Beirut, murder, Proust and champagne

My friend Alexander McNabb (@AlexanderMcNabb) has gone and done it again. This month saw the publication of a second novel in which I was somewhat involved -- albeit as a beta reader -- and I’m feeling like the mother of the bride.

After the first, Olives, I couldn't wait to get my PDF version of Beirut -- An Explosive Thriller. It's dynamite! And now I look forward to the third, Shemlan.

Instead of the usual book review, I sent Alex a few questions about one of the characters in the book – Leila Medawar. Alex gave me the answers in a post published on his blog, Fake Plastic Souks on Friday (October 19):

Beirut And The Disposable Character

Lynch called across to Leila. ‘Where’s Deir Na’ee?’

She uncurled and came to him, looking over his shoulder at the screen, her blouse opening to show the warm brown mound of her breast. ‘Deir Na’ee? The lonely home? Sounds like something up in the Bekaa. Never heard of it. Try Googling it. Might be a village somewhere.’

‘And “Spike”?’

She paused, then turned to regain her place on the sofa. ‘No idea, habibi. I’m not a phone book.’

Lynch chuckled, the search phrase ‘Deir Na’ee’ for some reason returning the Irish poem A bhonnán bhuí, The Yellow Bittern. He read it out loud, the Irish words coming back to him from the mists of distant childhood, the disinfectant reek of the Sisters of Charity’s classroom. ‘A bhonnán bhuí, is é mo léan do luí, Is do chnámha sínte tar éis do ghrinn, Is chan easba bidh ach díobháil dí, a d'fhág i do luí thú ar chúl do chinn.’

Leila was laughing at him. ‘What are you saying?’

‘It’s Irish. Deir Na’ee gets that in Google. Christ alone knows why.’

‘That is not a language. It sounds like dogs fighting.’

‘Póg mo thóin.’

From Beirut -- An Explosive Thriller

Today brings a treat -- a guest post and quizzing from Micheline Hazou, patroness of genteel blog Mich Café, friend and Beirut wandering companion as well as beta reader of Beirut – An Explosive Thriller...

It is quite exciting to be a beta reader. It is also something I take very seriously.

I had the privilege to beta-read Alexander McNabb’s first novel, Olives – A Violent Romance. I was even more flattered to be offered the chance to beta-read Beirut – An Explosive Thriller a couple of months ago.

It’s not as easy as it seems, because you often get sucked up in the story and forget to keep an eye out for anything that might be wrong, from proofreading to translations and anything you don’t quite like. So I had to re-read many a chapter with that in mind.

From the first few pages of Beirut I felt Alex had come into his own. I got caught up in the “explosive” thriller and rediscovered the main character, Gerald Lynch, in another light. Whereas he had seemed pompous, uptight and unlikeable in Olives, here he is chasing the bad guys with a conscience and sexy on top of it.

As with Olives, I was drawn by the local female characters in the books. I can identify with them. And I wonder why they are so disposable. As most of you have read Olives by now, you must know Aisha Dajani’s fate. But Leila Medawar? Why, Alex?

As described in the book, Leila Medawar is the “student activist, dissident, blogger and poet to the leftist anti-sectarian intelligentsia. Born into wealth and privilege she was heartrendingly idealistic… beautiful dark haired Leila, lover of freedom, equality and British spies. Well, spy.”

Without giving too much away, here are a few questions I would like to ask about Leila Medawar, Gerald Lynch’s lover:

I like Leila Medawar. She humanizes Lynch. Why is she so disposable? That's partly why she's there. And partly it seals her fate. It's odd but I seem to have this habit of killing the characters I love the most, from the delicious Kylie in my first book, Space, through to a number of characters in Olives, Beirut and, yes, Shemlan. 

I often recall an incident involving The Niece From Hell. We were on a walk along the Thames when I was pulled up by the realization I recognized a particular bench on the towpath. ‘Wow,’ I exclaimed. ‘I killed a guy on this bench!’

The niece glanced carelessly at the bench and shrugged. ‘Whatever.’

I know I am involved in murdering a number of attractive Arab women, but don't take that personally -- I'm an equal opportunities killer. I do for a number of occidental men in my books too. And some of them are quite ugly.

On the bright side, it's probably a good thing I'm getting this stuff out of my system. And anyway, there are a thousand and one Leilas...

I sound like I’m gabbling guiltily. I probably am.

How come she knew he was in Intelligence? It's how he met her -- when on a surveillance job involving a student protest. In fact, that’s not mentioned until much later in the book in the 'beta' MS but part of the feedback from readers made me bring that history right up front.

Lynch isn't really very good at observing some of the traditional modalities of Intelligence, he's far too Arabized for that. Leila is very much into his 'home life'. They live a cocooned existence together -- she has his key, they keep their relationship secret (she leaves the room when Palmer comes from the embassy with Lynch's ticket because they have agreed discretion is the way to go for both of them) and Lynch knows who she is. She trusts him not to spy on her and he, I rather think, trusts her not to use her relationship with him in her activities.

Where is Leila’s family? How is it that she was able to live with Lynch, and then in the flat he provided her?

She doesn't actually live with him, just has a key and comes around a lot. He was hoping the flat in Hamra would be a bolt hole for them both but was surprised by the strength of her reaction to the news he would be shacking up with another spy type. 

Her family is living in Dubai, as it happens -- but she's got away with going back to Beirut to study at AUB. That gives her independence beyond reason -- and the freedom to go out with a man over twice her age.

And no, it's not one of my secret fantasies sneaking into a book. There's a certain journalist living in Ain Mreisse who might be influencing some of Lynch's lifestyle...

What is the story of the Orrefors tumbler? I've long been a huge fan of Orrefors glass and have a number of those beautiful pieces with the blue teardrop.  It just seemed natural that it should sneak into the book -- and tells us that Leila's moneyed, incidentally. That stuff's hideously expensive.

Leila being particular about how she takes her whisky is a mannerism I stole from a rather lovely Lebanese friend...

I also let my personal preferences sneak in with the Lamiable champagne later in the book, which is a stunning single grower extra brut -- a hard champagne to make well as it has little or no 'dosage' and is therefore incredibly dry. I have a nice chap called Charles who ships it to me in the UK. One has a literary agent and a vintner, don't you know...

Why the choice of Proust? And which of his works was she reading? Remembrance of Things Past of course, silly! Probably The Prisoner, a reflection of Lynch’s ardor for her mixed with a desire to control her, perhaps why he offers her the flat in Hamra. Leila’s not Albertine, of course -- but she is enjoying casting herself in the role. 

Leila is possibly reading it because she likes Proust, or because she likes to be seen to be liking Proust -- that’s a very Lebanese dilemma. She was reading it in the original French because, of course, she speaks French like a native. And she likes to tell friends she finds the Moncrieff translation sloppy.

Why did Lynch only try calling her? Why didn’t he go over to see her? And why didn’t she have protection? He was scared of finding some ape from AUB in her bed. He was also rather busy saving the world and flying to and from Europe. He talked to the concierge, too, which just confirms his worst fears. 

Lynch had checked with the concierge and yes, she moved in to the flat in Hamra. Yes, she had indeed taken male company, the old crone told Lynch, laughing dirtily and pocketing the fifty thousand lire tip.

There was no protection -- Lynch operates as a lone wolf most of the time, he's not often part of the 'framework', but a maverick operator Channing uses for the messy stuff. His approach to intelligence is 'go local, go low-key' rather than bringing in the Keystone cops every time. It's one reason why he prefers to use a servees rather than an embassy car.

Part of Lynch would also let her cool her heels, perhaps even be angry at her and take an 'Youse know what? F youse too' approach to her flouncing off like that. And yet she's under his skin. Not quite as much as Michel gets under hers, though...

Does Lynch fall in love again in Shemlan? Please say yes…

 No, but Shemlan is very much a love story -- although not a very straightforward one.

To find out how to get a copy of Beirut – An Explosive Thriller shipped to your doorstep or downloaded instantly to your reader, please visit the Beirut website.

Related posts and reading:

“Olives” -- the book variety that is -- January 16, 2012

A feast of 12 summer readings -- Jul 18, 2012

Alexander McNabb’s blog Fake Plastic Souks

The Olives website

A feast of 12 summer readings

There is something magical about books.

It’s a long process that starts with trying to choose what to read, scanning the back cover to get an idea about the story, opening the first few pages to read about the author and his previous works, then drowning in the tale and sometimes not wanting to come up for air.

There’s a lot of talk about books being a thing of the past, how everyone will soon be reading on computers, tablets, mobiles and whatever new gizmos come up. I think this will take a long time because it is linked to whether you can afford to buy these gadgets, and a lot of people, me included, can’t. And please, don’t even mention “saving the trees.”

I can’t be persuaded that reading a book on a machine is better than holding the actual hardcopy in your hand, turning the pages, placing your bookmark, smelling the special odor of paper print…

In a dream world, I would live in a bookstore and spend my days reading. Before the Internet, books were the way to discover the world. Libraries were a journey into a new universe. In some countries, and for many people, they still are.

Reading is an act of freedom – you can choose what to read.

Although I am addicted to my laptop, I don’t feel secure if I don’t have at least two books on my bedside table. Part of the pleasure is the anticipation of what you will discover in your next read. Every night, the laptop is switched off and I dedicate at least an hour to reading.

It seems we have more time to read in summer and the summer reading lists are published. So for what it’s worth, here are 12 suggestions, in no specific order. I have the habit of going through all of an author’s books, so there are some in the list by the same writer.

I omitted the Harry Potter series because I am sure everyone has read them. It’s a great pity if you didn’t. And you are too blazé to be reading this post.

A last thought: books are to be read and then passed on. Read them forward, they are too precious to be kept on bookshelves.

1. The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk

Turkish Nobel-laureate Orhan Pamuk is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of his books and they just keep getting better. The Museum of Innocence is about the obsessive love Kemal, a wealthy businessman, bears for Füsun for over 30 years, starting in 1975.  Kemal becomes an obsessive collector of objects of his life with Füsun.

During the first few chapters, there are many times I just threw the book across the room only to pick it up again and get more engrossed in the brilliance that is Pamuk’s storytelling. And as there were more pages to the left than right of the book, I slowed down, not wanting to finish it.

Pamuk has established an actual "Museum of Innocence," which opened in April 2012, based on the one described in the book, down to the cigarette butts. It displays a collection evocative of everyday life and culture of Istanbul during the period in which the novel is set. I would visit Turkey just to go to the museum.

2. My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk

I was introduced to Pamuk with this book. It is one of the few I have reread three times already. It evokes all the senses -- it’s like reading, listening to good music and viewing art all in one.

In the late 1590s, Ottoman Sultan Murat III secretly commissions a great book to celebrate his life and his empire. It is to be illuminated by the best artists of the day -- in the European manner. But one of the artists goes missing…

3. The War of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts by Louis de Bernières 

There is so much more to de Bernières than Captain Corelli’s Mandolin that I think was ruined by the film. Once you have read Don Emmanuel, you will surely rush to get Senor Vivo and the Coca Lord and The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman. Be careful if you are reading in public -- these three books will have you laughing out loud and gripped till the very last page.

Set in a fictional South American country, de Bernières’s humor, passion and genius emerge in his description of the place, the characters and ancient history through military atrocities, gangsters and religious upheaval.

4. The Hakawati (The Storyteller) by Rabih Alameddine

“Listen. Allow me to be your god. Let me take you on a journey beyond imagination. Let me tell you a story…”

From those first words, you do listen and go on a journey that you hope will prove unending. It takes you into the lives of the al-Kharrat family and the parallel world of myths. The themes and characters go back and forth in the narrative that is brilliant and dazzling. You get lost in the tales, only to be brought back to the family nursing their ailing father. But with the word “listen…” you are once again in the enchanting world of the hakawati.

5. The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany 

This Egyptian novel is alive and as relevant today as when it was published. Welcome to the Yacoubian Building, Cairo. Like many buildings, it was once grand, now dilapidated, and full of stories and passion. It is a tale of various characters in Egyptian society, some living in squalor on rooftops, others in the apartments and offices below. There is religious fervor, bribers, modern life and ancient culture… all of which make up everyday life.

6. Leo The African by Amin Maalouf 

The book is based on the true life-story of Hassan al-Wazzan, the 16th century traveler and writer who came to be known as Leo Africanus, or Leo the African. From his childhood in Fez, having fled the Christian Inquisition, through his many journeys to the East as an itinerant merchant, Hassan’s story is a quixotic catalogue of pirates, slave-girls and princesses, encompassing the complexities of a world in a state of religious flux. Hassan too is touched by the instability of the era, performing his hajj to Mecca, then converting to Christianity, only to revert to Islam later in life. Through Hassan’s travels and extraordinary experiences, Maalouf sketches a portrait of the Mediterranean world as it was some five centuries ago -- the fall of Granada, the Ottoman conquest of Egypt, Renaissance Rome under the Medicis…

Having finished Leo The African, I rushed to find more of Maalouf’s works. The Lebanese author last month joined the “immortals” at the French Academy. His first book, The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, is a masterwork and eye-opener and definitely a must read too.

7. Samarkand by Amin Maalouf

Accused of mocking the inviolate codes of Islam, the Persian poet and sage Omar Khayyam fortuitously finds sympathy with the very man who is to judge his alleged crimes. Recognizing Khayyam’s genius, the judge decides to spare him and gives him instead a small, blank book, encouraging him to confine his thoughts to it alone.

Thus begins the seamless blend of fact and fiction that is Samarkand. Vividly re-creating the history of the manuscript of Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyaat, Maalouf spans continents and centuries with breathtaking vision: the dusky exoticism of 11th-century Persia, with its poetesses and assassins; the same country's struggles 900 years later, seen through the eyes of an American academic obsessed with finding the original manuscript; and the fated maiden voyage of the Titanic, whose tragedy led to the Rubaiyaat's final resting place.

8. The Rock Of Tanios by Amin Maalouf

An exploration of myth, passion and loyalty from the Lebanon's troubled past, The Rock of Tanios is another superbly rich and rewarding novel from the author of Samarkand and Leo the African. Expertly controlling his multifaceted narrative with prose of great beauty and power, Maalouf delves into the history of an extraordinary life: that of Tanios, child of the mountains. Magic and brilliance on every single page by Maalouf.

9. Some Prefer Nettles, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The marriage of Kaname and Misako is disintegrating. Whilst seeking passion and fulfillment in the arms of others, they contemplate the humiliation of divorce. Misako's father believes their relationship has been damaged by the influence of a new and alien culture, and so attempts to heal the breach by educating his son-in-law in the time-honored Japanese traditions of aesthetic and sensual pleasure. The result is an absorbing, chilling conflict between ancient and modern, and between young and old.

Written in 1929, Some Prefer Nettles is considered one of Tanizaki’s finest works and is as relevant today as it was then. It also gives a rare glimpse into the life of the conflicts inside a Japanese family and the clash between traditional and Western pursuits.

10. Olives, A Violent Romance by Alexander McNabb

Yes, I know. The author is a very dear friend, but Olives would not be on this list if I didn’t think his book makes perfect summer reading and also the perfect present to take to family and friends if you are flying out of Dubai.

Olives makes for compulsive reading as you get taken in by the romance, and by McNabb’s tackling of the more serious themes, including the fight for the region’s water resources, the effects of Israel’s construction of the “security wall,” Palestine, and Jordan. The politics are so well mixed with the romance that the narrative could be taking place in any hotspot and usually does. The characters – the English girlfriend, the embassy representative, the Swede -- are all well placed and credible. I posted about Olives earlier this year and you can read the review here.

In the meantime, I look forward to McNabb’s second novel, Beirut, An Explosive Thriller where we will meet the embassy representative in a much more exciting and lovable role.

11. The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif

In 1900 Lady Anna Winterbourne travels to Egypt where she falls in love with Sharif, an Egyptian Nationalist utterly committed to his country's cause. Some 100 years later, Isabel Parkman, an American divorcee and a descendant of Anna and Sharif, goes to Egypt, taking with her an old family trunk, inside which are found notebooks and journals which reveal Anna and Sharif's secret.

The Map of Love is a massive saga, a story that draws its readers into two moments in the complex, and troubled, history of modern Egypt.

12. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

In 1960s Nigeria, a country blighted by civil war, three lives intersect. Ugwu, a boy from a poor village, works as a houseboy for a university professor. Olanna, a young woman, has abandoned her life of privilege in Lagos to live with her charismatic new lover, the professor. The third is Richard, a shy English writer in thrall to Olanna’s enigmatic twin sister. When the horror of the 1960s Biafra War engulfs them, their loyalties are severely tested, as they are pulled apart in ways none of them imagined.

Goat “Azeeza” takes on Petra

A goat takes on one of the world’s wonders? Well yes!

But let’s rewind to the 6th Century BC, when an industrious people called the Nabataeans built a trading center in the south of Jordan that is known for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Much of the city, called Petra, was carved out of red sandstone canyons. The giant red mountains and vast mausoleums of this departed race are Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction.

Petra, now one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is brought into children’s lives by Karen Asfour and an anzeh (Arabic for goat) in a book published in Amman last month.

Anzeh al-Azeeza Cleans Up Petra, is written, self-published and self-distributed by Karen with sponsored printing by Nadine Toukan. Karen tells the story of Azeeza the anzeh and her family who live “rent-free” in Petra and roam the ancient “forgotten city.”

Karen Asfour at the book-signing in Amman 

Karen Asfour is a founding member and secretary of The Petra National Trust (PNT), which will receive some the book profits. The book is superbly illustrated by Natalie Hijazi, -- a freelance art director, product designer, jeweler and illustrator -- using both digital and traditional media.

The PNT, formed in 1989, is a nongovernmental organization that “seeks a rational balance between the needs of tourism and Petra’s fragile and unique archaeological and natural environment.” Among its aims is to promote responsible tourism in the travel industry and among travelers building on the idea of sustainable tourism. This is simply explained to children in Karen’s book.

Anzeh al-Azeeza Cleans Up Petra is brought into rhyme in Arabic by Karen’s husband Mohammed. And the author says her greatest fans are her grandchildren.

The morale of the tale fits in with the aim of preserving Petra, whether by local visitors or tourists, for after Azeeza eats trash littered at the site and getting into trouble with her mother, she and “her family have a new job to do: instead of eating trash, they will clean it up with you!”

The more than 2000-year-old area gets very little rainfall, but the Nabataeans learned to save every drop of water by building elaborate water collecting systems. From Petra, they used camel caravans to transport goods. Trading made them wealthy and they built elaborate temples, palaces, and tombs. It was an important junction for silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. Eventually, the trade networks moved to other routes. Petra declined and was abandoned. Much of it was covered with rubble and windblown sand and forgotten.

In 1812, Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, disguised as an Arab, persuaded his guide to take him to this “forgotten city.” Through his rediscovery, Petra was revealed to the Western world for the first time since the Crusades. The Crusaders had built a fort there in the 12th century, but soon withdrew.

In 1985, Petra was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. World Heritage Sites are places with outstanding characteristics that are important to all humankind and therefore need to be preserved for future generations. In 2007, in a worldwide vote, Petra was named as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In sixth place, it joins Chichen Itza (Yucatan, Mexico); Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); the Coliseum (Rome, Italy); the Great Wall of China (The People’s Republic of China); Machu Picchu (Cuzco Region, Peru); and the Taj Mahal (Agra, India).

Petra is accessed through the Siq, a narrow gorge over one-kilometer long -- where Azeeza’s siblings like to play -- that is flanked on either side by breathtaking and soaring 80-meter high cliffs. At the end of the Siq, one gets a first glimpse of the Khazneh, or Treasury -- Azeeza’s favorite playground.

Ad-Deir Monastery -- image via Wikipedia

Petra’s natural beauty and outstanding architectural achievements are overwhelming. There are hundreds of elaborate rock-cut tombs with intricate carvings; a Nabataean-built Roman theater; obelisks, temples, sacrificial alters and colonnaded streets. Overlooking the valley, there is the impressive Ad-Deir Monastery that is reached by a flight of 800 rock-cut steps.

Anzeh al-Azeeza Cleans Up Petra is an important message to children, yet told in a simple and amusing way. It could be a template for various other adventures Azeeza could embark on, and not only in Jordan. I hope the book will be distributed in other countries before long.

Although I did visit Petra once, I was too young to remember its beauty, and a second trip to this amazing “wonder” is on my agenda.

(This post appears simultaneously at The Cube, a new blog where a group of Lebanese with a passion for books and reading, of which I am part, review the books we read. You can follow us on Twitter at @TheCubeLB and The Cube, Lebanon on Facebook.)