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Sami Michael

Autor/a de A Trumpet in the Wadi

25+ obres 187 Membres 7 Ressenyes 1 preferits

Sobre l'autor

Born in Baghdad, Sami Michael was active in the leftist underground in Iraq. In 1948, he fled to Iran where he continued his fight against the Iraqi regime. He later emigrated to Israel, where he is a graduate of the departments of Psychology and Arabic at Haifa University. "Refuge" is the first of mostra'n més his novels to be translated into English. (Bowker Author Biography) mostra'n menys

Inclou aquests noms: Sammy Michael, סמי מיכאל

Obres de Sami Michael

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The Schocken Book of Modern Sephardic Literature (2005) — Col·laborador — 24 exemplars

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Ressenyes

A Trumpet in the Wadi is difficult for me to rate because I'm not sure I can even understand it.

This is the second novel I can recall reading that's set primarily in Israel, and in both instances I found the novels nearly impenetrable. There are interesting insights and beautiful images, but the influence of the culture is just so foreign to me, I can't really comprehend the characters' actions and motivations. I can't figure out why sometimes they remain silent and other times they lash out. I can't understand the concept of covering for one's actions for the sake of propriety or tradition. I can't even picture the landscape.

Some of this bafflement is represented in the character of Alex, a Jewish immigrant from the Soviet Union, but while his confusion might make me feel a little more at home in my own confusion, his perspective doesn't help me to understand because the perspective of someone from the Soviet Union is nearly as foreign to me as the perspective of Arab Christians in Israel.

The main feeling I take away from this novel is of being an outsider. Not only am I an outsider reading it, but essentially all of the characters are outsiders, too. They've all had to try and piece together through trial and error who they are and how to act in different situations. I suspect I do this to one degree or another within my own culture in the United States---where I, incidentally, often feel like an outsider even though I was born here---but I think the paradigm here of equality makes it difficult for me to conceptualize the strict religious, ethnic, and class boundaries in the Haifa of Michael's novel.

Reading about these characters I think, why don't they just move somewhere else? They don't have to stay in Israel, do they? But Alex, the immigrant, even addresses this issue. He's essentially stateless, and anywhere he goes he'll be foreign, will struggle to speak the language, to understand and be understood. His best bet, it seems, is to stick with one thing and make the most out of that situation.

Which is really kind of depressing.

I like to think that we're all humans and as such, we're more alike than we are different, but do I really have strong evidence to back up this belief?
… (més)
 
Marcat
ImperfectCJ | Hi ha 3 ressenyes més | Jun 28, 2020 |
A Trumpet in the Wadi is difficult for me to rate because I'm not sure I can even understand it.

This is the second novel I can recall reading that's set primarily in Israel, and in both instances I found the novels nearly impenetrable. There are interesting insights and beautiful images, but the influence of the culture is just so foreign to me, I can't really comprehend the characters' actions and motivations. I can't figure out why sometimes they remain silent and other times they lash out. I can't understand the concept of covering for one's actions for the sake of propriety or tradition. I can't even picture the landscape.

Some of this bafflement is represented in the character of Alex, a Jewish immigrant from the Soviet Union, but while his confusion might make me feel a little more at home in my own confusion, his perspective doesn't help me to understand because the perspective of someone from the Soviet Union is nearly as foreign to me as the perspective of Arab Christians in Israel.

The main feeling I take away from this novel is of being an outsider. Not only am I an outsider reading it, but essentially all of the characters are outsiders, too. They've all had to try and piece together through trial and error who they are and how to act in different situations. I suspect I do this to one degree or another within my own culture in the United States---where I, incidentally, often feel like an outsider even though I was born here---but I think the paradigm here of equality makes it difficult for me to conceptualize the strict religious, ethnic, and class boundaries in the Haifa of Michael's novel.

Reading about these characters I think, why don't they just move somewhere else? They don't have to stay in Israel, do they? But Alex, the immigrant, even addresses this issue. He's essentially stateless, and anywhere he goes he'll be foreign, will struggle to speak the language, to understand and be understood. His best bet, it seems, is to stick with one thing and make the most out of that situation.

Which is really kind of depressing.

I like to think that we're all humans and as such, we're more alike than we are different, but do I really have strong evidence to back up this belief?
… (més)
 
Marcat
ImperfectCJ | Hi ha 3 ressenyes més | Nov 27, 2016 |
Ad Haifa nel 1982 si incontranoe si amano un ebreo russo e un'araba cristiana. Interessante.
 
Marcat
cloentrelibros | Hi ha 3 ressenyes més | Aug 23, 2016 |
Sami Michael is one of Israel's most beloved authors. Winner of many prizes, Michael has won the hearts and souls of countless Israelis with books such as "A Trumpet in the Wadi" and "Victoria". His latest novel, "מעוף הברבורים" ("The Flight of the Swans"), doesn't rise to the same heights as his previous achievements, but is a welcome addition to his repertoire. Two brothers, William and Shraga Alkabir, are the central characters of this book. The first few pages are a masterpiece of story weaving, giving the reader just enough information to know who the brothers are, and giving away just enough hints to make the read curious about the hidden secrets of the family. There are two major secrets that unravel later in the book and even though the careful and alert reader can pick them out early enough, this does not diminish the pleasure of reading.… (més)
 
Marcat
ashergabbay | Jul 7, 2013 |

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Obres
25
També de
1
Membres
187
Popularitat
#116,277
Valoració
½ 3.3
Ressenyes
7
ISBN
28
Llengües
7
Preferit
1

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