Dates on My Fingers: An Iraqi Novel (Modern Arabic Literature) Paperback – June 30, 2014

Dates on My Fingers is a rich coming of age story told in direct, lucid language. Al-Ramli’s protagonist, Saleem, describes his childhood in Iraq, where he experiences intense violence and brutality under Saddam Hussein’s regime, but also the strong ties of family, the power of friendship across ethnic and national lines, the richness of Arabic literature and Islamic faith, and above all the ecstasy and pathos of first love. Saleem recalls these experiences as a refugee in Spain, where his life is safer and but also emptier—until his father, who has left Iraq for reasons of his own, reenters his life.If, like me, you are an American who has seen Iraq almost exclusively as a battle zone and as a domestic American political issue, you will find this book both fascinating and eye-opening. It evokes both everyday life and extreme experiences of joy and suffering, and it shows both the tensions between East and West and the ways in which they are profoundly linked. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but one thing that really impressed me was the way that al-Ramli sets up what appears to be a contrast between Europe and Iraq, peace and violence, forgiveness and revenge, individual and family, and then shows the reader that what appears to be a conflict of cultures is really a debate within Iraqi culture and within Islam itself. I was also struck by the honesty with which al-Ramli depicts love and longing in his young protagonist. Highly recommended.

Interesting novel about the interplay between Europe and the Middle East as well as the variability of identity.

I do not read Arabic and so Leafgren's translation opened a new door for understanding some of the complexities of Iraq. It is a fascinating upfront depiction of life in Iraq and the tensions of religion, central government, war and family ties. Muhsin Al-Ramli's novel richly describes village life under Saddam Hussein and the tensions of loyalty, religious oaths and vengeance. This is a novel well translated and fascinating to read.

Not read it yetb but it was delivered ok.