AuthorAdel Bishtawi

Adel S (Said) Bishtawi was born in Nazareth, Palestine, 1945. He read English Literature at Damascus University, attended short courses of familiarisation of languages including Latin, German and Russian, and attended a course in Linguistics at the Central London Polytechnic. Adel published more than 20 books in both English and Arabic. the last of which is Only When Desire Screams co-authored by Selvi Sado. A journalist since the late 1960s, he became Front Page Editor of Al Arab Newspaper (London), the first pan Arab Newspaper launched in Europe. In 1978, he joined Jihad Al Khazin in launching Asharq Al Awsat Newspaper (London) as Business and Supplements Editor. In 1980, he was appointed Central Managing Editor of the Emirates News Agency in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. In 1988, he joined Jamil Mrowa (who later re-launched the Daily Star in Beirut in 1996) in London for the re-launch of Al Hayat Newspaper and continued under the editorship of Jihad Al Khazin until he left in April 2001 to dedicate what is left of his time to literary and historical writing. as well as investigating origins by means of historical and etymological linguistics. Adel produced and co-produced a number of TV documentaries. He produced, directed and wrote “Muslims along the Silk Road”, a five part-60-minutes-each documentary tracing Muslim culture and heritage and the legacy of Muslim pioneers and merchants along the Silk Road starting from China.

THE ATHEIST: A short Story

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THE ATHEIST A short story in two parts BY Adel Bishtawi adapted from the novel Times of Death and Roses. (1) Rana, a beautiful Christian girl from Beirut, goes to her Muslim boyfriend’s flat for a coffee. As they were chatting she blinked. When she opened her eyes again she found herself naked in the darkness and virgin no more, a very serious female mishap in Arabia. Here is what happened...

Is it possible for a literary work to possess a human being day and night?

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    “Times of Death and Roses does not allow for classification. This, in my opinion, is the most important characteristic of great literature.” 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗔 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 {Editor’s note: Since the publication of the Novel Times of Death and Roses and the publication of this article Elie Hobeika was blown up in Beirut in January 2002} Reviewed by...

The patient reader will come out of the novel both damned and damning

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  The patient reader will come out of the novel both damned and damning 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗔 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 Reviewed by Iraqi Writer and Critic Ismael Zayer   Times of Death and Roses by Palestinian novelist A. S. Bishtawi appears an extremely neutral title for a novel. It is a title that refers to things that have already been accomplished by time. But the neutrality was imperative...

Love in times of war, horror and death

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Angel or a Demon? 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗔 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 A review By distinguished Moroccan literary critic Mohammed Alloutt When over a year and half ago we presented novelist Adel Bishtawi as a distinguished writer our judgment stemmed from a solid conviction, especially following the publication of his fourth literary accomplishment, “Traces of a Tattoo” (1988). The...

JUST FOR ME

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IS THERE A WAY TO YOUR HEART JUST FOR ME A poem by Adel Bishtawi Is there a way to your heart, Just for me, Or wait I must, And you shall see? I breathe the smell of honey, But I can only see the bee, The song of the old wandering hearts, Many times has been sung, Give me a sign, You’ll be mine, ‘Cause I really think that you should know, I am ready to be stung, And I don’t mind if I wait...

𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗔 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜

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“Building a Bridge Between Death and Life” 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗔 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜     Reviewed by Salman Zain-ul-Deen* In his latest novel, Times of Death and Roses, Palestinian novelist, Adel Bishtawi, has his hero, Ali, say to his heroine, Rana: “The time of death has departed but it still hangs somewhere yonder. This I know: I sometimes hear it calling...

TRACES OF A TATTOO: Chapter 9

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TRACES OF A TATTOO A novel by Adel Bishtawi Read Chapter 9 Shortly thereafter Aroub pushed her hands deep into the bathrobe pockets and started swinging them while wondering if Wissam was aware of the strategically-conceived trap she had set up for him in her room. Wissam knew nothing of the sort. He put his spectacles on as they descended the last few steps. “That’s much better, the snow blurred...

Traces of a Tattoo by Adel Bishtawi: chapter 14

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Traces of a Tattoo by Adel Bishtawi Read chapter 14 Washington: Uncle’s house Next morning 5783w Samir held up both hands to his sister. “Could anything worse happen to me on my wedding day?” He complained, angry and frustrated. “My body is covered with spots, and now I have my hands covered with blisters. How am I going to get married?” Alia examined her brother’s hands for the tenth time. She...

Traces of a Tattoo: Chapter 18

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Traces of a Tattoo Read Chapter 18 London: Mill Hill Cemetery Two weeks later 3844w Hisham pulled the sagging flowers out of the submerged vase and laid them inside a plastic bag which Wissam held open. He took the bag from his son, knotted its opening and laid it on the wet grass. He then picked up a fresh bunch, removed the translucent wrapping and shook it gently. The flowers and surrounding...