafi鈥檚 presence haunts the pages of the novel.
Suleiman witnesses the escalating horrors of living under a brutal dictatorship. The father of his best friend is arrested by the Revolutionary army, beaten and kicked before being swept away to an unknown destination. The father later appears on television 鈥渃onfessing鈥� his crime of treason. He is publicly executed at a sports stadium to the resounding cheers of the crowd. Not long after, Suleiman鈥檚 father is arrested. He returns home so badly beaten and bruised that Suleiman doesn鈥檛 initially recognize him, thinking a monster is sharing his mother鈥檚 bed. Eventually, Suleiman鈥檚 parents decide to get him out of the country for his own safety. He is sent to Egypt where he completes his education and becomes a pharmacist.
Whether he is describing the burst of flavor when eating mulberries or the public execution as it plays out before his narrator鈥檚 eyes, Matar writes in vivid, immersive description. Suleiman鈥檚 observations are recorded in minute details, lending an air of verisimilitude to the writing. But there is disconnect and incongruity between his interpretation of what he sees and reality. He refers to his mother鈥檚 鈥渋llness鈥� and her 鈥渕edicine鈥� bottle. In reality, his mother is a drunk who becomes reckless after having too much to drink and who burdens her son with stories of her forced marriage. He perceives the secret police agent stationed outside their home as a reliable friend. He compares the condemned man鈥檚 resistance to walking up the gallows to a shy woman鈥檚 resistance to being coerced on to the dance floor. His confusion is compounded by the knowledge his parents shelter him from the truth although he doesn鈥檛 know why.
Violence, fear, torture, surveillance, house searches, disappearances, gender oppression, and lies are daily occurrences in Suleiman鈥檚 life, leaving a lingering impact with far-reaching consequences. His confusion and fear manifest in bouts of cruelty and violence toward others. He betrays a friend鈥檚 confidence, physically wounds a playmate, and intentionally tries to drown the beggar, Bahloul.
Through the voice of his nine-year-old narrator, Hisham Matar captures the long-term, debilitating impact on a child growing up under an oppressive regime. Suleiman鈥檚 life, friends, and family have all been disrupted by forces he doesn鈥檛 understand. As an adult living in exile in Egypt, he feels lost, emotionally distant, empty, and alienated. When he looks back at his childhood at the end of the novel, he recognizes his personal trajectory took the shape it did due to political forces completely beyond his control.
Hisham Matar has produced a compelling first-person narrative of a child鈥檚 experience with living under a brutal dictatorship.
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Suleiman witnesses the escalating horrors of living under a brutal dictatorship. The father of his best friend is arrested by the Revolutionary army, beaten and kicked before being swept away to an unknown destination. The father later appears on television 鈥渃onfessing鈥� his crime of treason. He is publicly executed at a sports stadium to the resounding cheers of the crowd. Not long after, Suleiman鈥檚 father is arrested. He returns home so badly beaten and bruised that Suleiman doesn鈥檛 initially recognize him, thinking a monster is sharing his mother鈥檚 bed. Eventually, Suleiman鈥檚 parents decide to get him out of the country for his own safety. He is sent to Egypt where he completes his education and becomes a pharmacist.
Whether he is describing the burst of flavor when eating mulberries or the public execution as it plays out before his narrator鈥檚 eyes, Matar writes in vivid, immersive description. Suleiman鈥檚 observations are recorded in minute details, lending an air of verisimilitude to the writing. But there is disconnect and incongruity between his interpretation of what he sees and reality. He refers to his mother鈥檚 鈥渋llness鈥� and her 鈥渕edicine鈥� bottle. In reality, his mother is a drunk who becomes reckless after having too much to drink and who burdens her son with stories of her forced marriage. He perceives the secret police agent stationed outside their home as a reliable friend. He compares the condemned man鈥檚 resistance to walking up the gallows to a shy woman鈥檚 resistance to being coerced on to the dance floor. His confusion is compounded by the knowledge his parents shelter him from the truth although he doesn鈥檛 know why.
Violence, fear, torture, surveillance, house searches, disappearances, gender oppression, and lies are daily occurrences in Suleiman鈥檚 life, leaving a lingering impact with far-reaching consequences. His confusion and fear manifest in bouts of cruelty and violence toward others. He betrays a friend鈥檚 confidence, physically wounds a playmate, and intentionally tries to drown the beggar, Bahloul.
Through the voice of his nine-year-old narrator, Hisham Matar captures the long-term, debilitating impact on a child growing up under an oppressive regime. Suleiman鈥檚 life, friends, and family have all been disrupted by forces he doesn鈥檛 understand. As an adult living in exile in Egypt, he feels lost, emotionally distant, empty, and alienated. When he looks back at his childhood at the end of the novel, he recognizes his personal trajectory took the shape it did due to political forces completely beyond his control.
Hisham Matar has produced a compelling first-person narrative of a child鈥檚 experience with living under a brutal dictatorship.
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December 5, 2013
Behind reports of dissidents intimidated, tortured and killed by the world's repressive regimes hide the subtler, more obscure stories of their young children. They experience a world overcast by two shadows: parents trying to shield them from alarm and Orwellian governments denying that anything is amiss. Writing from his current home in London, Libyan author Hisham Matar has captured this plight in his first novel, a haunting, poetic story about a 9-year-old boy struggling to comprehend what's happening to his family in the vise of Col. Moammar Gaddafi's reign of terror. In the Country of Men, which was shortlisted for last year's Man Booker Prize, includes frightening glimpses of the dictatorship's abuses and Libya's brand of Islamic puritanism, but Matar focuses primarily on the psychological damage wreaked on his young narrator.
In 1979, Suleiman is an only child enjoying summer vacation in the usual ways of children everywhere: swimming, climbing trees, playing with his friends in the streets. But a deep anxiety pervades his home in Tripoli. A man is parked outside in a car "like a giant dead moth in the sun." His father, a successful businessman, is tense and distant. The adults who drop by sound happy until Suleiman steps out of the room; then they fall into panicked whispers. His mother grows increasingly dependent on her secret "medicine." A model of matronly care and concern during the day, she burdens her son at night with tales of her forced marriage at the age of 14, the sexual humiliations she endured, the dreams she relinquished.
Matar writes in a voice that shifts gracefully between the adult exile looking back and the young boy experiencing these events through his limited, confused point of view. Why are they burning father's books and papers? Who is that voice breaking into the phone calls? Why has another boy's father "vanished like a grain of salt in water"?
"I couldn't wait to be a man," little Suleiman thinks, "heavy with the world," but what does it mean to become a man in a country where men are either brutal or cowed? Powerless to save his family from threats he can't begin to understand, Suleiman falls into bouts of sullenness and anger, committing acts of betrayal that immediately sting him with shame.
Looking back at this "time of blood and tears, in a Libya full of bruise-checkered and urine-stained men," he realizes that his childhood left a "lasting impression on me, one that has survived well into my adulthood, a kind of quiet panic." Though set in one of the world's most peculiar, most despotic countries, this sad, beautiful novel captures the universal tragedy of children caught in their parents' terrors.
In 1979, Suleiman is an only child enjoying summer vacation in the usual ways of children everywhere: swimming, climbing trees, playing with his friends in the streets. But a deep anxiety pervades his home in Tripoli. A man is parked outside in a car "like a giant dead moth in the sun." His father, a successful businessman, is tense and distant. The adults who drop by sound happy until Suleiman steps out of the room; then they fall into panicked whispers. His mother grows increasingly dependent on her secret "medicine." A model of matronly care and concern during the day, she burdens her son at night with tales of her forced marriage at the age of 14, the sexual humiliations she endured, the dreams she relinquished.
Matar writes in a voice that shifts gracefully between the adult exile looking back and the young boy experiencing these events through his limited, confused point of view. Why are they burning father's books and papers? Who is that voice breaking into the phone calls? Why has another boy's father "vanished like a grain of salt in water"?
"I couldn't wait to be a man," little Suleiman thinks, "heavy with the world," but what does it mean to become a man in a country where men are either brutal or cowed? Powerless to save his family from threats he can't begin to understand, Suleiman falls into bouts of sullenness and anger, committing acts of betrayal that immediately sting him with shame.
Looking back at this "time of blood and tears, in a Libya full of bruise-checkered and urine-stained men," he realizes that his childhood left a "lasting impression on me, one that has survived well into my adulthood, a kind of quiet panic." Though set in one of the world's most peculiar, most despotic countries, this sad, beautiful novel captures the universal tragedy of children caught in their parents' terrors.
August 2, 2011
Sadly, a quote from Francis Bacon comes to mind, that some books should only be sampled or some such thing. This book was quite dull. I started it with great expectations; it was the first novel I had read by a Libyan writer and with Libya constantly in the news, I thought its moment had come. It is also a book narrated from the perspective of a nine-year-old boy, and I was looking forward to some innocence, humour and charm. There was not much of that- the boy seemed at once too mature and too clueless. Though not a translated work, the book uses language in a vapid, unimaginative manner. Again, we seem to have the usual genre coming out of the Middle East- sociology and political studies posing as literature. They don't make for good bedfellows, in my opinion, or at least not the way it's done in the Arab world. Perhaps the socio/political issues are so pressing and so current that writers cannot devote themselves to exploring the issues normally explored in the novel- by the time the writers are done with conveying what they perceive as the necessary information- of repression, brutality, torture, religion, and exile, there is not much time left for anything else.
To be fair to the book, there were a few touches I liked. The fact that Suleiman (the nine-year-old) betrays his father and his best friend (though does not do serious damage to his father) is insightful. Is this the nature of such repressive regimes- that even innocent children end up betraying those they love most, as- at some unconscious level perhaps- they understand that it is the easier option. Another theme I thought was dealt with well was that of exile- Suleiman ends up forced into exile by his parents, and while he has no desire to return to his homeland, he resents his parents for depriving him of his homeland, no matter the reasons. And the irony is that for his parents, sending the son to Egypt was the ultimate sacricife they had to make to guarantee his safety, and yet the son, though understanding this, does not feel any more compassion towards them. Suleiman himself is caught in a cycle of safety and emptiness from which he can never be delivered.
To be fair to the book, there were a few touches I liked. The fact that Suleiman (the nine-year-old) betrays his father and his best friend (though does not do serious damage to his father) is insightful. Is this the nature of such repressive regimes- that even innocent children end up betraying those they love most, as- at some unconscious level perhaps- they understand that it is the easier option. Another theme I thought was dealt with well was that of exile- Suleiman ends up forced into exile by his parents, and while he has no desire to return to his homeland, he resents his parents for depriving him of his homeland, no matter the reasons. And the irony is that for his parents, sending the son to Egypt was the ultimate sacricife they had to make to guarantee his safety, and yet the son, though understanding this, does not feel any more compassion towards them. Suleiman himself is caught in a cycle of safety and emptiness from which he can never be delivered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2018
賰鬲丕亘 丕夭 丿賷丿 爻賱賷賲丕賳 倬爻乇亘趩賴 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 亘賵丿 丨賯賷賯鬲丕 賲賳 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 丿丕卮鬲賲 亘丕 賱賷亘賷 亘賷卮鬲乇 丕卮賳丕 亘卮賲 賵賱賷 丕賷賳胤賵乇 賳亘賵丿貙丿乇 囟賲賳 賲賳 卮禺氐丕 賰鬲丕亘 賴丕賷賷 賰賴 夭賷丕丿 鬲賵氐賷賮 卮丿賴 乇賵 亘丕卮賴 丿賵爻 賳丿丕乇賲貙鬲賵氐賷賮丕鬲 禺賷賱賷 夭賷丕丿 亘賵丿 鬲賵 丕賷賳 賰鬲丕亘
April 11, 2019
3/5stars
July 11, 2015
I bought 'In the Country of Men' because I heard Hisham Matar talking on the radio and was captivated. He talked not just about this novel (without giving too much away - always a challenge!) and also about the writing process itself, eloquently expressing all the joys and difficulties that go with the territory of trying to create a story that combines drama with truth. The book won numerous awards, including being shortlisted for the Man Booker, and is based on harrowing real-life events which Hisham and his family experienced themselves during the implosion of Libya in 1979.
I was therefore surprised - and feel guilty to admit! - that I was disappointed. The story is written in the highest quality prose, of that there is no doubt, sometimes poetic, sometimes brutally factual, but there was something about the overall tone of the narrative that I found grating. I kept telling myself this was unreasonable of me, since the narrator of the story is the 9 year old boy, Suleiman, trying to understand why the world he knows is collapsing around him - so of course there was going to be a distinctive slant to the text. Yet I have read other such narratives through the eyes of youngsters - To Kill A Mockingbird springs to mind - and been gripped as opposed to irritated. There were moments when I was genuinely swept along - as little Suleiman himself is - by events and actions he does not understand, but I am afraid I could not separate myself from the annoyance sufficiently to award it more than three stars.
Perhaps it was a book that just came at me at the wrong time. Books can do that, it's part of their fascination. Just as stories can land in our laps just when we need them most. Hisham Matar is an excellent writer, he just wasn't right for me.
I was therefore surprised - and feel guilty to admit! - that I was disappointed. The story is written in the highest quality prose, of that there is no doubt, sometimes poetic, sometimes brutally factual, but there was something about the overall tone of the narrative that I found grating. I kept telling myself this was unreasonable of me, since the narrator of the story is the 9 year old boy, Suleiman, trying to understand why the world he knows is collapsing around him - so of course there was going to be a distinctive slant to the text. Yet I have read other such narratives through the eyes of youngsters - To Kill A Mockingbird springs to mind - and been gripped as opposed to irritated. There were moments when I was genuinely swept along - as little Suleiman himself is - by events and actions he does not understand, but I am afraid I could not separate myself from the annoyance sufficiently to award it more than three stars.
Perhaps it was a book that just came at me at the wrong time. Books can do that, it's part of their fascination. Just as stories can land in our laps just when we need them most. Hisham Matar is an excellent writer, he just wasn't right for me.
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