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Arabian Nights and Days A Novel Naguib Mahfouz Books

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Arabian Nights and Days A Novel Naguib Mahfouz Books

Amazing depth into the characters he creates from his own experiences, Mahfouz writes like no Western novelist that I know of. He does not back away from the barbarism, the manipulation, the deception of the world around him in his novels. He doesn't present one view, but a complex menagerie of views. He doesn't attempt to white wash anything or anyone in his writing and I now know why he, not only was branded by Islamic fanatics, but won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Would that Western novelists painted the worlds in which they live with more accuracy and without any reticence to paint them in colors that truly reflect reality. Every society has its barbarism and every society would do well to look seriously at its despicable depths.


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Arabian Nights and Days A Novel Naguib Mahfouz Books Reviews

I read this to be able to tutor someone who had to read this for a class. It's pretty enjoyable. It's a lot like 1001 Nights, but in a contemporary form - not helpful I know. The characters are much more 3d; you get to see inside their heads.
The book is very readable and not too long, and the translation is excellent. Starting where the traditional Arabian Nights' Entertainment leaves off, Mahfouz cleverly describes surprising events in a world in which "jinn" (genies) are actively involved in the affairs of mankind. The tale is very enjoyable.

But on another level, Mahfouz indirectly poses a more philosophical query to what extent am I responsible for my actions, and if I err, to what extent can I blame circumstances, outside interference, and my inherent weakness as a human being? And if a very wicked person repents of his evil deeds, how much forgiveness is he entitled to in this world?

I recommend the book.
I found myself distracted with a nagging question whether the narration was an illusion or reality. The novel is a loosely set of tales, where each chapter is self contained describing the experiences of a character. The plot converges at the `Cafe of the Emirs'. The characters are faced with an adventure in which they appear to find more about themselves. In this adventure they are tempted with their weakness, there is a self struggle where they determine to take the path of choice. It is this path which can lead to their destruction or bliss. The apparent conflicts are in the nature of corruption, self righteousness, lust, greed.
This is my second read from Naquib Mahfuz, he boldly exposes the true realities and choices one faces and makes in every day life. Due to this i found the book somewhat depressing.
Evil djinnis take the role of bad guys seducing hapless humans into dreadful behavior throughout this book. They bankrupt the wealthy, frame the innocent, and lead people to rape and murder while leading them away from righteous behavior and sound moral judgement. Mahfouz rewrites some of the Arabian Nights tales, like that of Aladdin and Ma'rouf the Cobbler, and works around the edges of others, like that of Sindbad the Sailor, while introducing a slew of his own characters who interact with each other and generally get the short end of the stick in this collection of interwoven stories.

Against the djinn are a few morally upright humans and one angel whose powers are extremely limited. This small band tries to stem the tide of corruption and despair which pervades the entire book and gives it its central themes.

This is a very, very enjoyable collection of stories, fast-moving and philosophical in tone, posing questions of moral weight and conscious import through its vignettes. I had such a good time with this book that I read it in one sitting. Mahfouz is not trying to give you answers with this book, he's posing questions about moral behavior and corruption and showing what happens when corruption gains the upper hand in people's lives. Beyond that, he's playing with familiar characters from the Arabian Nights and re-writing their stories to take these themes into account. If you're looking for a book that slavishly follows the stories of the Arabian Nights, this book isn't for you. Mahfouz deviates from the stories in that book to explore his key themes; for instance, Aladdin in Mahfouz's story is put to death for theft before he ever had his adventures with the wondrous lamp, and Ma'rouf the Cobbler never finds the treasure hoard in the farmer's field. The book reads like a hallucination, with characters coming and going at whim, their stories warping and twisting as the djinn screw with them and throw obstacles in their paths. If you want an exploration of corruption and moral redemption, you will find it here, and well handled. Come to this collection understanding that Mahfouz is not re-writing classic tales but is telling them anew on his way to his own explorations, and you'll be in the right frame of mind for these stories.
Mahfouz goes for some interesting detail in adult content...

His writing weaves itself around my brain, wrapping it like a cobra.

He makes me feel as if I am right there, part of the story.

I find myself feeling mesmerized by the topics within the story-telling and am uncomfortable reading this book alone at home. (By now I'm convinced there's a genie hiding under my bed.) So instead, I carry this book in my purse, just reading it in the marketplace, the street cafe, and on along the bus-ride.

Occasionally I look up and assure myself I'm surrounded by people, and it's 2009.
I felt like I was being pulled along on a magical journey with a storyteller reading me these stories. They were fascinating and immersed me completely in their world. I really enjoyed it.
I originally picked up the book thinking that it would be a selection from One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. It only took one page to realize that I was wrong, but that I was reading something truly exceptional. The stories and characters simply present themselves like little gems of Egyptian life to be examined without sympathy nor derision. They lead from one to another as did Scheherazade's stories without conclusions.
This little book led me to the Cairo trilogy a truly epic saga from a Nobel Literature Prize winner.
Amazing depth into the characters he creates from his own experiences, Mahfouz writes like no Western novelist that I know of. He does not back away from the barbarism, the manipulation, the deception of the world around him in his novels. He doesn't present one view, but a complex menagerie of views. He doesn't attempt to white wash anything or anyone in his writing and I now know why he, not only was branded by Islamic fanatics, but won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Would that Western novelists painted the worlds in which they live with more accuracy and without any reticence to paint them in colors that truly reflect reality. Every society has its barbarism and every society would do well to look seriously at its despicable depths.