Lit in the Time of War: Abuelaish

Hello! Happy Tuesday. I’ve read one book this week (and a hundred pages of a thousand-page anthology which I’ll likely start reviewing next week). I’ve also included a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need. Please consider doing so if you are able.

I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor’s Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity, by Izzeldin Abuelaish

“How is it that we can look at one life and say it is more valuable than another one? Look at the infants in the delivery rooms: they are innocent children who have the right to grow up to be educated adults with opportunities in life. Then we fill them with stories that promote hatred and fear. Every human life is invaluable, and so easy to destroy with bullets and bombs or with the accusations and revisionist history that promote hatred. Hatred eats at your soul and takes opportunities away from you. It’s like consuming poison.”

This is a memoir by a Palestinian doctor, Izzeldin Abuelaish, about growing up in a refugee camp in Gaza and then working at an Israeli hospital—he’s the first Palestinian doctor to do so. He loses his children to an Israeli bombardment, but this tragic experience doesn’t cause him to hate, but to advocate even more passionately for peace.

Dr. Abuelaish’s resilience was very inspiring. That doesn’t take away from the immense suffering he must have gone through. Nobody should ever have to lose their kids to violence. His story is a call for peace between Israel and Palestine, but it can easily hold true for wars between other countries around the world.

Dr. Abuelaish teaches us that violence never solves anything. It only causes more suffering, and perpetuates itself by perpetuating hatred. He also talks about the importance for governments to be honest to themselves. He tells of how a lot of Israelis and Palestinians he knows don’t want war, but that leaders on each side prolong the conflict anyway.

Overall, this book was terrific. It’s an extremely important read, and one that I strongly recommend.

As promised, here’s a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need:

Doctors Without Borders—Ships emergency supplies to Ukrainian hospitals. Donate here: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/donate 

Care.org—Provides food, fuel, cash, and shelter for Ukrainian refugees. Donate here: https://my.care.org/site/Donation2?36368.donation=form1&df_id=36368&

Nova Ukraine—Delivers medical aid to Ukraine, evacuates Ukrainians who were deported to Russia, and helps rebuild Ukrainian schools. Donate here: https://novaukraine.org/

Human Rights Watch—Helps investigate human rights abuses in Ukraine. Donate here: https://donate.hrw.org/page/100202/-/1?locale=en-US

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Lit in the Time of War: Zweig

Hello! Happy Tuesday. I have read one book this week (and part of another book which will be partly-reviewed in the coming weeks). I’ve also finished my last essays ever at Princeton, and am about to graduate. Yay!

In this post, I’ve also included a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need. Please do so if you are able.

The Royal Game and Other Stories, by Stefan Zweig,
Translated by Jill Sutcliffe

“Edgar learned much in that single hour he had been alone. He began to see many things from that narrow compartment with its windows to the outside world. And gradually something began to blossom out of his dark despair. It wasn’t exactly happiness, but rather astonishment at the diversity of life. He had run away because he had been a frightened coward for those few moments, but after all, he had acted on his own initiative, experienced something of the real world that hitherto had passed him by. Perhaps he had become a mystery to his parents now, too, as the world had been to him for a long time.”

This is a collection of short stories by Stefan Zweig. One’s about chess, one’s about colonialism, a third’s about youth, another’s about fear, and a fifth’s about unrequited love. They are all terrific.

Zweig has a way of giving his situations a lot of specificity, so that what should be a boring story about affairs becomes a fascinating look into the fear that a criminal faces before having confessed to wrongdoing. There’s also a lot of the psychological in these stories, and no wonder (Zweig has referenced Freud’s influence on his fiction a lot of times).

However, unlike Freud, Zweig is working in fiction, meaning that he’s able to keep the reader reading. Seriously. I sometimes started reading a story, telling myself “just ONE page,” only to read through the whole thing. This combination of psychological depth, situational specificity, and compelling writing is formidable, and makes Zweig an underrated classic worth reading.

Have you read Zweig? Let me know in the comments below!

As promised, here’s a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need:

Revived Soldiers Ukraine—Provides medical support to soldiers and civilians. Donate here: https://www.rsukraine.org/

UNCHR Refugee Agency—Provides refugees with food, water, health support, and assistance in rebuilding damaged houses. Donate here: https://give.unrefugees.org/

Amnesty International—Investigates human rights violations in Ukraine to hold those responsible accountable, defends journalists and other people at risk. Donate here: https://www.amnestyusa.org/

Voices of Children—Provides psychological counseling for children and helps refugee evacuations. Donate here: https://voices.org.ua/en/

Lit in the Time of War: Aswany

Hello! Happy Tuesday. I’ve read another book, and have reviewed it below for your enjoyment. I’ve also included a list of organizations you can donate to in order to help refugees fleeing the war in South Sudan. Please do so if you are able.

Chicago, by Alaa Al Aswany, Translated by Farouk Abdel Wahab

“‘I haven’t told this story to anyone, but you should know it because yesterday you accused me of fleeing from Egypt.’ ‘I apologize again.’ He bowed his head and said in a soft voice, as if talking to himself, ‘Please stop apologizing. I just want you to know me as I really am. For the last thirty years that I’ve lived in America, I haven’t forgotten Egypt for a single day.’ ‘Aren’t you happy with your life here?’ He looked at me as if trying to find the right words, and then he smiled and said, ‘Have you had any American fruits?’ ‘Not yet.’ ‘Here they use genetic engineering to make the fruit much larger and yet it doesn’t taste so good. Life in America, Nagi, is like American fruit: shiny and appetizing on the outside, but tasteless.’”

(NOTE: I know the author of this book, but have reviewed it solely based on its merits)

This is a book set in Chicago, at the University of Illinois, in its histology department, after 9/11. It follows the lives of Egyptian and American students and professors. Some have their sense of tradition shaken, others face persecution, and others plan conspiracies against the soon-to-visit Egyptian president. What will happen? Read the book to find out.

It’s a very good read, too. The author is very observant of people, and a lot of his details are wonderful to read. It’s easier to write sharp-eyed details than it is to actually make the reader feel emotions, but the author manages to do both. There’s a lot of sadness in the book, but also moments of comedy, and the occasional moment of joy. The reader feels it all.

As promised, here’s a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support people fleeing Sudan:

Save the Children: Helps reunify children with their families, provides educational support, and basic needs like food and water. Donate here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/sudan

CARE: Helps people restore their livelihoods while providing them food, water, and shelter. Donate here: https://www.care.org/our-work/disaster-response/emergencies/sudan-humanitarian-crisis/

UNHCR: Provides shelter, access to healthcare facilities, and waterproofing abilities for Sudanese refugees. Donate here: https://donate.unhcr.org/int/en/south-sudan-emergency

Islamic Relief Fund: Provides humanitarian aid for refugees and orphans, helps people access healthcare, and increase families’ income. Donate here: https://irusa.org/sudan/

Lit in the Time of War: Bandi

Hello! Happy Tuesday. This is the last week of college for me, ever, so it’s very sad. I’ve read one book this week, and have reviewed it below. I’ve also included a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need.

The Accusation: Forbidden Stories From Inside North Korea,
by Bandi, Translated by Deborah Smith

“Sangki, it’s me, Il-cheol. I’m sitting down now to write this record of my defection. You remember Choi Seo-hae’s Record of an Escape, which he wrote back in 1920? But now it’s 1990, more than fifty years since our land was liberated from the Japanese colonizers—and unlike Choi, I’m escaping from my own country. Sounds absurd, doesn’t it? But I want you to understand, so I’ll try to explain it all as simply as possible.”

This is a book written by someone named “Bandi,” which literally means “firefly.” He’s a North Korean propaganda writer still living in North Korea, who started writing dissident literature after losing friends and family members in the 1990s famine. His book is the first to be written within North Korea and published abroad.

It tells of the lives of everyday people in North Korea, and the psychological toll it takes to have to pretend to be happy and thankful to the country’s leader in spite of the fact that you may be starving, or dying from the lack of heat in winter, or being accused for crimes you didn’t commit. The author writes very well and is terrific at observing people. What’s remarkable is that even though the state does everything it can to turn people against each other, human bonds still exist, from friendship to family. Compassion still exists. Humanity still exists.

I’d highly recommend.

As promised, here’s a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need:

Amnesty International—Investigates human rights violations in Ukraine to hold those responsible accountable, defends journalists and other people at risk. Donate here: https://www.amnestyusa.org/

Red Cross—Provides first aid, food, medicine, and evacuation help to Ukrainians. Donate here: https://www.redcross.org/donate/cm/abc.html/?subcode=abc-pub

International Medical Corps—Increases access to medical, mental health, and protection services to civilians in Ukraine and works with refugees in surrounding areas. Donate here: https://internationalmedicalcorps.org/

World Central Kitchen—Feeds Ukrainian refugees as they cross into Poland. Donate here: https://wck.org/

Lit in the Time of War: Casals

Hello! Happy Passover and post-Easter. I hope you’re able to enjoy the spring weather and sunshine. I’ve read one book this week, it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read, and it’s not even written by a professional writer!

Joys and Sorrows: Reflections by Pablo Casals,
as told to Albert E. Kahn

“Each second we live in a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that never was before and will never be again. And what do we teach our children in school? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all of the world there is no other child exactly like you. In the millions of years that have passed there has never been another child like you. And look at your body—what a wonder it is! Your legs, your arms, your cunning fingers, the way you move! You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must cherish one another. You must work—we all must work—to make this world worthy of its children.”

The great cellist Pablo Casals technically didn’t write this book. Neither did Albert E. Kahn. Instead, Kahn sat down with Casals over multiple sessions to tape-record him speaking. At first, Kahn planned on writing the book himself with snippets from Casals’ conversations, but soon realized that wouldn’t do. He then considered making it a kind of Q&A book, but realized that wouldn’t do either. So he cut himself out entirely and made it a book as told by Casals. This is all the more remarkable because Casals never planned on writing an autobiography—he felt he could never do so—yet this book works wonderfully as one. So this book tells of Casals’ life, from his birth to two years before his death.

It’s written much better than many professional writers’ books—Casals is able to observe and appreciate people for who they are, and not who he wants them to be. Instead of contriving them to fit his plot-points, or to fit into the way he sees the world, he just lets them live. He also speaks prophetically about the future—about war, about its outbreak, and about the essentiality for peace and compassion. Honestly, this is one of the best books I’ve ever read, and would highly recommend it.

Have any of you read his book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts about it!

If you want to listen to some Pablo Casals, here’s one link to get you started:

And as promised, here is a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need. Please do so if you are able.

Revived Soldiers Ukraine—Provides medical support to soldiers and civilians. Donate here: https://www.rsukraine.org/

Red Cross—Provides first aid, food, medicine, and evacuation help to Ukrainians. Donate here: https://www.redcross.org/donate/cm/abc.html/?subcode=abc-pub

International Rescue Committee—Provides food, medical care, and emergency support services to Ukrainian refugees. Donate here: https://www.rescue.org/

UNCHR Refugee Agency—Provides refugees with food, water, health support, and assistance in rebuilding damaged houses. Donate here: https://give.unrefugees.org/

Lit in the Time of War: Ammaniti, Bidpai, and Örkény

Hello! Happy Tuesday. I hope you’re healthy, safe, and warm (though for some reason it’s snowing outside where I am!) I’ve read three books this week, and have reviewed them below. They’re all wise in their own ways, and are all worth reading.

I’ve also included a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need.

I’m Not Scared, by Niccoló Amaniti, Translated by Jonathan Hunt

“I woke up during the night. I had had a nightmare. Jesus was telling Lazarus to rise and walk. But Lazarus didn’t rise. Rise and walk, Jesus repeated. Lazarus just wouldn’t come back to life. Jesus, who looked like Severino, the man who drove the water tanker, lost his temper. He was being made to look a fool. When Jesus tells you to rise and walk, you have to do it, especially if you’re dead. But Lazarus just lay there, stiff as a board. So Jesus started shaking him like a doll and Lazarus finally rose up and bit him in the throat. Leave the dead alone, he said with blood-smeared lips. I opened my eyes wide. I was covered in sweat.”

This is the story of a boy, Michele, who really really really wants a new bicycle. Then he explores a dilapidated hut and makes a harrowing discovery that implicates his whole community in a dark secret. Now he must use all his humanity (and maybe the new bike he finally gets) to save the day.

The book is much darker than I anticipated. I thought it would be some kind of coming-of-age romp through the Italian countryside with some fake horror thrown in to make the reader feel slightly scared.

This is not the case. This is a book filled with sharp observations about the worst sides of people. It has a lot of philosophical depth, too, but the book isn’t didactic about it, which makes it even better. It’s also wonderfully-paced, with a lot of suspense and intriguing revelations, and has a terrific ending that makes the book absolutely worth reading.

I highly recommend.

Kalilah and Dimnah (The Complete Version), by Bidpai,
Translated by Thomas Ballantine Irving

“The jackal said: ‘How old are you?’ The lioness [whose cubs had just been killed by a hunter] said: ‘One hundred years.’ He said: ‘What do you live off and eat?’ The lioness said: ‘The meat of wild animals.’ The jackal said: ‘Have these wild animals fathers and mothers?’ The lioness said: ‘Of course.’ So the jackal said: ‘Why then don’t we hear these fathers and mothers making the same racket and groaning and crying like we see you doing? That only happened because you look at consequences wrongly and fail to consider them. You were ignorant of how harm would return to you.’”

After reading the “free trial” version of Kalilah and Dimnah (as translated by Ramsay Wood), I’ve decided to delve into the complete version to see what new wisdoms this version had to offer.

This version is less-interestingly translated than the Wood version, but it did have some good stories. Like Wood’s version, it contains the titular story about the two jackals named Kalilah and Dimnah, their lion ruler, and his trusted bull adviser, and the story about the group of animals that are each others’ best friends. But this version also includes the story of the war between the owls and the crows, and how the two groups of warring birds finally reach peace (spoiler alert: not without violence!) There are also a series of various other stories about various other animals that are much less memorable.

The stories are also pretty sexist. Women apparently cause all sorts of mischief—though the stories never show any examples of this (and even show examples of women saving their husbands from their own stupidity), the narrator still makes a point of repeatedly telling you to “beware of women because they cause mischief.” If you can stomach these kinds of things, go ahead and read this book. If not, you might want to consider reading Ramsay Wood’s translation (and its sequel, which I would absolutely love to get my hands on sometime!)

Minuten-Novellen/One-Minute Stories, by István Örkény,
Translated by L.T. András, Carl R. Erickson, and Vera Thies

One Story:

“In Memoriam Professor G.H.K.

Professor G.H.K. was digging a hole in which to bury the carcass of a horse.

‘Hölderin ist ihnen unbekannt?’ he asked the German guard.

‘Who’s he?’

‘The author of Hyperion,’ explained the professor, who dearly loved to explain. ‘The greatest figure in German romanticism. How about Heine?’

‘Who are these guys?’ asked the guard.

‘Poets,’ said the professor. ‘Surely you’ve heard of Schiller.’

‘Sure I have,’ said the guard.

‘How about Rilke?’

‘Him too,’ said the guard. Reddening with rage, he shot the professor.”

If that story doesn’t convince you to read this outstanding collection, I don’t know what will. It’s one of the greatest short stories I’ve read, and THE greatest story I’ve read that’s under 100 words.

But seriously, more about this fascinating book. Its author, István Örkény, was a Jew from Hungary. He fought in WWII, survived forced labor in a gulag, and then went on to write very short stories he called “One-Minute Stories.” The rationale, according to him, was that a one-minute story could be read anywhere—whether while cooking a soft-boiled egg or while waiting for the operator to take you off hold. Not even depression and shattered nerves can get in the way of reading a one-minute story. Basically, they can be read in the rain, in the wind, on a boat or on a train.

As you might have noticed from the example story, Örkény knows how to write. The stories within are very much worth your minutes.

I’d strongly recommend.

Have you read any of these books? Do you want to? If so, let me know in the comments below!

Now, as promised, here’s a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need:

United Help Ukraine—Provides medical supplies to soldiers, and ships goods to Ukrainian refugees. Donate here: https://unitedhelpukraine.org/

Red Cross—Provides first aid, food, medicine, and evacuation help to Ukrainians. Donate here: https://www.redcross.org/donate/cm/abc.html/?subcode=abc-pub

Save the Children—Provides food, water, money, hygiene kits, and psychosocial support to children. Donate here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/ukraine

Revived Soldiers Ukraine—Provides medical support to soldiers and civilians. Donate here: https://www.rsukraine.org/

Lit in the Time of War: Aleichem

Hello! Happy Tuesday (and almost Purim–one more week to go!) In celebration, I’ve read and reviewed one book having to do with Purim, very broadly. I’ve also included a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need.

Tevye The Milkman, by Sholem Aleichem, Read by Neville Jason, Translated by Frances and Julius Butwin

“I don’t know if you’ll believe my story. You’re almost the first person I’ve ever told it to. But I’m afraid I’ve said too much already. If so, forgive me. I forgot that we all have work to do. As the Bible says, ‘let the shoemaker stick to his last.’ You to your books, Mister Sholem Aleichem, and I to my jugs and milk cans. One thing I beg of you: don’t put me into one of your books. And if you do put me in, at least, don’t tell them my real name. Be well and happy always.”

If the name “Tevye” sounds familiar to you, then you must have at least an inkling of what this book is about. At least, you must’ve had an inkling that the musical “Fiddler on the Roof” exists—and that’s because said musical is inspired very much by the stories in “Tevye The Milkman.”

Here’s the general plot: Tevye is a Jewish milkman in Tsarist Russia who’s trying to marry off his daughters. But his daughters have different ideas from him. Where he wants them to marry rich butchers, they want to marry poor tailors. Where he wants them to marry fine upstanding gentlemen, they want to marry revolutionaries. And so on.

I had once tried reading this book a few years ago, but gave up. For some reason, this is a book that must be listened to on audiobook. Maybe because it’s so strongly driven by Tevye’s voice that it reads almost like a monologue. And so, listening to someone (especially Neville Jason!) tell the story to you makes it feel more alive and satisfying of an experience than just reading the words on paper.

In terms of the story itself—it’s very good. It started out as one of the funnier stories I’ve read (Tevye is hilarious) and ended as one of the saddest. Of course, I won’t spoil what happens, but I will say that it’s a truly powerful work that’s well worth your time to read.

I would highly recommend!

You can also read more (genuinely) fascinating notes about the author and the book as written by the audiobook’s narrator here: https://naxosaudiobooks.com/tevye-the-milkman-unabridged/

Have you read this book? Seen the musical? Let me know in the comments below!

Now, as promised, here’s a list of organizations to donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need:

Doctors Without Borders—Ships emergency supplies to Ukrainian hospitals. Donate here: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/donate 

World Central Kitchen—Feeds Ukrainian refugees as they cross into Poland. Donate here: https://wck.org/

Jewish National Fund—Provides shelter, food, employment, and psychological support to Ukrainians in need. Donate here: https://www.jnf.org/our-work/ukraine-relief

Amnesty International—Investigates human rights violations in Ukraine to hold those responsible accountable, defends journalists and other people at risk. Donate here: https://www.amnestyusa.org/

Lit in the Time of War: Amanat

Hello! Happy post-Valentine’s Day. I hope you are all healthy, safe, and warm. I’ve read one terrific collection of fiction this week, and have reviewed it below. I’ve also included a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support people in Ukraine.

Amanat: Women’s Writing From Kazakhstan,
Translated by Zaure Batayeva and Shelley Fairweather-Vega

“Everyone played their role [in Romeo and Juliet]. Even those who forgot their parts did not pause for a second and instantly improvised, yelling, ‘Attan!’ even if it was irrelevant to the scene. But the audience did not seem to mind. sometimes the play’s lines were replaced by purely Kazakh words that had nothing to do with the play, especially in the feuding scenes. it was clear that no such interpretation of Romeo and Juliet had ever been delivered on any stage of the world.”
—“Romeo and Juliet,” by Zhumagul Solty

“Even as a little boy, Rustik knew that, in his [Soviet] reading book, everything was always perfect and not like it was in real life. You get used to that. There, in big fonts and stupid dialogues, a girl named Sima is always helping her mother wash a windowframe, Vasya is forever reading a book, and even that naughty, lazy Petya always admits his mistakes in the end and becomes a better person, more like, let’s say, Vasya.”
—“Black Snow of December,” by Asel Omar

This is a collection of short stories and one essay from Kazakhstan. The stories are wonderful. They range from joyful to sad, and have something very human about them. Reading this book gives you a much better understanding of Kazakhstan’s post-Soviet existence. You also get to think a lot more about life in ways you might not have thought about it before.

Some of the highlights in this collection for me were “Romeo and Juliet” by Zhumagul Solty, “Hunger” by Aigul Kemelbayeva, “Propiska” by Rauhan Baiguzhayeva, “The Beskempir” by Zira Naurzbayeva, “The Rival” also by Naurzbayeva, “Precedent” by Oral Arukenova, “A Woman Over Fifty” by Lilya Kalaus, “The Stairwell” also by Kalaus, “Operatic Drama” again by Kalaus, “Black Snow of December” by Asel Omar, “The French Beret” also by Omar, and “The Lighter” by Olga Mark.

These stories were funny, thought-provoking, poignant, observant, and emotionally-moving. It’s hard to convey this very well in a review, so I’d strongly recommend you read the collection to see for yourself!

And if you want to read more about the translators (and the importance of reading world lit for its own sake), I’d recommend this terrific interview: https://voicesoncentralasia.org/why-we-translate-central-asia-while-all-eyes-are-on-ukraine/

If you get a chance to read this collection, let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts about it.

Also, as promised, here’s a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support Ukrainians in need. Please do so if you are able. This Friday, February 24 marks one year of fighting since Russia’s horrendous invasion.

Mriya: Provides tourniquets, sleeping bags, and pickup trucks to help save Ukrainians and keep them warm. Donate here: https://mriya-ua.org/

Muslim Hands: UK-based organization supporting Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Donate here: https://muslimhands.org.uk/donate/ukraine-refugee-crisis/ukraine-refugee-crisis

Plan USA: Gives aid focusing on refugee children in Poland, Moldova, and Romania. Donate here: https://www.planusa.org/humanitarian-response-ukraine-plan-usa/

Art of Living Switzerland: Helps Ukrainian refugees evacuate, find shelter, and receive food, transportation, and trauma support. Donate here: https://www.artofliving.org/ch-en/donate-ukraine

Lit in the Time of War: Aswany

Hello! Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you are all healthy and safe and reading a lot of books. I’ve read one book this week and have reviewed it below. It’s about the importance of self-love, which is the best kind of love since it leads to all the other kinds of healthy love in life. I’ve also included links to donate to organizations supporting Ukrainians in need. Please do so if you are able.

The Automobile Club of Egypt, by Alaa Al Aswany,
Translated by Russell Harris

“‘Alku is our master, and were it not for his graciousness toward us, we’d all long ago have been back in Upper Egypt with our buffalos.’ ‘We wouldn’t have ended up looking after buffalos, Hagg Yusuf!’ Abdoun replied. ‘We were all respected in our hometowns. What we earn here is not thanks to anyone’s charitable heart. We work our fingers to the bone night and day for those wages. They don’t pay us as an act of kindness, and we deserve to be treated like human beings.’”

NOTE: I know the author of this book, but I reviewed it solely due to its own literary merits.

This is a book about the automobile club of Egypt, which was a place where the car-owning British occupiers of Egypt would go to socialize with other high-rollers (including the king of Egypt himself). The Egyptian staff-members of the automobile club are being exploited, but they cope by suppressing their own discontent and putting up with their mistreatment. Then comes Abdoun, a man who actually values himself enough to want to speak out against the abuse. Will he succeed in encouraging the other staff to demand the dignity they deserve? Or will he get destroyed by the apparatus of the club and state? (There are other characters and stories in this book as well, but I’m not going to spoil them for you!)

I really enjoyed this book’s sharp observations about humans: in terms of the dynamic of self-respect, of lacking it, of the governmental structures that exist in authoritarian regimes that suppress it, of Egyptian society in general.

I also really appreciated that the author didn’t take himself too seriously. What I mean is that, in some books, there’s the sense that if you don’t agree with what the author says you’re somehow wrong. This book put forth its main arguments very convincingly but didn’t have that suffocating kind of overly-serious storytelling. You could also tell he clearly enjoyed writing this book–it was very enjoyable to read.

Overall, this is one of those books whose characters are so well-drawn that it makes you reflect on your own life and how you interact with the world. This is a hallmark of terrific fiction. I would recommend this book for everyone.

As promised here’s a list of organizations that you could donate to to support Ukrainians in need:

Razom For Ukraine—Provides medical relief for soldiers and doctors on the front line. Donate here: https://razomforukraine.org/

Ukrainian National Women’s League of America—Provides humanitarian support to civilians and military hospitals. Donate here: https://unwla.org/top-news/call-for-humanitarian-aid/

Red Cross—Provides first aid, food, medicine, and evacuation help to Ukrainians. Donate here: https://www.redcross.org/donate/cm/abc.html/?subcode=abc-pub

Amnesty International—Investigates human rights violations in Ukraine to hold those responsible accountable, defends journalists and other people at risk. Donate here: https://www.amnestyusa.org/

Lit in the Time of Earthquakes: Du

Hello! Happy Tuesday. I hope you are all healthy and safe as possible during these awful times. I’ve read one book this week, and have reviewed it below. I’ve also included a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support those affected by the horrible earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

“The Song of Kiều,” by Nguyen Du, Translated by Timothy Allen

“‘That’s how the world is,’ says the other. ‘The good must suffer; the innocent are punished. But we are the ones who make the world like that. Our destiny begins within ourselves. We shape it.’”

This is a book-in-verse about a woman named Kiều who loves one man but agrees to marry another to settle her family’s debt. Unbeknownst to her, the man she marries is a pimp. Thus ensues a journey where she becomes a prostitute, a nun, a queen, and more, as she uses all her wits and talents to survive.

Kiều is one of the smarter female protagonists I’ve encountered lately. She’s very astute and able to figure out how to get herself out of bad situations, and I found myself cheering her on and being excited whenever she was able to succeed.

The book also contains a terrific twist ending (which I won’t spoil), and memorable characters. It also has beautiful writing, and it doesn’t hurt that Kiều is described as being a talented poet–to me, this seems to mean that the author would have to work very hard at creating great poetry to show the skill of his protagonist in his own telling of her story. Even if this wasn’t what the author was consciously aiming for when writing this book, the poetry within was terrific.

If you want a thrilling and thought-provoking book that you can finish in an hour or two, I would highly recommend “The Song of Kiều.”

As promised, here’s a list of organizations you can donate to in order to support victims of the earthquake:

Airlink: Provides airlift of emergency supplies and relief workers and is currently working to help victims of the earthquake. Donate here: http://airlinkflight.org/

CARE (Cooperative For Assistance And Relief Everywhere): Provides emergency food, shelter, and health services to earthquake victims. Donate here: https://www.care.org/

Direct Relief: Supports search and rescue efforts in Turkey and funds health facilities in Syria to care for people displaced by the earthquake. Donate here: https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/turkey-syria-earthquake/

Humanity and Inclusion: Focuses on supporting disabled people in Turkey and Syria by distributing mobility aid. Also funds rehabilitation and mental health support for those injured in the earthquake. Donate here: https://www.hi-us.org/emergencies-middle-east-earthquakes-claim-lives-bring-more-instability-region