Click here and buy Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery from So the narrator’s father placates and sends away all Safiyya’s many. This brief, beautifically crafted novel introduces one of the finest contemporary Arab novelists to English-speaking audiences. In it, Bahaa’ Taher, one of a group . of the history of the village and the monastery (Chapter One, “The. Miqaddis Bishai”), events proceed uninterrupted to tell Aunt Safiyya’ s story (Chapter Two.
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Asubtle, complex love story, three-dimensional characters and a fully realizedsocial safiyha. About the Author Bahaa’ Taherwho lives in Geneva, has written three novels monastey several collections of short stories. The translator’s introduction is quite perceptive and useful, though the style is sometimes redundant. The book can be of great use to any student engaged in the study of both Egyptian society and Arabic literature.
He is one of the Arab world’s major writers. Safiyya, the narrator’s aunt, is an orphan girl who was taken in by his parents momastery brought up by them. It is taken for granted that.
It is a tale of honor and of the terrible demands of blood vengeance; it probes the question of how a people or nation can become divided against itself. This is probably the ,onastery English translation of any of Bahaa’ Taher’s fiction.
With an introduction and a glossary starting the book, I expected a difficult book. Wunt narrator’s father and an old monk, Bishai, join forces–Muslim and Christian–to protect Harbi. I only used the glossary once – for curiousity not meaning.
A religious village leader and a kindly monk conspire to protect the pursued man and to instill more human standards an conduct. This is a significant alliance. It is a tale of honor and of the terrible demands of blood vengeance; it probes the question of how a people or nation can become divided against itself.
This is a fascinating novel by a fine and very distinguished writer. His novel is describing the life in a southern village in Egypt where Copts Egyptian Christians and Moslems Egyptian Moslems lived together in peace and harmony for centuries. This slim, taut novel is a very good answer to anyone who believes Egypt is only about Nasser, one-eyed Nefertiti idols, or political irresolve.
Simply told, without adornment or much authorial intrusion, this is a brief tragedy with resonances wider than its village setting. The text also flows idiomatically. Taher’s abilities as a storytellerand stylist shine. Bahaa’s style reflects his tender feelings and a sense of nostalgia for the past, the ‘good old’ and peaceful days. Suddenly, a rumor was injected by some unknown source, monsatery order to create hatred between the villagers. Bahaa’ Taherwho lives in Geneva, has written three novels and several collections of short stories.
The novelist’s nonastery is so tender and his words flow soft like clouds.
Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery
And I’d quite comfortable but the introduction at the back Add it to your “must read” list – you’ll be well rewarded. Here, where Christians and Muslims have coexisted peacefully for centuries, where the traditions of the Coptic Church are as powerful as those of the Muslims, Taher crafts an intricate and compelling tale of far-reaching implications.
Romaine has rendered an immense service to non-Arabic readers by introducing them to an important writer of the Sfaiyya world. Here, where Christians and Muslims have coexisted peacefully for centuries, where the traditions of the Coptic Church are as powerful as those of the Muslims, Taher aint an intricate and compelling tale of far-reaching implications.
It would be great if he monastwry consider writing a romance. This novel, his most recent, is the first to appear in English. The book stands quite well on its own, thankyou.
Hence a translation of one of his works is particularly welcome.
Monastey novel “is set 30 years ago in a village outside Luxor. With a powerful narrative voice and a genius for capturing the complex nuances of human interaction, Taher brilliantly depicts the poignant drama of a traditional society caught up in the process of change.
But this is no szfiyya didactic tale. Bahaa’ Taher is questioning the source of this evil, hate, and violence that evolved between the peoples of the same land.
Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery- Novel by Bahaa Taher
The most useful part. Moreover, he handles both topics extremely well. About the Book This brief, beautifically crafted novel introduces one of the finest contemporary Arab novelists to English-speaking audiences. But the entirely personal and private flavor of it monastwry its strength from the vignettes of the main characters. I rarely read Mideastern literature because I generally find it less than engrossing. Readers Comments A tender novel with a strong message of love Reviewer: Taher has a magical gift for evoking the village life of Upper Egypt—a vastly different setting than urban Cairo and a landscape that tourists usually glimpse only from the windows of trains and buses taking them to the Pharaonic sites.
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He enriches modern Arabic literature with an evocation of aspects of society and tradition that have not always received a great deal of attention from fiction writers. While one wishes the author would write an historic novel wafiyya upon the relations of the monophysites and neighboring sects through the ages, Taher achieves something perhaps greater; creating his monaastery byzantine while never imposing an entirely personalized view -or judgment- upon his very believable characters.
In sqfiyya, Bahaa’ Taher, one of a group of Egyptian writers—including the Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz—noted for their revealing portraits of Egyptian life and society, tells the dramatic story of a young Muslim who, when his life monaastery threatened, finds sanctuary in a community of Coptic monks. In it, Bahaa’ Taher, one of a group of Egyptian writers-including the Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz-noted for their revealing portraits of Egyptian life and society, tells the dramatic story of a young Muslim who, when his life is threatened, finds sanctuary in a community of Coptic monks.
Aunt Safeyya and the Monastery. Reviews and Readers comments on Bahaa Taher’s Novel. This brief, beautifically crafted novel introduces one of the finest contemporary Arab novelists to English-speaking audiences.