Damascus Nights
Books / Hardcover
ISBN: 0374134464 / Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux, October 1993
A novel set in Damascus in 1959 and told as a collection of stories recalls memories of the ancient past and past glories of Syria as they fade in the face of modernism
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Once upon a time, it happens that Salim the coach man, the most famous storyteller in all of Damascus, is mysteriously struck dumb. To break the spell, seven friends gather for seven nights to present Salim with seven wondrous "gifts," seven stories of their own invention ...Upon this enchanting frame of tales told in the fragrant Arabian night, Rafik Schami weaves a strikingly original, sophisticated, and contemporary novel. For this is Damascus, 1959: the words of the past are growing fainter; ancient customs are yielding to modern turmoil. As the hairdresser, the teacher, the wife of the locksmith sip their tea and pass the waterpipe, they trade stories not just about djinns and princesses but also about some unlovely trends in Middle Eastern politics and the insurmountable difficulties of bargaining in a New York department store. And as one tale leads to another ... and another ... all of Damascus appears before our eyes, along with a vision of storytelling - and talk - as the essence of friendship, of community, of life.A wise and graceful work, full of subtlety and humor, Damascus Nights introduces a remarkable new voice to our culture.
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