tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post8310952000340309833..comments2024-03-08T03:18:48.591-05:00Comments on Lotus Reads: Chicago by Alaa Al AswanyLotus Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-48877636850181940382009-12-13T08:04:41.398-05:002009-12-13T08:04:41.398-05:00Sarah, thank you so much for your comment! It'...Sarah, thank you so much for your comment! It's been ages since I read Chicago that I wouldn't be able to give you a fully crystallized and thoughtful response unless I do a quick re-read which will not be possible at this time. I hope, however, someone else here who has read "Chicago" will be able to give you an answer.Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-79616809977465122512009-12-09T21:47:34.023-05:002009-12-09T21:47:34.023-05:00I just finished teaching Chicago at the end of an ...I just finished teaching Chicago at the end of an Arabic Cont. Fiction class so was glad to find your comments. But more specifically, I found Aswany's depiction of female sexuality pretty ridiculous, not believable. The sexual pleasure derived from the ritual of waxing one's legs? The perpetual sexual desire of all the characters, ok, perhaps he can claim knowledge of egyptian (and NOT Arab as a whole) men. But for (Egyptian) women? It seems a stretch...even in the name of 'freedom'. SO here's the question: what did YOU think about his depiction of Shayma's sexuality? (I agree that much of the other aspects of her character seem believable enough...) Thanks.Sarahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-84758828760170759962009-03-03T17:20:00.000-05:002009-03-03T17:20:00.000-05:00egypt is in africa not the middle easssstbut, i wa...egypt is in africa not the middle easssst<BR/><BR/>but, i want to read this book it looks really interesting.calleexohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12444710668813648336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-20488696610829087692009-02-28T11:19:00.000-05:002009-02-28T11:19:00.000-05:00If you're looking for some great book on modern Ch...If you're looking for some great book on modern China (or even more on change that took place in China during XX century) pick anything by Mo Yan. He might be the best contemporary Chinese writer.Maciekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14614749515999373833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-75509982060647850792009-02-27T09:38:00.000-05:002009-02-27T09:38:00.000-05:00I love your new look. I haven't stopped by in a l...I love your new look. I haven't stopped by in a long time. Good to see you are still at it!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08517218658953992674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-3611560132902004612009-02-24T23:51:00.000-05:002009-02-24T23:51:00.000-05:00I likeI likeAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247068148808812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-45654307080304631332009-02-24T19:15:00.000-05:002009-02-24T19:15:00.000-05:00Thanks for the tip on Troost's new book. I didn't ...Thanks for the tip on Troost's new book. I didn't know it existed, although I've read his first two.<BR/><BR/>http://funwithchickens.blogspot.com/Jerry Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03660765552103237924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-78173693900487475912009-02-19T16:28:00.000-05:002009-02-19T16:28:00.000-05:00This sounds really good. And, as a Chicagoan, I o...This sounds really good. And, as a Chicagoan, I obviously will put it on the TBR pile. Thanks a bunch!<BR/><BR/>Also, congrats on being a blog of note!Aartihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02354873119188597611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-77277367830053931172009-02-19T15:33:00.000-05:002009-02-19T15:33:00.000-05:00Hi Lotus, just admiring your blog and wandering ho...Hi Lotus, just admiring your blog and wandering how you find time to read so much and then write such intelligent commentaries too. Haven't had much time for reading since becoming a parent in 2006 and I felt that I'd lost my thread - if you know what I mean, I mean, one book used to lead hungrily on to another, and I'd be reading reviews about new books before they came out, waiting excitedly to get my hands on them. Thought I'd lost my excitement but I found some of it again whilst reading your blog. <BR/>I particularly like your choices, as I've always been drawn to writers of non-english origin, and the subject of feeling 'foreign' or being an immigrant. My childhood experiences were not quite as exotic as yours but my parents were from opposite sides of the worlds, and I was always either the english girl in australia or the australian girl in england. I didn't find my own sense of identity until later into my twenties really. <BR/>I shall be back to look at your latest books again! Bright Blessings. <BR/>http://theeverydaywitch.blogspot.comsam brightwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17900569690774265677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-59002722450333445462009-02-19T14:13:00.000-05:002009-02-19T14:13:00.000-05:00I found your blog through Blog of Note. I am goin...I found your blog through Blog of Note. I am going to subscribe. You have commented on some interesting sounding books.Rebecca Lynch Photographyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05158354761961617286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-82833596174851715152009-02-19T11:03:00.000-05:002009-02-19T11:03:00.000-05:00Hello, Pfeiffer Photos, The Villager, Mamma Mia, D...Hello, Pfeiffer Photos, The Villager, Mamma Mia, David and Nadir and welcome to the blog! Want to thank all of you for visiting and for staying long enough to leave a comment. Just curious, will you tell me how and where you found my blog? Thanks so much and good day to all of you!Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-87038365362434444912009-02-19T10:56:00.000-05:002009-02-19T10:56:00.000-05:00Hi Lotus Reads!I'm love China!Do you speak portugu...Hi Lotus Reads!<BR/><BR/>I'm love China!<BR/>Do you speak portuguese?<BR/>I'm brasilian e adoro a China. <BR/>I loved your Blog.<BR/><BR/>Huggs!<BR/>Abraços!<BR/>NadirAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-42354107788448954472009-02-19T06:58:00.000-05:002009-02-19T06:58:00.000-05:00WEll, this is a VERY GOOD blog that i've ever visi...WEll, this is a VERY GOOD blog that i've ever visited. So inspiring.Devid Haryalesmanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03467029926621410677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-4314376394669783112009-02-19T04:36:00.000-05:002009-02-19T04:36:00.000-05:00hi, greetings from jakarta! congratulations on the...hi, greetings from jakarta! congratulations on the blog of note. i don't read much, but your blog is very useful. thank you for sharing.Mama Mimahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12393279672208752455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-83909510246080030092009-02-19T03:28:00.000-05:002009-02-19T03:28:00.000-05:00Great site, book fiend !Great site, book fiend !The villager:https://www.blogger.com/profile/05958651498465950885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-3939737302936075152009-02-18T15:08:00.000-05:002009-02-18T15:08:00.000-05:00Some of these look to be excellent reads...thanks....Some of these look to be excellent reads...thanks. Just found your blog today. :)Learning Spanish at 41https://www.blogger.com/profile/02452926460165283494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-91232997914571458122009-02-10T06:51:00.000-05:002009-02-10T06:51:00.000-05:00Sorry to hear that Saaleha! What exactly are you ...Sorry to hear that Saaleha! What exactly are you not liking? The narrative? Characters? Plot?Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-14852449166014277412009-02-09T07:14:00.000-05:002009-02-09T07:14:00.000-05:00I've got The Yacoubian Building. Started reading i...I've got The Yacoubian Building. Started reading it, but somehow its let me down. SO ive move on. Maybe someday I'll return??Saalehahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12607453476839291138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-37259661310124536792009-02-07T08:50:00.000-05:002009-02-07T08:50:00.000-05:00@Zibilee and Alpa ~ Thanks! One of the criticism...@Zibilee and Alpa ~ Thanks! One of the criticisms Aswany received was that his book had too much unecessary sex in it. It got me wondering why he had done that. I knew he wasn't using sex to titillate, so I had to read it in a way to understand why it was being used and the only reason (and a very valid one in my opinion) was that he was using it as a metaphor for the freedom experienced by these once-closeted Egyptians when they reached the shores of America.Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-20481720355263740742009-02-07T08:45:00.000-05:002009-02-07T08:45:00.000-05:00@Joji ~ Sorry for taking so long to come back to ...@Joji ~ Sorry for taking so long to come back to you. I'm not usually this tardy with my responses but the last few weeks have been crazy-busy!<BR/><BR/>To answer your first question...I don't read that many books any more. There was a time I could read a book a week but that was because I wasn't working. I have a full time job now so my reading has been sacrificed at the altar of work :(<BR/><BR/>Glad you noticed the cover...the modern hieroglyphics were a clever idea indeed..I read on the inside book flap that it's been designed by one Jarrod Taylor. Talented fellow, eh?<BR/><BR/>Do visit again Joji, thanks!Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-92229234276113868472009-02-07T08:38:00.000-05:002009-02-07T08:38:00.000-05:00@Chitts ~ I really loved "The Yacoubian Building"...@Chitts ~ I really loved "The Yacoubian Building". I so hope it does for you what it did for me (help me gain insights into Egyptian society and how the recent political events have shaped them as a whole).I saw the movie too and while it was nice, I much preferred the book!Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-69069536452927912782009-02-07T08:36:00.000-05:002009-02-07T08:36:00.000-05:00Hello Sanjay!HOw are you? Sorry it's taken me such...Hello Sanjay!<BR/><BR/>HOw are you? Sorry it's taken me such a long while to get back to you but things have been busy here. Thanks also for taking the time to read my review, you always ask such interesting questions...thank you!<BR/><BR/>Yes, you're absolutely right, I think Aswany's character sketches of the Americans dates back to the time when we was a student in Chicago and that is why it seems glaringly incongruous when you read it today. Did it affect the narrative? I would say it did because the characters seemed like parodies and not real people, which is a shame because his Egyptian characters are warm, wonderful, funny and very engaging. I know he didn't mean to do this deliberately but it sort of makes you feel like the American characters are so terribly unevolved (OK, so I know it isn't a word, but it describes what I want to say!) :)<BR/><BR/>How was this book received in Egypt? Very well I am told! Infact, as I mentioned in my review, I do believe this book was written primarily for the Egyptian reader...the translation is very recent...the book is not.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for the wonderful answer on where the loyalty of an immigrant should lie...I think you nailed it. However, I don't think it is easy for many immigrants to embrace his or her adopted country quite that easily. There are a myriad of reasons as to why people leave their motherland to live elsewhere and I think much of whom they become lies in the motivation for their leaving.Lotus Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02081192215823615529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-91837049028105472832009-02-06T16:02:00.001-05:002009-02-06T16:02:00.001-05:00Hi Lotus,I love that line you wrote... "Al Aswany....Hi Lotus,<BR/>I love that line you wrote... "Al Aswany...uses sex as a metaphor for freedom..."<BR/><BR/>I think this in itself is a pivotal point in society in general.<BR/><BR/>xoxo<BR/>-alpaAlpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16889288288469735138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-37825795405210268322009-02-06T16:02:00.000-05:002009-02-06T16:02:00.000-05:00Hi Lotus,I love that line you wrote... "Al Aswany....Hi Lotus,<BR/>I love that line you wrote... "Al Aswany...uses sex as a metaphor for freedom..."<BR/><BR/>I think this in itself is a pivotal point in society in general.<BR/><BR/>xoxo<BR/>-alpaAlpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16889288288469735138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12738985.post-10597175894778093832009-02-03T12:12:00.000-05:002009-02-03T12:12:00.000-05:00Great review, with a lot of insight. I particularl...Great review, with a lot of insight. I particularly liked how you noticed that the sex in the book was a metaphor for freedom. Sounds like something I would like to read.Zibileehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05857638467064749190noreply@blogger.com