Too many booktips!

Thanks everybody for all the tips!

Today I went to the book-market and the little book-quarter of London and bought some of the titles.
The other titles have to wait for my next pay-check!
So next on my reading list are “Black Book” of Orhan Pamuk (thanks Eatbees!). I always wanted to read that book, as my introduction to Turkey and Turkish writers. My neighbour (and future flatmate) has the book as well, and according to her its superb.
After Black Book its time for the “Ground beneath her feet” (thanks Taamarbuuta and Hannibal!)
And after that its time for James Martin’s “Push not the river” (thanks Myrtus!)
My neighbour has all the books of Amine Maalouf, so I didn’t have to buy those (but thanks Larbi!)

Eatbees, asked why I don’t go to the book-stores here in London and get seduced by the books.
Well, I’ve been seduced one too many times. Books used to be one of my biggest expenses until my friends put a stop to it:P
Seriously, when I just wander in a bookshop, I end up leaving with too many books and paying too much money, ending up eating macaroni with cheese for the rest of the month.
And I have to be extra careful because I’m moving again in less than 2 months time. I don’t want to create more hassle. (imagine that I still have 18kilos of books in Amsterdam, waiting to be moved to London. I take 5 kilos back with me to London every-time I visit Amsterdam)

Anyway, shokran for all the tips!

Thank you & Book-tips

Well, this post is all about interaction. Le mot du jour!

First of all, I would like to thank all of the people who commented on my posts. Seriously, I really appreciate it! (no, I’m not drunk)
Eatbees, Xoussef, Myrtus, ViewfromFez, Tsedek, Taamarbuuta, Loula, Mariam, SimplyMoroccan, Leila, Abmoul, Larbi, My Marrakesh, Hannibal and all the anonymous and others, thank you!!!! (I’m not, I repeat not, drunk!)

The 2nd part of this post is books. Seriously, I’m a book addict. I’m already halfway through “Morocco: Islamist awakening and other challenges” and I finished “Hope & Other dangerous pursuits”. These books are number 24 & 25 of this year.
I need new ones now. But I kind of ran out of titles I want to read.
So I was wondering, if any of you knew some good titles. They don’t have to be about Morocco, just good books. So shoot!
Preferably in English though

Laila Lalami & Marvin Howe

Ooh, I’m so excited!

I just ordered books from Amazon for the first time! I actually feel very dirty now. You see, I got this phobia when it comes to online shopping.
I love bookstores and every weekend I go through the shelfs of Waterstone’s or Foyles (the largest bookstores in London), usually leaving with a book or two. It is comfortable, you can skim through the books and you can smell the books ( I got this tic that I have to smell a book a couple of times before actually buying it)

So I felt like I betrayed my dearest habit when I ordered “Hope & Other Dangerous Pursuits” of Laila Lalami and “Morocco: the islamist awakening and other challenges” of Marvine Howe.
But I’m so excited now, I might harass the receptionist/night guard downstairs continuously to see if the books already arrived.

I hope the books smell nice!

Book: Where’s Bin Laden?

Where’s Bin Laden?

Well this one isn’t actually a proper book but an illustrated book/comic book.
If you like “Where’s Waldo” you’ll like this one (you have to!)

A mission of 30 pages. Find Bin Laden, CIA-agents, terrorists etc. in the illustrated pages and complete your mission.
Don’t try to complete your mission when you’re having a hangover though, you’ll get nauseous.

$9.95 at Amazon.

Book: The Great War for Civilisation

And another book has been read the last two weeks
This time Robert Fisk’s “The Great War for Civilisation; The conquest of The Middle East”
Robert Fisk is one of the best-known reporters in the world.

And all I have to say is: read it!!!

Robert Fisk annoys me most of the time. He is too emotional and leftist. But this book is one of the best memoires I have ever read. Why? Because it is not only a memoir but also an historical analysis of the Middle East and North Africa.

It is a mammoth,the edition I have has 1286 pages, and covers the conflicts and his work in Afghanistan, Iran, Algeria, Iraq, Israel/Palestine, the Armenian Genocide, his interviews with Osama bin Laden and a lot of other topics.
It gives you an (sometimes pretty biased) insight in the conflicts of the region. It is refreshing since the all worn out conflict of Israel/Palestine is not the main topic.

The book provides a comprehensive account of what the West has done with the region and what the region has done to itself.
I just can’t come up with a “point of critique”, sigh.

Browse a 700yrs old Qur’an online

This is quite interesting.
The British Library, the best place to hangout in London, has an online collection of old manuscripts and books that you can browse and study online.
The project is called “Turning the Pages”

You can choose between 15 masterpieces. Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches, Jane Austen, the oldest printed book, a 700yr old Quran and a Hebrew prayer book.
All very interesting.

Go and see!
Turning the Pages

Muhajababes

Every now and then you buy book that you know is just pulp and too commercial (as in written for housewives)
But you still buy it, and thats what I did last weekend when I bought “Muhajababes” by Allegra Stratton.

It was quite a nice book actually. The main topic is youth culture in the Middle East. In 277 pages the author tries to discover and understand the everyday life of the arab youth.
The main items that keep on coming back in her book are Haifa Wehbe videoclips, Amr Khaled, prince Alwaleed and satellite tv.
According to the writer these are the factors that influence the local youth cultures. These factors also led to the rise of the so-called Muhajababes. Veiled youngsters who dress like the singers in the videoclips.
These Muhajababes are the product of religiosity, islamic tv-evangelism, commercial culture and western influences.

The book gives you a little insight in the everyday life of middle or upperclass girls and boys.
And thats also one of my issues with this book. It is a nice little guide if you want to know more about the middle class and up. But it doesnt cover the youngster who live in slums, poorer urban areas or the countryside. While the youngster there form the biggest part of the young arab population.

So the book felt lacking somehow. But it is still a nice book to read. I dont know if I’ll recommend it to someone, but if you dont know what to do with £8 you can buy this book.
It will keep you busy for a little while.