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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Common terms and phrases
Akoub Americans Arab arrived asked bedouin began better brought called camels camp caravan changed close coffeehouse Dabbasi Daham death deputy doctor emir emir's everything eyes face father Fawaz fear felt friends gave give gone Hajem hand happened Harran Hassan head hear heard Ibn Naffeh Ibn Rashed Johar Khosh killed knew laughed leave listened live looked Miteb al-Hathal moved Mufaddi Muhammad Naim needed never night nodded once opened passed perhaps questions Raji reached remembered rest Rezaie road seemed seen Shaalan ship shook shouted showed silence smiled soon sound spoke stay stopped stories strong sure surprise talk tell tent things thought told took travelers tried truck turned Ujra voice Wadi al-Uyoun waiting wanted watched women workers