tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post5522222523443366407..comments2024-01-02T15:37:04.858-05:00Comments on Caravana de recuerdos: The Cairo Trilogy I: Palace WalkRichardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-75178956572421954142011-01-06T08:08:34.994-05:002011-01-06T08:08:34.994-05:00*E.L. Fay: First, apologies to you and the rest of...*E.L. Fay: First, apologies to you and the rest of those who left comments after you for my delay in responding. My bad! I never really doubted Mahfouz's pyschological or thematic subtlety; it was his long-winded, overly-descriptive exposition, as opposed to his <em>Miramar</em> style, that seemed kind of heavyhanded and not subtle to me. Love the point you and Emily make about the identification with the English and the father, though!<br /><br />*JoAnn: How interesting to hear that you had such a similar experience settling into <em>Palace Walk</em>--and independently verifed at that! Loved <em>Miramar</em> and am heartened by your enjoyment of <em>The Cairo Trilogy</em> as a whole. Thanks for the input!<br /><br />*Bythefirelight: I much appreciate these various insights and your reminder that the work was one long piece only broken up for publishing reasons. Will have to look for that book of Mahfouz dialogues, esp. since I do hope to read more of him systematically if the rest of the trilogy holds up for me. Thanks for dropping by!<br /><br />*Valerie: Awesome--will be by to look at your post in a little while! So glad you talk about translation--I had wondered about the extra translator, too, but I'm not far enough into the second volume yet to have noticed any stylistic differences that couldn't be explained by authorial intent. In the meantime, thanks again for reading along with us--cheers!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-14193298923935669172011-01-05T15:56:32.144-05:002011-01-05T15:56:32.144-05:00To clarify about the translation... Book One has t...To clarify about the translation... Book One has two translators. Book Two has three translators.Valeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10401551604933163595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-86410304523791227162011-01-05T15:24:20.343-05:002011-01-05T15:24:20.343-05:00I finished this book a couple weeks ago, but final...I finished this book a couple weeks ago, but finally got my post up yesterday. My thoughts are here: http://lifeisapatchworkquilt.com/blog/?p=3109<br /><br />I agree that the first installment started out a bit slowly but then I really got into it. The double standards really bothered me too and altho I didn't mention it in my post, the views/comments on black servants and Turks bothered me too.<br /><br />In my post I mention the issue of translation, and in picking up book two today, I noticed that a third person was involved in translating the second book (rather than one for the first). Wonder if that will make a difference in the reading experience? hmmm....looking forward to finding out!Valeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10401551604933163595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-2341767046097056302011-01-05T02:47:18.892-05:002011-01-05T02:47:18.892-05:00I always found the first book the most interesting...I always found the first book the most interesting. The third book Sugar Street seemed not to have quite the fascination for me. That said I thought they were all very good. Mafouz's latter works, as you can see in Miramar, move away from the Victorian or pre modernist style (I'm not sure what to call it). His models, as he notes in Gamal al-Ghitani's book of conversations with him, early on were Flaubert and the like. The other thing to keep in mind, although it sounds pedantic to say it, is the books weren't written as 3 books. It is one long book he had to break up to get published. I would recommend Gamal al-Ghitanis' Mahfouz Dialogs if you want to hear what Mahfouz thought about the work (and his others).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-12090747407664453272011-01-01T20:45:10.197-05:002011-01-01T20:45:10.197-05:00Palace Walk took some time to get into, but it was...Palace Walk took some time to get into, but it was well worth the effort. I read the entire trilogy a few years ago and just loved it (the second book did seem to drag a little). I've been wanting to read more by Mahfouz... will add Miramar to my list.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-17493079438280807822010-12-29T18:44:59.902-05:002010-12-29T18:44:59.902-05:00Emily pointed out on my blog that the attitude of ...Emily pointed out on my blog that the attitude of the young male family members toward the English could parallel their feelings toward their father. Like Kamal loves spending time with the English even though they're basically beating on his father and brothers, and Yasin secretly sees them as the epitome of civilization even though he too desires independence. For all his heavy-handed exposition, I think Mahfouz has more subtlety than we realize. There's something to be said for how multiple forms of oppression parallel each other.Eileenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11058705381647529328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-23689655234905465102010-12-29T11:30:48.540-05:002010-12-29T11:30:48.540-05:00*Caroline: I'm enjoying the trilogy so far, bu...*Caroline: I'm enjoying the trilogy so far, but right now I'm glad I started with Mahfouz's <em>Miramar</em> because I think it had a more graceful storytelling style than this (both works offer a lot to ponder thematically, though). Haven't read <em>Midaq Alley</em> but have heard almost entirely good things about it. And since you like film, you might also consider comparing the Mexican movie version of it (starring a young Salma Hayek) to the novel. I had to watch it for a Spanish class once!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-63647570003056392242010-12-29T02:51:26.770-05:002010-12-29T02:51:26.770-05:00As someone who hasn't read any Mahfouz yet I d...As someone who hasn't read any Mahfouz yet I don't think I would want to start with this one. I got Midaq Alley, have you read it? Palace Walk sounds fascinating and infuriating in equal measures...Carolinehttp://beautyisasleepingcat.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-45224036158095727502010-12-27T19:06:29.561-05:002010-12-27T19:06:29.561-05:00*Emily: LOL at your last remark--and how funny wha...*Emily: LOL at your last remark--and how funny what you say about Mahfouz's critique being so important to you re: coming to grips with the claustrophobia! I sort of assumed he was being critical all along, but I remember a point in the novel where I had to ask myself whether he really was being critical or was just a disinterested observer (in which case my own views were kind of labeling him a "critic" without textual support). In any event, a fine tightrope he walked as novelist. And I agree that Kamal's possible evolving anglophilia would be/will be interesting--I understand that the trilogy ends in the '50s, so there's plenty of room for change on that front at least!<br /><br />*Sarah: Good point about even the conversation being relatively rigid and formal here! Am now curious whether that was a conscious stylistic choice that will change in the latter two books or whether that was just Mahfouz's early style after all. Re: the psychology and the characters, I liked that the book began with a focus on Amina before shifting to the dad and the other characters. Mr. Ahmad Abd al-Jawad would seem to be the central character in Vol. 1 all right, but he doesn't really dominate the proceedings like that tiring protagonist in <em>K Lav</em> or anything. Anyway, will be interested in seeing what happens to the rest of the clan in the upcoming volumes.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-85517216083479027382010-12-27T15:40:15.850-05:002010-12-27T15:40:15.850-05:00Funny how even what conversation there is in this ...Funny how even what conversation there is in this book is rigidly formal. That on top of the heavy handed exposition was a bit rough on me, but ultimately I was enthralled. The way Mahfouz delves into the psychology behind his character's actions and reactions kind of reminds me of Proust. I had better stop making comparisons though and let Mahfouz speak for himself! I'm ready to do so as I venture into the next books, now that I'm pretty certain that I trust him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-82071324316695265862010-12-27T13:54:58.231-05:002010-12-27T13:54:58.231-05:00My reaction was much the same as yours in terms of...My reaction was much the same as yours in terms of the slow intro giving way to a fascination with the characters, and also in terms of mingled horror and interest at the gender and political relationships. I look forward to seeing how Kamal's Anglophilia plays out in his later life - seems like rich fodder for development in the second and third books. <br /><br />The gender stuff was extremely claustrophobic for me to read, especially before about halfway through, when I was finally sure that Mahfouz was critiquing the same things that bothered me. Being forbidden from leaving the house! Being blamed for complaining about your husband's infidelity! Never being allowed to express a contrary opinion! (Well, obviously we all know how well I would do with that one, haha.)Emilyhttp://www.eveningallafternoon.comnoreply@blogger.com