The Dirhams of Caliphate
A collection of short stories
Published in 2012 by AZMINAH for publishing /Jordan.
FOREWORD
Reading
these short stories, I experienced the pleasure and joy I’m sure they would
provide to readers, provision of which should be the most important objective
of any work of art.
The
author, Maitham Salman, bases his stories not only on attractive storytelling
and painful themes, but also in his ability to create a
wide variety of narrative spaces that elevate reality to exoticism capturing the
surreal nature of reality itself.
In these stories, narrative timelines constantly overlap. The author engages with his characters, and subtly controls their affairs in a way that hides the fact he is doing so. He succeeds in giving an impression that the characters are living their own lives and not lives dictated by the author’s hand.
Salman manipulates his stories through a highly accelerated mode as he has done in his novel Husks as big as my Country. This acceleration mode, which I’m by no means equating with hastiness, may be a reflection of his mind congested with memories, experiences and ideas that are bursting to be expressed and revealed.
Salman uses smooth and clear language, but one that here and there contains irony and parody, and metaphors that lend themselves to a variety of interpretations. He makes good use, furthermore, of dialogue and descriptive scenes to dramatize his work. His approach helps readers to understand Iraqi-related psychological themes and humanitarian concerns. These themes and concerns include frustration and fragmentation, as well as an alienation that provokes nostalgia, and a nostalgia that provokes alienation.
In these stories, narrative timelines constantly overlap. The author engages with his characters, and subtly controls their affairs in a way that hides the fact he is doing so. He succeeds in giving an impression that the characters are living their own lives and not lives dictated by the author’s hand.
Salman manipulates his stories through a highly accelerated mode as he has done in his novel Husks as big as my Country. This acceleration mode, which I’m by no means equating with hastiness, may be a reflection of his mind congested with memories, experiences and ideas that are bursting to be expressed and revealed.
Salman uses smooth and clear language, but one that here and there contains irony and parody, and metaphors that lend themselves to a variety of interpretations. He makes good use, furthermore, of dialogue and descriptive scenes to dramatize his work. His approach helps readers to understand Iraqi-related psychological themes and humanitarian concerns. These themes and concerns include frustration and fragmentation, as well as an alienation that provokes nostalgia, and a nostalgia that provokes alienation.
Muhsin
Al-Ramli
Iraqi writer lives in Spain.
للشراء:
