This book is one of the few that gives an outsiders look from the inside of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is deeply moving and insightful, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in broadening their views on the topic.
Shammass "Arabesques," a masterpiece of modernist writing, concerns the lives of members of a family that has three strikes against them: they are Israeli Christian Palestinians, each element of which is in conflict with the others. The authors writing technique, mirroring the difficulties of his theme, is modelled on the "arabesque," a stylized calligraphic icon much of whose meaning lies in its great aesthetic complexity. It is through the densely interwoven "arabesque" patterns of many generations of this rich and complex family that the author is able to encompass the rich and complex meanings of such an awful subject position in todays world. While its complexity is daunting, the authors style is wonderfully readable. Written in 1988, this book is unfortunately long out of print. FIND IT!
"A piece of the Palestinian fate that would confuse even King Solomon," writes Shammas. This book is an enchanting but difficult read. The presence of the Irish writer in Iowa City reminded me of this books similarity to James Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Both novels are written in a sometimes confusing stream of consciousness style and are filled with symbolism. I would need to read Arabesques at least one more time before I could begin to comprehend much of the imagery. The author attempts to convey certain images of the Palestinian people, including the differences amongst this very non-monolithic group, and the complex inner thoughts of an enigmatic refugee. The main characters lack of a single identity can be seen as symptomatic and/or symbolic of the Palestinian peoples historical experience.
