lunes, 15 de julio de 2024

Economist: Five books about Iraq

 

Five books about Iraq, a cradle of civilisation and catastrophe

What to read to understand the country’s recent history—and its ancient beginnings

The President’s Gardens. By Muhsin Al-Ramli. Translated by Luke Leafgren. MacLehose Press; 352 pages; $16.99 and £8.99

When Isma’il, a herdsman, notices nine banana crates by the side of the road on the third day of Ramadan in 2006, he is puzzled. Because of a un embargo, imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, bananas were seldom seen in Iraq. But the crates do not contain bananas. Each holds a human head. “The President’s Gardens”, a novel, is the story of one of those murdered Iraqis, Ibrahim “the fated”, and his friendship with two other men: Tariq “the befuddled” and Abdullah, known as “Kafka” for the “firmly rooted sadness…in his eyes”. The three men grow up together but their lives diverge. Abdullah and Ibrahim are drafted to fight in the Iraq-Iran war of 1980-88; Tariq stays home, and becomes a religious leader. When Ibrahim leaves the armed forces he finds work in the unnamed president’s gardens, where he encounters a leader who is both capricious and cruel. Ibrahim decides to resist his regime. This leads to his beheading—and to the reunion of his friends in their grief. Mr Ramli’s novel is partly based on his own story: Saddam Hussein, the dictator that America overthrew, executed his brother, Hassan Mutlak, in 1990. 

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-reads/2024/06/14/five-books-about-iraq-a-cradle-of-civilisation-and-catastrophe

مجلة إيكونوميست الإنكليزية، تعتبر (حدائق الرئيس)، واحد من خمسة كتب ينصح بقراءتها لفهم تاريخ العراق: مهد الحضارة والكارثة

https://alramliarabic.blogspot.com/2024/07/blog-post.html

sábado, 13 de enero de 2024

Books Written by Muhsin Al-Ramli


Books Written by Muhsin Al-Ramli

Muhsin Al-Ramli

https://riyadhrb.com/book-author/muhsin-al-ramli/

Muhsin Al-Ramli, an accomplished Iraqi writer, poet, academic, and translator, was born on March 7, 1967, in the village of Sudara in northern Iraq. Since 1995. He has been residing in Madrid, Spain, where he made significant contributions to the field of literature, both as a writer and a translator. He is notably recognized for his translation of the iconic Spanish classic “Don Quixote” into Arabic, demonstrating his profound expertise in languages and literature.

Muhsin Al-Ramli’s academic journey marked by his profound interest in the intersection of cultures. In 2003, he completed his Doctorate in Philosophy and Letters and Spanish Philology at the Autonomous University of Madrid, focusing his thesis on the influences of Islamic culture in “Don Quixote.” This scholarly work showcases his deep engagement with cross-cultural studies and his dedication to exploring the connections between diverse literary traditions.

As an educator, Al-Ramli imparts his knowledge and passion for literature at the Saint Louis University Madrid Campus. He is also a pivotal figure in Arabic literary circles, serving as the editor of Alwah, a magazine dedicated to Arabic literature and thought, which he co-founded. This platform reflects his commitment to promoting Arabic literature and fostering intellectual discourse.

Al-Ramli’s literary contributions encompass a wide array of genres, including novels, short stories, poetry, and theatrical works.

Muhsin Al-Ramli’s Works:

  • “Gift from the Century to Come” (Short stories, 1995)
  • “In Search of a Live Heart” (Theater, 1997)
  • “Papers far from the Tigris” (Short stories, 1998)
  • “Scattered Crumbs” (Novel, 2000)
  • “The Happy Nights of the Bombing” (Narrative, 2003)
  • “We Are All Widowers of the Answers” (Poetry, 2005)
  • “Dates on My Fingers” (Novel, 2008)
  • “Asleep among the Soldiers” (Poetry, 2011)
  • “The Oranges Of Baghdad and Chinese Love” (Short stories, 2011)
  • “The President’s Gardens” (Novel, 2012), which was longlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF)
  • “The Wolf of Love and Books” (Novel, 2015)
  • “Children and Shoes” (Novel, 2018)
  • “Daughter of the Tigris” (Novel, 2019)

Additionally, he has contributed to the world of translation, notably with the Portuguese translation of “Laranjas e giletes em Bagdá/Naranjas y cuchillas en Bagdad” by Fedra Rodríguez Hinojosa. His diverse body of work reflects a deep engagement with themes of cultural identity, history, and the human condition, making him a prominent voice in contemporary Arabic literature.

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The President’s Gardens

https://riyadhrb.com/book/the-presidents-gardens/

The President’s Gardens” by Muhsin Al-Ramli is a sweeping and profound narrative set in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, encompassing the tumultuous period from the Iran-Iraq War through to the aftermath of the American invasion. This epic tale intricately weaves the lives of three friends, each uniquely impacted by the wars and the oppressive regime they live under.

Abdullah, one of the central characters, endures two decades of captivity in Iran. Upon his return, confronted with a shattering revelation about his origins. Tariq, another protagonist, is the offspring of a local Sheikh. He skillfully evades military service, instead ascending the ladder of power and influence. While he offers aid to his friends, Tariq’s actions are predominantly guided by self-interest, revealing the complex interplay of loyalty and personal ambition in times of conflict.

Ibrahim, the third key figure, suffers a personal loss of a different nature. He loses a foot during the first Gulf War and his wife to the ravages of cancer. His life takes an unexpected turn when he secures a seemingly humble job in the gardens of one of the president’s palaces. However, this role soon expands in scope and responsibility, leading him down a path he could never have imagined.

Al-Ramli’s novel is rich with a diverse and vividly portrayed ensemble of characters. Their interwoven stories echo the narrative style and thematic depth found in acclaimed works such as “The Kite Runner,” “The Yellow Birds,” and “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” “The President’s Gardens” is not just a story about war and its aftermath; it delves deeply into themes of oppression, love, marriage, familial bonds, and the human condition under a brutal, dictatorial regime.

Spanning over 400 pages, the novel is both an epic historical account and a philosophical exploration, offering profound insights into the complexities of life during a period of extreme turmoil. Al-Ramli’s masterful storytelling captures the essence of human resilience and the enduring spirit in the face of adversity, making “The President’s Gardens” an impactful and enduring work of literature.

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Daughter of the Tigris

https://riyadhrb.com/book/daughter-of-the-tigris/

Daughter of the Tigris” by Muhsin Al-Ramli is a compelling narrative set in the backdrop of a tumultuous period in Iraq, following the critically acclaimed novel “The President’s Gardens.” The story unfolds during the Ramadan in a war-stricken Iraq, a land described metaphorically as ‘without bananas’, symbolizing a place stripped of its simplicity and joy. Amidst this chaos, the protagonist, Qisma, embarks on a poignant journey to Baghdad alongside her soon-to-be husband, with a mission to unearth the remains of her father amidst the countless casualties of a brutal war.

Tariq, Qisma’s fiancé, sees their union as more than just a marriage of convenience. Captivated by Qisma’s beauty and modernity, he yearns for a deeper connection, both physical and emotional. However, Tariq, a sheikh rooted in refined tradition, faces the challenge of harmonizing his life with Qisma, an embodiment of contemporary Iraqi womanhood.

Set against the backdrop of political turmoil following the overthrow of the President, Iraq transforms into a battleground for power-hungry leaders, each vying to claim the vacant throne. Amidst this power struggle, Qisma is engulfed by fear – fear for her son’s safety and the looming threat of her father’s killers seeking vengeance. Her story is a vivid portrayal of the relentless struggle for survival in a country ravaged by conflict.

Qisma’s narrative is not just one of survival but also of ambition. Her aspirations to carve out a piece of Iraq for herself depict the human tendency to seek control in times of uncertainty. However, this ambition, likened to a perilous drug, could potentially lead to her undoing. “Daughter of the Tigris” is a tale of resilience, fear, and the consequences of ambition set in a nation scarred by war, where survival is a daily battle, and the quest for power is a double-edged sword.

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Dates on My Fingers

https://riyadhrb.com/book/dates-on-my-fingers/

Dates on My Fingers,” a novel by Muhsin Al-Ramli, intricately weaves the narrative of Saleem. He is a young man from an Iraqi village who embarks on a transformative journey to Spain. Seeking refuge from the violence and rigid societal norms of his homeland. Saleem’s quest for a peaceful life is abruptly interrupted when he unexpectedly encounters his father, Noah, in a Madrid nightclub. Noah’s presence, markedly different in demeanor and appearance, ignites Saleem’s curiosity. Prompting him to unravel the mysteries surrounding his father’s new life in Spain.

The novel deftly transitions between Saleem’s present in Spain and his past in Iraq. Illuminating his deeply personal experiences of familial love amidst the backdrop of war. A particularly poignant memory is the haunting accidental death of his cousin Aliya, with whom Saleem shared tentative steps towards understanding sexuality. These reflections are not only personal reckonings but also a window into the broader societal challenges faced in Iraq.

Saleem’s journey is marked by a tumultuous reconnection with his father. Leading to a violent confrontation that compels him to reassess his identity and the delicate balance of his newfound stability. Al-Ramli’s narrative skillfully carries the reader between the contrasting worlds of Spain and Iraq. Culminating in a surprising and thought-provoking resolution.

Critically acclaimed, “Dates on My Fingers” offers a vivid portrayal of an Iraq under oppression, transforming recent historical events into universal stories that allow readers to draw their own conclusions and parallels. This fast-paced novel transcends geographical boundaries, delving into themes of youthful love, the aftermath of conflict, and the enduring significance of family honor.

Muhsin Al-Ramli, an Iraqi-born novelist, poet, translator, and academic, writes in both Arabic and Spanish. Exiled in 1993 due to governmental persecution, which included the execution of his brother, Al-Ramli has made Madrid his home. He is a professor at Saint Louis University and has translated several Spanish classics into Arabic. His literary works include plays, poetry, short stories, and novels, with “Dates on My Fingers” being longlisted for the prestigious International Prize for Arabic Fiction. The English translation of this novel by Luke Leafgren, who learned Arabic during his PhD studies at Harvard University, is his first foray into translation, bringing Al-Ramli’s rich narrative to a broader audience.

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Scattered Crumbs

https://riyadhrb.com/book/scattered-crumbs/

Scattered Crumbs,” authored by Muhsin Al-Ramli, is a poignant narrative set amidst the Iran-Iraq war in an Iraqi village. The novel critiques life under oppressive rule, exploring the impact of dictatorship and war on an Iraqi family. Al-Ramli vividly portrays conflicts intensified by political turmoil through this impoverished peasant family’s lens.

Central to the story is a father, an ardent admirer of Saddam Hussein, known as “The Leader.” His fervent support for the dictatorship starkly contrasts with his son’s, an artist. The son’s love for his homeland is palpable, yet he faces a moral and artistic quandary. He cannot bring himself to paint the Leader’s portrait, as demanded by his father. The ideological clash mirrors broader societal conflicts, symbolizing generational and intellectual rifts exacerbated by the regime.

A Tale of Identity, Exile, and Suffering in 1980s Iraq Amidst Dictatorship and Conflict

The narrator, another crucial character, recounts the gradual disintegration of his family. Departing in search of his cousin, he reflects on the scant knowledge defined by his cousin’s absence. This journey symbolizes a broader search for identity and belonging amidst the chaos of war and dictatorship.

“Scattered Crumbs,” originally published in Arabic in Cairo in 2000, has been masterfully translated to convey the original text’s subtle sarcasm and elliptical rhythms. Translator Yasir Suleiman brings to the fore the novel’s nuanced exploration of the deterioration of both the country and its people, who are swept into the maelstrom of political and social upheaval.

Al-Ramli’s narrative depicts exile’s harsh realities, driven by explosive forces. The pain mirrors skin flaying for those trampled in their homeland. The novel stitches memories – Azawi’s café, Basra’s winged bull. Older generations cling, while younger ones, overwhelmed, seek refuge in succinct expressions. “Scattered Crumbs,” set in 1980s Iraq, reflects profound suffering during dictatorship and conflict.

martes, 28 de febrero de 2023

Top 10 List of Iraqi Fiction/ The Markaz

 

here are 10 books that will help further explore the diversity of Iraqi literature available in English right now.

The President’s Gardens by Muhsin Al-Ramli,

translated by Luke Leafgren

 (MacLehose Press, 2017) 

Set during the last fifty years of Iraqi history, this novel begins with a horrific morning. It is the third day of Ramadan and the village without bananas wakes up to find nine banana crates stacked by the bus stop, each with the severed head of one of its sons. One of them belonged to one of the most wanted men in Iraq, known to his friends as Ibrahim the Fated. The novel explores what it is that warrants such a gruesome ending. Described by Hassan Blasim, Iraqi author of The Iraqi Christ as “a contemporary tragedy of epic proportions,” the novel is masterfully woven from the miserable stories of the real people of Iraq, while highlighting resounding and universal concerns. Think One Hundred Years of Solitude meets The Kite Runner.

When the novel appeared in English in 2017, it was acclaimed by all critics and went on to win the 2018 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation. The translation of its sequel, Daughter of the Tigris (2019) was practically published at the same time as publication of the Arabic.

https://themarkaz.org/reading-iraq-our-top-10-list-of-iraqi-fiction/

من عشرة كتب ستساعد في استكشاف تنوع الأدب العراقي المتوفر باللغة الإنجليزية في الوقت الحالي.

حدائق الرئيس لمحسن الرملي

ترجمة لوك ليفغرين  (MacLehose Press, 2017)

تدور أحداث هذه الرواية خلال الخمسين عامًا الأخيرة من التاريخ العراقي، تبدأ بصباح مُرِّوع؛ اليوم الثالث من شهر رمضان حين تستيقظ القرية الخالية من الموز لتجد تسعة صناديق موز مكدسة بجوار محطة الحافلات، ومع كل منها رأس مقطوع لأحد أبناء القرية. كان أحدهم ينتمي إلى أحد أكثر الرجال المطلوبين في العراق، المعروف لدى أصدقائه باسم "إبراهيم قسمة". تستكشف الرواية ما يبرر مثل هذه النهاية البشعة. وصف الرواية حسن بلاسم مؤلف كتاب "المسيح العراقي" بأنها: "مأساة معاصرة ذات أبعاد ملحمية"، الرواية منسوجة ببراعة من القصص البائسة للشعب العراقي الحقيقي، سلطت الضوء على الاهتمامات الهائلة والعالمية. تبدو الرواية وكأنها مائة عام من العزلة وقد دُمجت برواية عداء الطائرة الورقية. عندما نُشرت الرواية باللغة الإنجليزية في العام 2017، نالت استحسان جميع النقاد وفازت بجائزة سيف غباش بانيبال للترجمة الأدبية العربية للعام 2018. نُشرت ترجمة الجزء الثاني: بنت دجلة (2019) عمليًا في نفس وقت نشر اللغة العربية.

https://themarkaz.org/ar/reading-iraq-our-top-10-list-of-iraqi-fiction/

lunes, 27 de febrero de 2023

Review: Dates on My Fingers. By: Azeez Jasim

 A Book Review:

 Is it ‘Dates on My Fingers’?

 

By: Azeez Jasim Mohammed

Novel title: “Dates on My Fingers”
Author: Muhsin Al-Ramli
Language: Arabic
Publisher: Al Mada House for publishing
Pages: 173


“Dates on My Fingers” is a novel of moral values that advises readers not to spend time thinking of a plan that reaps nothing finally. The novel focuses on the discrepancy between achieving one’s ends after consuming long time by harnessing all self-abilities and the quality of the results that one reaches afterwards. It gives a lesson that not all enjoyable actions leave good impression after they are over.

Noh, an obedient son of a Shaikh who belongs to a tribe of a huge number of his own people, is changed suddenly into a man who lost his temper and starts behaving savagely. The change in his personality frightened psychologists as his sudden transformation into a whimsical man proves how people can change easily to this extent. Noh spends most of the remaining of his life seeking revenge; not for the sake of ecstasy but for regain rectitude that he lost when his ill daughter is harassed, in his presence, by a son of an influential man. He does not know that he is going to be fatigued by the psychological thinking of revenge which will put an end to his clannish, social and moral pertinence. In the same way that Hamlet does when he abnegates the luxurious and royal life he lives just to make himself convinced whether his mother and his uncle are betrayals when they lead such a harmful conspiracy against his father or not, the inner conflict that leads to his fate.

The context of the story shows the reader that the more time you take to achieve your end, the more disastrous results will be not only on your shoulders but also on those whom you like as well. His reaction to get revenge, which is supported by his relatives, burdens him insofar as burdening them all and it becomes a boring mission though it still sounds interesting to him. The loss that Noh faces, so to speak, is not only ideological, but it is a loss of an individual’s own social entity. This is because the decision of counterattacking, as a reaction to revenge, is a conduct of challenging a state, and it comes to be thought politically as making a rift in the entity of the state itself. No one cares about Noh’s feeling as a father who is insulted in public and in his daughter’s presence. Noh spends his life respecting others in the same way that he expects respect from others and that’s perhaps why he expects more from those who find him doing nothing rather than destruction.

From a rural character into a dude one, from a man of social commitments into an apathetic man, and from obedient into indocile, Noh is seen changed completely throughout the plot of the story. All his family members are shattered here and there in this world, and he finds himself travelling to different countries, changing his habits and dropping most of his values just to bite a dog in the same way that the dog bites him.

The novel reflects Muhsin Al-Ramli’s bad impression about life in diaspora through his experience of living abroad. The author calls for compromise and he tries to forward a message of hope to those who suffers from consuming their life just for the sake of getting revenge. The concept of this novel is quite clear that if you want to live with peace of mind then think as Dale Carnegie puts it “stop worrying and start living.”

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*Published: Oman Observer. Feb 26,2023

https://www.omanobserver.om/pdf/2023/02/27/omandailyobserver-20230227-1.pdf?ts=221721

https://www.omanobserver.om/ampArticle/1133323

 

https://www.amazon.com/Dates-My-Fingers-Modern-Literature/dp/9774166442

martes, 27 de diciembre de 2022

Conflicto Humano en La Novela del iraquí Muhsin Al-Ramli /Hanan Younus

مظاهر الصراع الإنساني في رواية (تمر الأصابع) 

لمحسن الرملي

Las Manifestaciones del Conflicto Humano 

en La Novela "Dedos de Dátiles"

del autor iraquí Muhsin Al-Ramli

حنان يونس محمد

Hanan Younus Mohammed

https://search.mandumah.com/Record/956303

Al-Ramli intenta en sus obras narrativas, y por su sentimiento sensible y la profundidad de su conocimiento, atraer la atención a las cuestiones del hombre en la sociedad y sus problemas que se mezclan con los sufrimientos, donde escribe sobre el hombre y sus sufrimientos y sus preocupaciones en un mundo amenazado por las gravedades. Él nos ofrece todo esto en un estilo narrativo, un simple lenguaje y unas acciones de la realidad a través de los personajes, el tiempo y el lugar. También, en algunas veces el diálogo y la descripción ocupan un gran papel en la obra según la necesidad del texto. El objeto del estudio es establecer una búsqueda en el conflicto humano, y cómo parece con los personajes dentro la sociedad de "Dedos de Dátiles", además de sus reflexiones a ellos. Cuando el lector lee esta novela en primera vez, observa que el hombre vive entre el pasado y el presente, entre la tradición y la modernidad, y por eso la investigadora va a seguir aquel conflicto humano y sus manifestaciones. Los personajes en la obra son prisioneros del sufrimiento y la tensión, pero, al mismo tiempo buscan la salvación de todas las causas del sufrimiento: la violencia, las guerras, la injusticia, la autoridad paternal-religiosa y además de la del gobierno.

 

In his novel writings, with his delicate sense and depth of vision, Al-Ramli tried to draw attention to human issues in society and their problems to the sufferings. He wrote about man, his suffering and his concern in a world threatened by danger, and all this presented to us in a narrative style and in simple language with one of the most precious realities through people, time and place. Dialogue and description sometimes also play a major part of the work in accordance with the necessity of the text. The study was therefore aimed at examining the human conflict and how it appeared with the characters within a community and the novel “Dates on My Fingers,” as well as its implications on them.
The reader, while reading the novel for the first time, notices that man lives between the past and the present, between tradition and modernity and that's why the researcher will pursue that humanitarian conflict and its phenomena. The characters in the novel “Dates on My Fingers” were prisoners of suffering and anxiety, but at the same time, they were seeking salvation from all causes of suffering: violence, wars, injustice, power, including patriarchal and religious authority, as well as the government authority.
This abstract translated by Dar AlMandumah Inc. 2018

 

حاول الرملي في كتاباته الروائية بإحساسه المرهف وعمق بصيرته أن يجذب الأنظار إلى قضايا الإنسان في المجتمع ومشكلاتها لتيامتز جتب المعاناة، إذ كتب عن الإنسان ومعاناته وهمومه في عالم مهدد بالأخطار، كل هذا قدمه لنا بأسلوب سردي وبلغة بسيطة مع أحد أثمن الواقع من خلال الأشخاص والزمان والمكان، كذلك كان الحوار والوصف في بعض الأحيان يشغلان دورا كبيرا في العمل على وفق ضرورة النص لذا استهدفت الدراسة إلى البحث في الصراع الإنساني وكيف ظهر مع الشخصيات داخل مجتمع وراية "تمر الأصابع"، فضلا عن انعكاساته عليها.
أن القارئ حين يقرأ الرواية لأول مرة يلاحظ أن الإنسان يعيش بين الماضي والحاضر، وبين التقليد والحداثة. ولهذا سوف تتابع الباحثة ذلك الصراع الإنساني ومظاهرة، لقد كانت الشخصيات في "تمر الأصابع" سجناء المعاناة والتوتر، ولكنهم في الوقت نفسه يبحثون عن الخلاص من كل مسببات المعاناة: العنف والحروب والظلم والسلطة ومنها السلطة الأبوية والدينية فضلا عن سلطة الحكومة

https://search.mandumah.com/Record/956303