Feb 27th

The Drumming Sands
Ibrahim, Al-Kouni

The story is about a visitor and a native of the desert getting drunk and losing their way on what would normally be a routine trip. The visitor, Misbah Said is a writer and involved in politics. The guide is a native who appears very comfortable in the harsh desert setting. They are at the mercy of the temperature and the elements and to me, the Land-Rover feels out of place. They should have camels. The writer has an encounter with a local politician he has clashed with before and learns his guide is dead and it is no accident as he is expected to believe. In the midst of th desert is a group of people who were known to the guide and celebrate their sparse existence in the desert. Misbah seemed to have trouble processing their lives, his political standing and his duties to the foreign land.

Cairo is a Small City
Nabil Gorgy
This story seems to take place during a boom of activity and growth in Cairo. The main character Adil is an engineer who lives in luxury and has hand a hand in building up the city., From his posh pad he sees a group of women pass by and falls for one of them. They trade looks and build a relationship over several months. He talks about his love and devotion and when he is invited to go with her to meet his family he feels like this is a chance to seek permission to wed. Its very symbolic he is invited to a shearing of the sheep. Once he gets there he is questioned by several of the groups men and it is revealed that they know his as a man that killed one of their people. Adil recalls the story and it appears to be an accident, however the result is the same. He is executed by these people for his crime. His character showed darkness in several parts of the story - from his treatment of other bedouin women to his ability to forget his previous crime.

The Persian Carpet
Hanan Shaykh
Three sisters go to visit their mother at her new home. After an Islamic divorce it is almost always the fathers who gain custody of the children. There is much anticipation as the girls sneak away to see their mother and the middle child is most excited to see her. There is much rejoicing and happiness amoung the women as the reunite until she sees a rug on her mother's new floor. The rug had once been in their home and at had disappeared. Her mother has accused the blind man Ilya of taking the rug. The rug was gone several months before her parents divorced and the daughter must deal with the betrayal from her mother. She is so happy to see her but thinks of the blind man and of her mother's selfishness and had to face the realization that her mother had planned to leave long before she actually did.

Voices fom Near and Far
A I Abdul Razzak
An illiterate mother is dictating a letter to an un-named man to send to her sons who are fighting in a war far away. She is sad and scared that she has not heard from them and concerned for their well being. She listens to the radio constantly to hear if their names are mentioned. It is slowly revealed that this man she is dictating to could be more than a friend. I am not sure, but I think at one point their is a reference to her health - is she pregnant?

Life By Installments
Mohammed Barrada
This is a very symbolic story involving characters of all ages. The action is minimal but the descriptions of the conversations and the thoughts describe a fatalistic outlook on all stages of life. The things people consider living for are reduced to simple statements and the stages of life are negated. It was somewhat hard to follow. It had a very dismal feel to it.

Flower Crazy
Mohammed Chukri
A woman who is raising her brothers lives in poverty but spends the day as a high price escort. She talks about drinking and the traps of depenceny but based on her violent vomiting she is victim as well. She hides her nice things from her family and when she gets to the city hides her poorness from everyone. She talks about the man who gives flowers away, Flower Crazy and his life. He seems crazy or sad top her. She seems sickly and selfish to the reader, leaving her brothers in the destitution and wearing expoensive clothes and having a coveted doll all to herself. she much prefers her rich life over her family and her home. However she makes no attempt to improve either situation.