So my sentiments about this book are mixed. It is an intimate family tracing book ( and there are a few of those now in Egypt). I liked best the bits that are more about the author鈥檚 grappling with herself and her relation to/ conversations with her family, and I felt that the bits in which the text is analysed were a bit dry. Towards the end I found a casual reference to my own grandfather and therefore felt complicit somehow in this fragmented network that keeps promising us with an an archive of ourselves and our place in the world.
Having fortunately attended a wonderful presentation at Bibliothek Egypt about the book: 鈥淚brahim Nagi鈥� by the Author, Dr. Samia Mehrez, made reading the book so much more enjoyable.
In the words of Dr. Mehrez, the book was not intended to be written as a biography of the renown poet, her grandfather, Dr. Ibrahim Nagi. Instead, she set out to compose a vey capturing narrative (which she referred to as a very belated intimate visit), based predominantly on personal notes and records left by her grandfather (who died before she was born) and a great amount of research that she conducted in preparing the book. Through her extensive research, she skillfully filled-in the gaps that were left in the personal notes that she found in 2 envelopes that were kept by her aunt 鈥淒oheya鈥� for many decades after the passing of Dr. Nagi.
From the book we learn a great deal about the struggles and achievements of the multitalented and multicultural Dr. Nagi as he swims against the current in his vocation as both a medical doctor and a writer/poet at different phases during his short life.
Dr. Mehrez, through her extensive research, has not only unearthed what was previously unknown about her grandfather but also debunked false information that was previously circulated about him.
Like many, the only thing I knew about Dr. Nagi was that he was a poet and that he composed the poem 鈥淓l-Atlal锟斤拷锟� that the Egyptian famous diva 鈥淥m Kolthoum鈥� sang many years after his death.
After reading the book one is left with a wealth of knowledge about the achievements of this larger than life man whose contribution to both the literary and medical fields was enormous and worthy of recognition.
Kudos to Dr. Mehrez for producing a brilliant narrative that is very well worth reading.