October 31, 2005
Please Donate
The earthquake that hit Pakistan earlier this month has claimed the lives of 80,000 people. It continues to make victims--people dying from disease and lack of care. With winter coming, many more could die. UNICEF reports that it has had significant trouble raising money for the victims.
Despite dire warnings of a looming calamity, the United Nations has had difficulty raising money for the quake victims. As of Friday, it had received just 20 percent of the $550 million it needs for the next six months. Officials have warned that the shortfall could force U.N. helicopters to stop flying as early as this week.Please donate whatever you can, even if it's just $5. Here is the American site for UNICEF, where you can make a contribution.UNICEF controls $62 million of the aid pledge, but has so far received just $13.5 million.
Veneman, a former secretary of agriculture in the Bush administration, joined a chorus of voices calling on the world to act.
"Without urgent action, large numbers of children could die needlessly," she said, adding that she believed that aid has been slower to arrive because of the many natural calamities over the past year, including last December's tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.
Mandela Comix
Nelson Mandela has launched a series of comic books about his life. The publications are part of a wider literacy campaign in South Africa.
In related news, anti-Apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada, who was also jailed on Robben Island along with Mandela, has recently released his memoirs.
Corruption, Still Rampant
The Corruption Perceptions Index, compiled by Transparency International, finds that corruption is still rampant around the world. Morocco tied with China, Sri Lanka, Senegal and Suriname for #78.
The countries with the least corruption were Iceland, Finland, and New Zealand.
The United States was ranked #17.
HODP in The Plain Dealer
Michele Ross reviews Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits in The Plain Dealer. (No login required.)
HODP on the Bat Segundo Show
Bat Segundo #11 is now online. In this show, Ed Champion, Scott Esposito, Beth Wadell, Tito Perez, and I discuss Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, poverty in fiction, the immigration situation in Morocco, and other literary pursuits.
Ben Barka, Forty Years On
Last week marked the 40th anniversary of the kidnapping in Paris of Moroccan dissident Mehdi Ben Barka. A new movie by Serge LePeron retraces the major events of that day.
Pamuk Essay
An excerpt from a speech given by Orhan Pamuk in Frankfurt last week when he accepted the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade is available in Saturday's Guardian. The central question that Pamuk addresses is the role of the novel in society--how it lets readers experience the lives of other individuals with whom they may or may not have much in common.
I am using this story as a way into the subject that I am coming to understand more clearly with each new day, and which is, in my view, central to the art of the novel: the question of the "other", the "stranger", the "enemy" that resides inside each of our heads, or rather, the question of how to transform it. What drew me to the streets of Frankfurt and Kars was the chance to write of others' lives as if they were my own. It is by doing this sort of research that novelists can begin to test the lines that mark off that "other" and in so doing alter the boundaries of our own identities. Others become "us" and we become "others". Certainly a novel can achieve both feats simultaneously. Even as it relates our own lives as if they were the lives of others, it offers us the chance to describe other people's lives as if they were our own.Pamuk ties this to reactions to the novel (pride, shame, anger, etc.) and then to general feelings about the culture, and to the question of what happens when cultures come in contact (specifically, Turkey's bid to enter the European Union.) A very worthwhile and engrossing read.
Related posts:
Pamuk vs. Turkish Government
Pamuk vs. Turkish Government, #2
Pamuk Update
HODP in Newsday
Claire Dederer profiles me in the Sunday edition of Newsday. (No login required.)
Lit Briefs
- The October 24 issue of The New Yorker included three pieces by Syrian poet Adonis. The poems were translated by none other than Khaled Mattawa.
- Richard Nash, Soft Skull Press publisher and frequent blog commentator, has entered the blogosphere. I think we can expect at least a few posts about the various Google Print lawsuits.
- Issue #3 of Land-Grant College Review is now available.
- Sam Lipsyte and Gary Shteyngart talk craft over at the Loggernaut website.
- Micheline Aharonian Marcom and Ursula K. LeGuin are among the recipients of the PEN literary awards, which will be handed out at a ceremony in Los Angeles on November 9th.
- Poet Suheir Hammad will be reading from her new collection, ZaatarDiva, at Elliott Bay Books in Seattle on November 5th. Details here.
MoorishGirl Turns Four
Earlier this month, MoorishGirl turned four years old. In blog years, I suppose that makes me a dinosaur. But, oh, it feels good!
Since it appeared in 2001, MG went from a few dozen readers to nearly 10,000 unique visitors per day. MG readers come from the U.S., Morocco, France, the U.K., Egypt, Spain, Italy, Holland, Israel, Hong Kong, and many other countries around the world. Most readers check the site while at work or at school. A few work in the publishing industry, others in the media, and a handful for government. Marhaba, everyone.
Here is what I have planned for the next few weeks: Guest reviews of several novels, including Yom Sang-Seop's Three Generations, Naguib Mahfouz's The Dreams, Dan Olivas's Devil Talk, and Donna Seaman's Writers on the Air; book recommendations from Hayan Charara and Rigoberto Gonzalez; giveaways of Wendy Lesser's A Pagoda in The Garden, Leila Aboulela's Minaret, the new anthology Waking Up American, and the Memoirs of Ahmed Kathrada; in addition, of course, to literary commentary, rants about various news, and updates from my book tour.
I no longer have a comments box for each post because I grew tired of deleting spam, but I welcome your suggestions. If you want to communicate with me, feel free to email me.
October 28, 2005
HODP in The Washington Post
Carolyn See's review of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits appears in today's Washington Post. If you can't access the article because of a subscription wall, use bugmenot.com for a free login and password. You can also read a brief snippet on my author site.
HODP in Tel Quel
Casablanca-based Moroccan magazine Tel Quel has a profile of me in its latest issue.
HODP in Cairo Magazine
Ursula Lindsey's review of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits appears in the latest issue of Cairo Magazine. (No login required.)
Reading Recap: Annie Bloom's Books
Audience: About 30.
Anxiety index: 6 (out of 10).
Books given away: Wickett's Remedy by Myla Goldberg and South African and leading anti-Apartheid figure Ahmed Kathrada's Memoirs.
Surprise guest(s): Loggernaut's Jesse Lichtenstein.
No. of Moroccans who said hello: 2.
I wrapped up the West Coast leg of my book tour last night at Annie Bloom's Books, here in Portland. A reader in the front row took copious notes throughout, which I suppose is both flattering and intimidating. It's not the first time it's happened at one of my readings, and yet I'm just not used to it.
I also had a great time during the Q&A because the audience was so engaged--lots of interesting questions about the book, the research, immigration, the process of writing, etc. Great crowd.
October 27, 2005
HODP Reading: Portland
I finally did make it home last night--at 3 am! Remind me never to fly Alaska Airlines again. But things are looking up already: I'm reading again in Portland, this time at my neighborhood independent bookstore, the one and only Annie Bloom's Books:
Thursday, October 27Come one, come all. It's going to be fun!
7:30 pm
Annie Bloom's Books
7834 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, Oregon
October 26, 2005
We Appreciate Your Patience
I'm writing this from the San Francisco airport, where I've been waiting for a flight home for the last five hours. The aircraft I was supposed to be on had an indicator light problem and we had to deboard; the second aircraft turned out to have a door problem; and so we were sent back to the first aircraft, which we've been promised will leave at 10 pm (five minutes ago!) To make matters worse, some idiot tried to go through the security gate behind us without taking his shoes off, which would have caused delays I can't even begin to imagine.
The passengers around me are occupying themselves by yelling at the gate agent; speaking on their cell phones; reading Freakonomics and Goals!; eating junk food; and, um, blogging. I am also slowly catching up on email, and wanted to thank the many, many readers who've written me in the last few days. I will get to your note, I promise. All this by way of saying: Don't expect much posting on Wednesday. I think I'm going to spend the day recuperating from my airport adventures, but will probably resume regular blogging by Thursday.
October 25, 2005
Reading Recap: A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books
Audience: About 45.
Anxiety index: 6 (out of 10).
Surprise guest(s): Yiyun Li (standing next to me in the photo) and Paul S., an ex co-worker of mine who's moved to San Francisco a few months ago.
No. of Moroccans who said hello: 5.
It was a thrill and an honor to be reading at the legendary bookstore A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books last night. And I was also a bit surprised by the great turnout and wonderful reception. I chose to read a couple of scenes with my character Aziz, snapshots from his life before and after his trip.
Several of my cousins showed up, and it was great to be able to read dialogue that included a few words of Moroccan Arabic and know that they would get it. I got a little misty eyed during a scene from "Homecoming," because it reminded me of a recent loss in a friend's family, but I managed to keep it together and finish off the reading and then take questions.
October 24, 2005
HODP Reading: San Francisco
Tonight I'll be reading from Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits in San Francisco, California. Here are the details:
Laila LalamiHope to see you there!
Thursday the 24th
7:00PM
A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books
Signed Copies
Last week, Powells.com sold out of signed copies of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, but the good folks at the bookstore have made a few more available online. You can get yours here.
Reading Recap: Black Oak Books
Audience: About 35.
Anxiety index: 3 (out of 10).
Surprise guest(s): Writer Lillian Howan, who stopped by with her teenage son.
No. of Moroccans who said hello: 1.
Last night's event at Black Oak Books was a joint reading with Frances Dinkelspiel, Michelle Richmond, and Kevin Smokler. We each read a brief excerpt from our books, and later had a discussion about writing in the blogging age.
October 23, 2005
HODP Reading: Berkeley
Tonight I'll be reading from Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits and having a lit-blog discussion with Kevin Smokler, Michelle Richmond, and Francis Dinkelspiel in Berkeley, California. Here are the details:
Thursday the 23thHope to see you there!
7:30PM
Black Oak Books
October 22, 2005
MG Readers Rock
And you know why? Because they send me cool pictures like this. Here is reader Nina M. at Brazos Bookstore in Houston, Texas posing with HODP.
And here is James H. at the same store.
Meanwhile, reader and translator Isabella M. sends this picture of HODP on her desk, in Amsterdam:
Want to share your pix? Email me.
HODP Hits the Chains
For those of you wondering about that snafu at Barnes and Noble, I'm happy to report that it was fixed and the book has been in stores for the last week. I even have photographic evidence:
This was taken, on my crappy camera phone, at the B&N in Encino. (I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong. People do read in the Valley.) As for Borders, I have it on good authority that the books will be in stores on Monday. Some stores already have it, in fact.
October 21, 2005
HODP in Elle
The November issue of Elle, with Jennifer Anniston on the cover, has a nice review of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits in the Elle Recommends section. It was kind of neat to see a picture of my book sitting on top of the latest by an author named Gabriel Garcia Marquez--you might have heard of him?
Jim Ruland in Portland
I'm still out of town, but if I wasn't I'd be at Reading Frenzy tonight to hear Jim Ruland read from his new collection, Big Lonesome.
The fun starts at 7pm, so go and say hi for me.
Reading Recap: Beyond Baroque
Audience: About 30.
Anxiety index: 4 (out of 10).
Surprise guest(s): Two obstetricians and one pediatric neurologist.
Book given away: Instead of a book, I gave away a silver khamsa, a talisman that's supposed to protect its wearer from the evil eye.
No. of Moroccans who said hello: 3. And they were hugely vocal and supportive. Thanks!
Last night's reading at Beyond Baroque was a smashing success: great venue, great organization, and great crowd. I read scenes from two stories, "Acceptance" and "Homecoming," to give people a taste of what my character Aziz was going through before trying his luck on one of the lifeboats, and after he came back to Casablanca, five years later. And I talked about how I came to writing in general, and the process of writing this book in particular.
Thanks to the Levantine Center, we had a great turnout. And we had some great questions, particularly from the Moroccan members of the audience, who seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly. It's been really pleasurable to meet readers on the tour, and I feel very fortunate that so many people have come out to support Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits.
October 20, 2005
HODP Reading: Venice
Tonight I'll be reading from Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits at Beyond Baroque in Venice, California. Here are the details:
Laila LalamiThis reading is co-sponsored by the Levantine Cultural Center. Aside from the reading, there may even be some live music.
Thursday the 20th
7:30PM
Beyond Baroque
October 19, 2005
Reading Recap: Dutton's Books
Audience: About 30.
Anxiety index: 5 (out of 10).
Surprise guest(s): Gil E., my ex-boss at ASI. And Fred S. who was in one of my writing classes at UCLA back in 2001.
Book given away: Veronica by Mary Gaitskill.
No. of Moroccans who said hello: 1/2.
I hadn't been back in Los Angeles more than an hour when a Land Rover honked at me for actually stopping at an intersection. Ah, I'm back home, I thought. The smell, the sounds, the smog, the three or four languages I could hear at the coffee shop while I was waiting for my order, the big headlines that read "Storm Watch 2005" because there's been, like, two inches of rain, the surly actors slash waiters, the lights of the big city all around me--I'd missed it all. And, above all, I got to see all my family and friends and catch up with everyone.
It was a special treat, too, to be able to read at Dutton's, which was one of my regular hang outs during the many years I lived in L.A. There were quite a few familiar faces at the reading, and I had a great time talking about the book and answering questions. The photo above was taken by my buddy Ibarionex Perello, a fine writer and photographer. (You can read some of his fiction here, and see some of his photo work here.)
October 18, 2005
HODP Reading: Los Angeles
Tonight I'll be reading from Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits at Dutton's in Brentwood. Here are the details:
Laila LalamiI lived in L.A. for eleven years, and a part of me will always consider it a hometown of sorts, so it feels wonderful to be back. Hope to see you at the reading!
Tuesday the 18th
7:00PM
Dutton's Brentwood
Word by Word Radio show
Literary radio show Word by Word now has its own blog. Host Jordan Rosenfeld recently asked me a preview question about my writing. For the full interview, tune in to KRCB on November 2nd.
October 17, 2005
All Apologies
Things have been rather hectic for me in the last few days due to the book tour, so I haven't been able to comment much on literary news or post any book reviews or recommendations. Sorry about that. Things should start going back to normal within a week or so. In the meantime, I'll continue to put up updates on readings and events I'm doing. Enjoy!
October 14, 2005
HODP in Glamour
The November issue of Glamour, with It Girl Natalie Portman on the cover, has a brief review of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits in the magazine's Must Read List.
Reading Recap: Village Books
Audience: 15
Anxiety index: 4 (out of 10).
Surprise guest(s): A regular Moorishgirl reader who lives in Bellingham.
Book given away: A Thousand Years of Good Prayers by Yiyun Li.
No. of Moroccans who said hello:0
Village Books is a large independent bookstore in the historic district of Bellingham. Although it was a smaller crowd, the Q&A lasted even longer than at larger readings. There were a lot of questions about my book, about immigration out of and into Morocco--particularly in light of recent events in the Spanish presidios of Ceuta and Melilla.
Reading Recap: Ballard High School
Audience: About 120.
Anxiety index: 8 (out of 10).
Books given away: The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, by Sherman Alexie and Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi.
I was invited to speak to an auditorium full of 9th, 10th and 11th graders at Ballard High School yesterday. This was part of the Writers in the Schools program run by Seattle Arts and Lectures. I've spoken in front of large audiences before, but this was the toughest crowd yet!
I talked about being a teenager myself, the kind of books I liked to read, what kind of writing I did back then. I read from "The Storyteller" and talked about how that piece was very personal for me, because it mirrored my own journey to writing. Afterwards, we had a Q&A, which was very enjoyable. Kids at that age have an incredible ability to ask very astute questions, the kind that many adults wouldn't think of asking. Unfortunately, we started a bit late and ran out of time during that last part, so I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked to interacting with the kids.
October 13, 2005
Nobel Prize in Literature 2005
The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to British playwright Harold Pinter. (I knew, despite the slew of articles claiming him to be a favorite, that it wasn't going to be Adonis. We'll be back at this next year, I'm sure.)
HODP Reading: Bellingham
Tonight I'll be reading from Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits in Bellingham, Washington. Here are the details:
Laila LalamiHope to see you there!
Thursday the 13th
7:30PM
Village Books
Reading Recap: Third Place Books
Audience: About 10.
Anxiety index: 4 (out of 10).
Surprise guest(s): A Moroccan-American reader who'd heard about Hope from a bookseller. And my friend Donna M., whom I met while a resident at Hedgebrook.
No. of Moroccans who said hello:1
One of the great things about Third Place Books is how it works with the local community. It's one of those places where you see people dropping by on their way home from work, to have a cup of coffee and hang out, play chess, all the while checking out books. The reading took place in The Den, a quieter area in the store, and there were about 10 people, so it was pretty cozy. This time, I read from 'The Fanatic,' which I haven't looked at since the piece was in manuscript form, so it was nice revisiting the characters of Noura, Faten, Larbi, and Salma.
After the reading, I was asked to sit down for snapshots at a photo booth. Usually, bookstores have you sign an autograph book, but Third Place keeps an album of black-and-white photos, with corresponding names and dates. It was fun to flip through it and see people like Michael Moore making faces at the camera.
Almond/Sarvas Smackdown
By now, you've probably seen writer Steve Almond's takedown at Salon of fellow writer and blogger Mark Sarvas (of the Elegant Variation.) Regular readers of this blog know that Mark and I are good friends, and I won't pretend that I will offer an unbiased opinion about this admittedly funny, if more than a little puerile, piece.
It's clear to me, though, that anyone who's spent any kind of time at TEV knows that it's a good place for book lovers to read intelligent interviews, book reviews, commentary, and so on. Contrary to Almond's allegations, very little space has ever been devoted to Sarvas's opinions about his writing (to which, I might add, Sarvas is entitled).
In any case, I think it's a losing game for writers to complain about what a particular blogger has to say about them. Bloggers offer opinions. If you don't like those opinions, start a blog of your own and let others hear you.
New Loggernaut
Portland readers should check out the latest Loggernaut reading. One of the coolest reading series in pdx. Here are the details:
Thursday, October 13, at 7:30 PM, @ Gravy in Portland (3957 N. Mississippi). Admission is two bucks.
Rick Barot, Matt Love, and Vinnie Wilhelm will respond to the prompt, "Too late?"
October 12, 2005
HODP Reading: Lake Forest Park
I'm still up in Washington (enjoying some great weather so far.) Tonight, I'll be reading from Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits in Lake Forest Park, about 15 miles north of Seattle. Here are the details:
Laila LalamiHope to see you there!
Wednesday the 12th
7:00PM
Third Place Books
Reading Recap: Elliott Bay Book Company
Audience: About 35.
Anxiety index: 7 (out of 10).
Book given away: Minaret, by Leila Aboulela.
Surprise guest(s): My friend Megan C., whom I haven't seen since grad school.
No. of Moroccans who said hello:2
One of my favorite bookstores in the U.S. is the Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle; it was a special treat to have a reading here. In addition, bookseller Rick Simonson has been very supportive of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits (going as far as to give copies of the book to people coming through town) so I felt I was among friends when I arrived. On top of that, the Arab Center of Washington co-sponsored the event, and they did a wonderful job getting the word out.
I read from the middle of the book, the first scene in "Better Luck Tomorrow." One of the most pleasurable parts of readings for me is the Q&A--I'm always interested to hear what people have to say. This time, I had a couple of questions about the choice of writing fiction in English. Even though it isn't my native language, it is the language in which I function--I communicate with it, I read in it, I think in it. After a few years of living in the States, I found that my fluency in my own native language wasn't at the level where I would want it to be in order to write well. Now, the strange thing is that when I write my characters, I hear their dialogue in my ear in Arabic, and so the challenge for me is to write in a way that I can retain the rhythm of the Moroccan language as well.
Later, I did some shopping at the store, picking up a copy of Eduardo Galeano's Memory of Fire trilogy, on Rick's recommendation. It provides a Latin American view on the making of the New World, through short vignettes describing major and minor historical events of the 15th century onward.
False Starts
I wanted to apologize to readers who've gone to Barnes & Noble to look for Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits and weren't able to find it. There was a glitch in the chain's computer system; the release date was listed as November 7th instead of October 7th. I'm told that this has been corrected, and Hope should appear in those stores within the next few days. You can also, of course, order it online from B&N.com.
Meanwhile, Borders is experiencing some shipment delays. The cartons of books didn't leave the warehouses in time to make it to stores by the official release date of October 7th. This, too, is being fixed. So, if you normally shop at Borders, try your store again in the next few days and you should find it. Or go to Borders.com.
And of course you can always find the book at all independent bookstores and online retailers.
I want to thank the many readers who've brought this to my attention. You guys rock! I appreciate your support very much. In fact, I'd like to give a free, autographed copy of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits to the first reader who sends me an email with the subject line "HODP" and a street address.
Update: Todd C. from Vermont gets the signed copy.
October 11, 2005
HODP Reading: Seattle
The second stop on my book tour for Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits will be tonight, in beautiful Seattle. Here are the details:
Laila LalamiHope to see you there!
Tuesday the 11th
7:30PM
Elliott Bay Book Co.
Booker Prize 2005
Despite the persistent rumors that Julian Barnes's Arthur and George would win the 2005 Man Booker Prize, the award last night went to John Banville's The Sea. There's lots of coverage in the British press. The Times, for instance, provides a glimpse of the judging process:
The chairman of the judges, Professor John Sutherland, described The Sea as "a masterly study of grief, memory and love recollected". He hailed the quality of Banville’s writing: "You feel you’re in the presence of a virtuoso. In his hands, language is an instrument."Over at the Independent, Boyd Tonkin throws a hissy fit over the choice of Banville.But he acknowledged that the melancholic subject-matter made it a "slit your throat novel" which was perhaps too difficult for some readers - and some of the judges. Professor Sutherland had to cast the deciding vote after the judges were split at the end of their one-hour judging session between Banville and Ishiguro.
"There were six novels that were all good - and then a bloody guillotine is coming down on your head in an hour. The discussion could have gone on for three days. There’s something abnormal about these novels competing. It’s very sad that you have to have a gladiatorial combat to get people to read good novels."
Yesterday the Man Booker judges made possibly the worst, certainly the most perverse, and perhaps the most indefensible choice in the 36-year history of the contest. By choosing John Banville's The Sea, they selected an icy and over-controlled exercise in coterie aestheticism ahead of a shortlist, and a long list, packed with a plenitude of riches and delights.And that's just the nice part. He's pretty pissed at John Sutherland, the chair of the judges, whom he accuses of distorting the views of fellow judges back in 1999. Read the full piece here. For a radically different take, you can also hear from the winner himself, in this BBC report:
Banville said: "Even if I'd lost I'd still think it was a good year for the Booker. It's been a good year for fiction.We know at least one reader who is ecstatic about the win. You can also read Mark Sarvas's interview with Banville, conducted just a few weeks ago, over at his blog: Part 1, part 2, and part 3."It's nice to see a work of art winning the Booker Prize - whether it's a good work of art or a bad one, it's what I intended it to be.
"I'm very encouraged that people have responded to a book that's very carefully crafted."
Caz Profile
The New Zealand Herald has a profile of Caryl Phillips, whose intriguing new novel, Dancing in the Dark, is a fictionalized account of the life of Bert Williams, a West Indian actor who made a fortune performing in blackface in the early 1900s.
The Faustian nature of this bargain intrigued Phillips, who has written about race and identity his entire career. "The more I read about him, the more I thought to myself: what on earth was he thinking?" Phillips takes a sip of lemonade and cringes. "I mean, what on earth would make somebody go against the grain � and continue to perform and embrace the mockery of this image?"On a related, but non-fictional front, I recently received an advance review copy of Mel Watkins's Stepin Fetchit, a biography of Lincoln Perry, the actor who made a name for himself in the 1920s and 30s by playing Uncle Toms and other figures of comic relief for white America. I haven't gotten to it yet (still buried under a pile of assignments) but hope to read the new Caryl Phillips novel at the very least.Some of the answers can be found in Dancing in the Dark, which turns Williams' life into a three-act of novelettes. The first section describes Williams' journey to the stage. The second introduces his rise to fame, his weakness for drink, his sexless marriage, and the problems that developed with his African-American co-star, George Walker. In the final section, Williams has a short, lonely ride at the top, a stranger to everyone, including himself.
I Heart Hart
While I was at Bread Loaf this summer, I went to many readings--faculty, staff, students--and heard lots of different pieces, fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. One of the most memorable was a strange, stunning and wonderful poem by Cincinnati poet Matt Hart. Even after all this time I still remember the poem very well. I found out later that it appeared in a chapbook called Revelated. I don't read as much poetry as I could (or should) but this is one collection that I definitely plan on getting. Check it out.
Reading Frenzy
Those of you in Portland tonight can check out this reading at Reading Frenzy, a.k.a. the smallest bookstore in America, which is right next to the largest bookstore in America.
Tuesday, October 11th, 7pm
John Crow's Devil & Wide Eyed
Reading with Marlon James and Trinie Dalton
More info here.
October 10, 2005
Deportations
Things have taken a turn for the bizarre as Morocco, whose citizens used to be deported from Europe, is now deporting would-be immigrants from its own territory. The AP reports that a chartered plane full of Senegalese immigrants has left Oujda airport, after the events of last week, when hundreds stormed the barriers of the Spanish presidios in the north of Morocco. (Confused yet? Follow these links: 1, 2, 3 and 4. )
Signed 'Hope'
For anyone interested in getting an autographed copy of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, but unable to attend one of the readings, the nice folks at Powells.com have some signed copies in stock.
Modern Day Medici
Swedish billionaire Sigrid Rausing has purchased Granta (one of my favorite literary magazines) as well as Granta Books.
[Julian] Barnes said he too was an admirer of the philanthropy, observing that it was all too rare in publishing. 'I have been an admirer of and contributor to Granta over the years,' he said. 'Granta is a force for good in British letters and one of the few remaining places where you can place a short story in this country. It's very strong editorially and I don't have a bad word to say about it. It's been looking to fall from one benevolent owner to another and that seems to have happened.'Rausing also started a publishing house earlier this year: Portobello Books.
Lit Arts in Morocco
When I came across news of the Arts in Morocco Festival on the Literary Saloon yesterday, my first thought was: Why am I the last one to find out? (My second thought was: Why wasn't I invited? I want a free trip to Marrakesh! Just kidding. Really. I would've paid to be there.) The festival was held in what looks like lavish surroundings (Ksour Agafay or Agafay Palace), though unfortunately it doesn't sound as though it was open to the public.
Over at the Independent, Boyd Tonkin appears to have thoroughly enjoyed the city (lucky bastard). He sounds genuinely surprised that one of Morocco's best-known writers, Edmond Amran El Maleh, is Jewish, and notes, en passant, that Moroccan writers don't (can't) really have the kind of 'navel-gazing conversations' so often heard in literary circles.
But local voices soon mocked our narcissism to underline the tough realities of a country with 50 per cent literacy, fragile basic education (especially in rural areas) and scant resources to support the kind of splashy, glitzy book scene that the British always love to hate. "It was so curious to hear you talking," teased the Marrakshi poet, editor and teacher Yassin Adnan. "It was as if you're coming from another planet." No arguing with that.Adnan is also quoted in this Telegraph piece by Sam Leith, where he says:
What a luxury to be able to complain that you are getting publicity for your hairstyle rather than your nifty way with a caesura.What surprised me wasn't Adnan's statements, obviously, but rather Leith's admission that he'd read so little Arabic literature (he cites Mahfouz and the One Thousand and One Nights.) I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Not that Leith could have read much if he'd wanted to: So little Arabic fiction is being translated, and what gets translated isn't even reviewed in the papers. Arabic literature needs its own Medici.What an astonishment to exist in a world of government subsidy; of well-stocked bookshops; of extensive literary pages in newspapers; of a world in which the best writers make a living.
When you look for a publisher in Morocco, he said, you aren't arbitrating between the competing attractions of a chic independent and one with the promotional muscle of TimeWarner: you are trying to find someone who will print your book without you paying for the privilege. The readership you can expect consists, like as not, of the friends to whom you give copies of your book.
Morocco's literacy rate is 50 per cent. There is no government help. Your chances of being translated into French are slim; into English, microscopic (only 0.6 per cent of Arabic writing, I was told, gets Englished). The whole thing - in the context of our quarrel - put me in mind of Alan Bennett's remark that asking him if he was gay was like asking someone who had just crawled across the Sahara desert whether they preferred Malvern or Perrier water. We all, rather, looked at our shoes.