Duke's book club

[General Duke]

Being new to American literature I am pleased to find this Cormac McCarthy a real gem thus far.

 

Hayam, thanks for the heads up will get back to you on A Fine Balance.

 

Lily “Mary of Magdala,” wow I love historical based storylines , give us the author and a brief summary if you can. This is the same Mary who's either a Prostitute, or the closest saint and the mother of the "bloodline" in the Dan Brown novels?

 

C&H: Dan Brown is ok, but I found the Da Vinci Code a bit boring and quite predictable.

[Indhoos]

Originally posted by General Duke:

One Hundred Years of Solitude;One of the all time great stories, highly recomended

A quick review please?

[General Duke]

One Hundred Years of Solitude

(Spanish: Cien años de soledad) is a novel by Nobel Prize-winning Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. It was first published in Spanish in 1967. The book was an instant success worldwide and was translated into over 27 languages[1]. Lauded critically, the book contributed to the Latin American "Boom" in literature and the development of the postmodernism literary style. It was also an immense commercial success, becoming the best-selling book in Spanish in modern history, after Don Quixote[2]. The product of 15 months of work, during which García Márquez barricaded himself in his house[3], it broke his writer's block and is widely considered García Márquez's magnum opus.

 

The novel chronicles a family's struggle and the history of their fictional town, Macondo. Although the title implies that the story spans one hundred years, it is unclear exactly how much time the narrative covers. This ambiguity contributes to the novel's treatment of time, as there is a notion that time lapses, repeats, changes speeds, or stops altogether at different parts of the story, and that all the events in some sense happen simultaneously. Like many other novels by Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude crosses genres, combining elements of romance, history, and fantasy. The narrative style of the novel was especially praised and extensively studied - ostensibly objective but often manifestly ridiculous, it combined García Márquez's experience as a journalist with the literary style of magical realism and extensive uses of metaphors and irony.

[Indhoos]

Thanks

[Jacaylbaro]

[General Duke]

^^You want a real book on Somalia?

 

Book Review

 

Abdi Sheikh-Abdi, Divine Madness: Mohammed Abdulle Hassan (1856-1920) (London: Zed Books Ltd., 1992)

 

Many books have been written about Mohammed Abdulle Hassan, the man who led the Somali resistance in the early twentieth century, yet he and the movement he led (the Dervish) continue to be a subject of study a long time after the fall of the movement. Known by his followers as Sayid (master), by the colonial literature as Mad Mullah, Mohammed Abdulle Hassan remains a controversial figure. Dr Abdi Sheikh-Abdi now adds his work on the subject which took him more than ten years to complete.

 

This book examines ─── ; in a social and historical perspective ─── ; the rise of Mohammed Abdulle Hassan and his movement. It consists of an introduction and six chapters. As Euro-colonialists were usually of another faith, the Somalis felt that the colonialists were trying to Christianise their children. The resistance led by Mohammed Abdulle Hassan was in response to this belief.

 

The introduction attempts to examine the literary historical of Mohammed Abdulle Hassan (known as Sayid Mohammed) who was one of the greatest Somali poets of this century. Chapter 1 presents the people of the country. Chapter 2 deals with the historical setting of the event which led to the Somali resistance led by Mohammed Abdulle Hassan in early part of this century. Chapter 3 covers the life of the man, his background and the influence which reflected the struggle which he spearheaded. Chapter 4 explores the armed resistance to colonialism. Chapter 5 focuses on the ideology, characteristics and organisation of the Somali Dervish movement. Chapter 6, which is also the conclusion, examines the implications and the ideological influences which the Dervish movement left on Somali nationalism which was to start shortly after the annihilation of the movement.

 

By forwarding a rich and in-depth analysis of literary materials, historical and social evidence, the author challenges both the interpretation and the early publications of Mohammed Abdulle Hassan's personality and leadership. He maintains that Mohammed Abdulle Hassan was not "an ambitious chieftain of a militant Muslim sect [salihiya] bent on wrestling power from the tradition-bound Muslim brotherhoods [Qadiriya, Dandarawiya, etc.] of the Somaliland", but a true nationalist whose aim "transcended both religious considerations and clan based affiliations." Consequently, the ideology behind the struggle was to arouse and stimulate the rise of modern Somali nationalism two decades later in the Somali peninsula.

 

The author's approach differs from the style of contemporary scholars as he emphasises the social context of the Dervish movement rather than literary, spiritual or other aspects. Through his research, Dr Sheikh-Abdi gives attention to the oral tradition of the Somalis as it is an important element in the historical research into a predominantly oral society.

 

One important contribution forwarded by Dr Sheikh-Abdi is the atrocity committed by the British colonial forces against the followers of the Dervish movement. Previous works were written mostly by colonial officials who focused only on the fierce way Mohammed Abdulle Hassan deal with those Somali clans who opposed him.

 

Before the arrival of colonialism in the Somaliland, the Somali society led a decentralised way of life. The colonial powers demanded a way of life contrary to their traditional one. Subsequently, Somalis responded violently in reaction to this interfer­ence. However because of the lack of leadership, as the author maintains, this resistance was futile. Only with the appearance of Mohammed Abdulle Hassan did the Somalis became organized, under his leadership.

 

By knowing that the colonialists could not be defeated only by force, Mohammed Abdulle Hassan, use words as arms. As words, spoken or written, have been the most powerful means of communication in all mankind's society, he consummately and skilfully used the communica­tive functions of Somali verse. He repeatedly sought to gain in verse what he had not succeeded in acquiring with arms. He designed his verse to enhance his cause, to encour­age his followers or scorn and discredit his enemies. However, by scorning his enemies, he sometimes used to preach the pastoral ethos excessively as Said Samatar writes, like an "epigram that borders on the obscene." It is here that Dr Abdi-Sheikh explores the dual poetic exchange between Mohammed Abdulle Hassan and his opponents, namely Ali Jama Habil and Ali Adan "Ali Dhuh", as this throws light on the social dynamics of that period.

 

It is in the conclusion and the reason behind the disintegration of the Dervish movement that Dr Sheikh-Abdi's work falters. The reason that Mohammed Abdulle Hassan was such a controversial figure was that his indiscriminate raiding, seizing and plundering of the property of the Somali clans he suspected, were not favourable to his cause. This behaviour poisoned his relations with the Somali clans and crippled his movement as, consequently, it alienated him from the clans who traditionally considered all crime against an individual as a crime against the clan to which the person belonged. It also estranged him from other religious orders such as Qadiriya and Dandarawiya. The conflict stretched to such an extreme that the Dervish eventually killed Sheikh Awees Biyooley (Sheikh Uways bin Mohammed al-Baraawa) in Biyooley, the Qadiriya representative in the southern Somaliland in 1909. The veteran Dervish Ismail Mire believed that what led to the collapse of the movement was the indiscriminate killing of holy men.

 

Despite the lack of emphasis on the gravity of the collapse of the Dervish, we cannot deny the invaluable contribution of Dr Sheikh-Abdi in the form of this inestimable scholarly work.

[Jacaylbaro]

 

 

rom African Affairs 2007 106(422):165-166, © Royal African Society 2007

 

This collection of essays provides a unique and insightful account of Somaliland's post-1991 reconstruction process from the perspective of Somalilanders themselves. It is the product of a collaborative research project undertaken by WSP International (formerly the War-torn Societies Project) and the Academy of Peace and Development (a local Somaliland institution) between 1999 and 2002. In accordance with WSP International's aims, Rebuilding Somaliland concentrates on analysing the specific challenges Somaliland is perceived to face in its ongoing reconstruction process. The final outcome, however, is a book that, in addition to dealing with those challenges, provides a general portrait of the secessionist north-western part of Somalia, a rare success story of post-conflict reconstruction and credited, by South African academic Iqbal Jhazbhay, as 'Africa's best kept secret'.

 

WSP's Somaliland programme generated two different types of written document. First, there is the 'self-portrait', which was intended to build 'a foundation of information and analysis on which a national discourse of post-war priorities could subsequently take place' (p. 359). Second, there are four 'entry points' (the results of workshops and working group deliberations) that aim to portray the 'debates and concerns of the Somaliland community' (p. 360) and advance an analysis of, and recommendations for, the relevant issues. It is these five written products that form the core of the book. The introductory chapter is a succinct version of the (previously published) Self-Portrait of Somaliland, which provides an overview of Somaliland's history and the plethora of perceived challenges in political, economic, and social rebuilding. The four 'entry points' (chapters 3µ6) deal with various issues. Chapter 3 addresses political representation, decentralization of administration, taxation, and equity in the context of Somaliland's transition from the clan-based 'beel system' to a multiparty democracy. Chapter 4 explores the role of the media in Somaliland's democratization process. Chapter 5 examines the important issue of regulation of Somaliland's livestock economy. And finally, chapter 6 examines the changing values, roles, and relationships within the family, the socio-economic effects of qaad use on the family, and social support systems for the post-war family. In addition to these five texts, the book has a chapter on the specific Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology used in the research (chapter 2) and an external evaluation of the project (chapter 7).

 

Given that (southern) Somalia is currently experiencing one of the most politically turbulent periods in a long time and that several other states are battling with the challenges of reconstruction, Rebuilding Somaliland makes for topical reading. Above all, though, the book is a welcome addition to the still-meagre body of literature specifically on Somaliland , which to date consists only of a few journal articles, book chapters, and miscellaneous material produced by NGOs. The book will be of interest to both academics and policy-makers alike. However, one has to remember that the book 'written by a team of researchers from the Academy of Peace and Development, WSP International's affiliate in Somaliland, on the basis of thousands of interviews and conversations with people across Somaliland' (p. 2) is 'self-consciously designed to be written from the perspective of the Somaliland community' (p. 360) and as such 'it takes on an explicitly Somaliland point of view on matters related to the contemporary affairs of the self-declared country' (p. 360). This is a point taken up by Menkhaus in his evaluation. This partisan stance is particularly clear in the introduction, 'which includes interpretations of recent history clearly dominated by a pro-Somaliland position' (p.360), and no attempt has been made 'to strike a balance with southern Somali views, or to alert the reader that the interpretations provided may be contested by others' (p. 360).

 

The four research topic chapters of the book do provide space for dissenting views and debates within Somaliland. The book an outcome of a project that necessarily needed the consent and active participation of the Somaliland government was not hesitant in being critical of both national and international actors. However, as Menkhaus notes in the project evaluation, the consensual approach of the project together with the wide range of participants with a diverse range of views meant that on the occasions when no agreement was achieved, the recommendations probably of most interest to the policy-makers were fairly general and broad. Overall though, it appeared that the Somaliland project had clearly learned from the lessons of the Puntland and other WSP projects and as such proved a greater success. This success was clearly reflected in the quality of the book, which to date provides probably the most definitive account of Somaliland and its reconstruction process.

 

 

Johanna Huhtanen

University of St. Andrews

[General Duke]

^^^JB: Kindly delete that post, this thread is not about journals. So kindly show respect to the other posters.

 

Add it to your singers thread. Thanks

[Jacaylbaro]

It is a book ,, you can buy with $30 here.

 

I know the name is killing you but i don't have a choice, those are the books i'm reading.

[General Duke]

^^^What ever you say, just dont ruin the thread..

Why do you read something you already purport to be knowledgeable about?

 

As for African novels

 

Things fall apart: The landmark work

[General Duke]

No longer at ease

[General Duke]

A man of the people

[Castro]

This book has a totally different meaning than when I read it the first time, 19 years ago.

 

It is more relevant today than ever: "War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength."

 

[General Duke]

^^^Great book a dark somewhat prophetic look at the future..

[BORN_BRANIAC]

Originally posted by Castro:

This book has a totally different meaning than when I read it the first time, 19 years ago.

 

It is more relevant today than ever: "War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength."

 

I only remember this title from C-BASE (college english exams) I guess I can read it