Nouri Jarrah 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗢𝗢 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 A review by the distinguished Syrian poet and writer Nouri Jarrah Traces of a Tattoo seeks to convey several messages. Some relate to the woman and constitute a basic concern for the novel. The woman is, matter of fact, at the centre of the writer’s attention. To him, the woman is a reservoir of power and ability: she always finds her...
The Virgin’s Conception 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗢𝗢 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 A review by Hussam ul-deen Mohamed PART I Traces of a Tattoo is one of the most beautiful Arab novels I have read in recent years. It acquainted me with this surprising solitary writer, jeweller and skilled craftsman who proved both creative and entertaining. But this novel is not simply about achieving the challenging balance...
Fathers, Sons, the Memory, and Love in the Computer Age 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗢𝗢 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 Reviewed by the distinguished Moroccan literary critic Mohammed Alloutt Traces of a Tattoo is no ordinary novel. Evoking the example of giant literary Arabic works such as Cities of Salt by Abdulrahman Munif, The Boys of our Neighbourhood by Najib Mahfouz, Midday Spectra by Bahoush Yassin (Morocco), it is...
𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗢𝗢 𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 A Novel of Emotional Programming and Meeting of East and West Reviewed by Ahmed Zainuddin A modern novel would lose its glitter if it were to be stripped down to its narrative trunk and have its branches and leaves cut and trimmed. Based on a reading strategy and a memory mechanism prune to the act of subtraction and deduction as well as the assumption...
𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗦: Highlights from an interview conducted by Syrian Poet Nouri (Al) Jarrah with novelist and historian Ade; S. Bishtawi Published in the Cultural Supplement of Oman Newspaper (Sultante of Oman) ● “I have constructed a love story on the ruins of another”. ● “Literature is the embodiment of the human conscience”. ● “Most chapters in Traces of a...
𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗦: An interview with novelist and historian A. S. Bishtawi By Hussam-ul-Deen Mohamed, Literary Editor of Al Quds Al Arabi Newspaper (London). ￭ Q (Hussam) You’ve been in journalism for many years, is the journalist competing with the novelist in you? Do they hate each other, or are they working hand in hand? ● I think that the novelist in Adel Bishtawi does not hate...
WETTINER: “I’VE DONE IT ALMOST RISKING MY LIFE.” Godfrey Wettinger is Emeritus Professor and Senior Fellow of the University of Malta. Professor Wettinger is a recognised authority on the medieval history of the Maltese Islands from 15th century documents and many other sources providing original scholarly research. Wettinger, B.A. Hons. (London), M.A. (London), Ph.D. (London), was born at...
𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗧𝗔𝗪𝗜 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗦: María Elvira Sagarzazu – Argentinian investigative historian, researcher, novelist and essayist ✺ The Spanish Expulsion of the Moriscos and its Historical Impact I met María Elvira Sagarzazu for the first time during the 10th International Symposium on The Moriscos and the Mediterranean in the 16th and 17th Centuries which was organised by my good friend and Morisco...
POETIC NARRATIVE OF CREATION By adel bishtawi (1) God created heavens and earth, But His work was not done, Nor did He rest on the sixth day, Until he created woman. (2) On the 7th day, God called his daughter, “My work was finished, When your work began, And from the womb I gave you, You will create your man, And the moment you are two, Forever and ever, You’ll belong to him, And forever and eve...
A poem by Adel Bishtawi The ancient astronomer, gathered his students around, We’re guided by stars, So, listen to what I say, I’ll tell you once, Before the break of day, The brightest star in the south is Acrux, The brightest in the west is Venus, The brightest in the north is Polaris, These are the chambermaids, But the princess of them all, Is not above, Turn...