Cities of Salt: A NovelBanned in several Middle Eastern countries, this novel records the encounter between Americans and Arabs in an unnamed Gulf emirate in the 1930s. As oil exploration begins, the destruction of an oasis community amounts to "a breaking off, like death, that nothing and no one could ever heal." The promise inherent in the creation of a city divided into Arab and American sectors provides the novel's most striking revelation: here not merely two cultures, but two ages, meet and stand apart. Alternatively amused and bewildered by the Americans and their technological novelties, the Arabs sense in their accommodation to modernity the betrayal of their own traditions. Highly recommended, if only for its cross-cultural insights. --L.M. Lewis, Library Journal. |
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Abboud Abdullah Abu As'ad Abu Saleh afraid Akoub al-Hadra al-Zamel American compound Arab Harran arrived asked bedouin began camels camp caravan coffeehouse curse Dabbasi Daham deputy emir desert doctor Emir Khaled emir's everything eyes face father Fawaz fear felt filled friends grew Hadib Hajem hajj hand happened Hassan Rezaie hear heard Ibn Hathal Ibn Naffeh Ibn Rashed Ibn Rashed's Ibn Zamel Johar journey Khazna killed knew laughed leave listened looked Miteb al-Hathal Mizban mosque moved Mufaddi al-Jeddan Muhammad Eid Naim never night nodded paused questions Raji Rawdhat al-Mashti seemed seen Shaalan ship shook his head shouted silence sleep smiled spoke stay stood stopped stories Subhi surprise Suweyleh talk tell tent things thought told tomorrow took travelers truck turned Ujra Umm Khosh voice Wadha Wadi al-Uyoun waiting wanted watched women words workers Zahra