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BOOKS IN BRIEF “When was the last time I tasted / poetry like that, not just a cool mint swirl in the brain / but a wash of chile in the marrow?” Published by Lost Horse Press, Idaho, USA, 2014. ISBN: 978-0991146529, 65pp, Pbk, $18.00/£11.08. Stephen Watts. NON-FICTION Your Mother-in-Law Loves You And Other Proverbs and Expressions from Syria by Rebecca Joubin is an exquisite collection of proverbs and expressions resulting from ten years of travel and research up and down the old, fascinating and peaceful Syria, just before outbreak of the current troubles. Signatures of Syrian culture and identity, the proverbs are presented both in colloquial and Modern Standard Arabic, with an English translation and a contingent explanation. Each proverb has its own drawing by Etab Hreib, who is a critically acclaimed Syrian watercolourist from Der-Ez-Zor. The title is emblematic of the strong inclination towards hospitality among Syrian people: when visiting someone unexpectedly “hamatik ba-tohebik” (your mother-in-law loves you) becomes indeed an invitation to join them in their meal. This is just one of the “bizarre” sayings of the book, divided into topics such as the body, food, animals, colours, homeland, work, and experience, but we can also find more universal expressions that let us understand how similar human beings are all over the world. Strongly recommended to students or curious readers. Selected by Rebecca Joubin, Illustrated by Etab Hreib. Published by Ibex Publishers, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-58814-132-3180, Pbk, 180pp, £16.00/ $28.00. Annamaria Bianco In Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People, Jack Shaheen has taken on an impressive and rather sad task of listing films with Arabs stereotyped on screen. Shaheen’s accomplishment is to give a short analysis of each film, a list of over 1,100 titles. Unfortunately no additions have been made since the second edition (2009) and therefore the new films mentioned in Banipal 38’s brief review have not been added, and neither has any other film from the 21st century. Instead Sha- 208 BANIPAL 53 – SUMMER 2015
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BOOKS IN BRIEF heen reflects upon changes in an updated Preface from pre- to post9/11 productions. Despite a continued vilification of Arabs on screen, he has also noted a positive interest in the Middle East, tackling some of the ignorance around Arabs and Muslims. Due to this new interest, several Arab films have actually been nominated at the Academy Award, such as Hany Abu Assad’s Omar. This shows a trend of interest in films where Arabs are protagonists, yet to be achieved by Hollywood and the major US TV networks series. Shaheen has also noted that some Arab actors that are turning down roles as Arab villains, and finding a way round typecasting through well received stand-up comedy. Published by Olive Branch Press, USA. ISBN: 9781566567527. Pbk, 617pp, $30.00/£19.99. Aurora Tellenbach Keep Your Eye on the Wall is a broad collection of texts and photos of the Separation Wall. Despite the tragic circumstances, Raja Shehadeh found the photographs “shockingly beautiful”. Convinced the wall be destroyed, the landscape may never be fully restored. Meant to prevent Palestinians from getting across, Raed Bawayah has documented those who succeeded in doing just that but living in poor conditions. In Adania Shibli’s story, a man is fenced in when the wall is built outside his house. Noel Jabbour’s captures the contrasts. A white Israeli settlement in the distance, on the Palestinian side a skinny horse is grazing. Kai Wiedenhöfer, who documented the Berlin Wall coming down, here captures the construction of the Separation Wall. Christine Leuenberger writes that in our time more walls are being erected with a growing ignorance about those on the other side. Yael Lerer, who worked with Juliano Mer-Khamis in Jenin, remembers how they used both Arabic and Hebrew, taking on false identities when crossing checkpoints. Malu Halasa describes how Palestinian artists have argued over whether to use the wall or not, and reflects on the perception of who is in charge. The wall has also been used for commemorating the dead, as recorded in Taysir Batniji’s photos. Steve Sabella’s collages of wall, wire and concrete show the madness in the construction. Raeda Saadeh takes a comical view – in one of her photos a woman is trying to pull the wall down with a rope. Edited by Olivia Snaije and Mitchell Albert, Saqi Books 2013, ISBN: 9780863567599, 192pp, Hbk, £45.00/$69.95. Aurora Tellenbach BANIPAL 53 – SUMMER 2015 209

BOOKS IN BRIEF

“When was the last time I tasted / poetry like that, not just a cool mint swirl in the brain / but a wash of chile in the marrow?” Published by Lost Horse Press, Idaho, USA, 2014. ISBN: 978-0991146529, 65pp, Pbk, $18.00/£11.08. Stephen Watts.

NON-FICTION

Your Mother-in-Law Loves You And Other Proverbs and Expressions from Syria by Rebecca Joubin is an exquisite collection of proverbs and expressions resulting from ten years of travel and research up and down the old, fascinating and peaceful Syria, just before outbreak of the current troubles. Signatures of Syrian culture and identity, the proverbs are presented both in colloquial and Modern Standard Arabic, with an English translation and a contingent explanation. Each proverb has its own drawing by Etab Hreib, who is a critically acclaimed Syrian watercolourist from Der-Ez-Zor.

The title is emblematic of the strong inclination towards hospitality among Syrian people: when visiting someone unexpectedly “hamatik ba-tohebik” (your mother-in-law loves you) becomes indeed an invitation to join them in their meal. This is just one of the “bizarre” sayings of the book, divided into topics such as the body, food, animals, colours, homeland, work, and experience, but we can also find more universal expressions that let us understand how similar human beings are all over the world. Strongly recommended to students or curious readers. Selected by Rebecca Joubin, Illustrated by Etab Hreib. Published by Ibex Publishers, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-58814-132-3180, Pbk, 180pp, £16.00/ $28.00. Annamaria Bianco

In Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People, Jack Shaheen has taken on an impressive and rather sad task of listing films with Arabs stereotyped on screen. Shaheen’s accomplishment is to give a short analysis of each film, a list of over 1,100 titles. Unfortunately no additions have been made since the second edition (2009) and therefore the new films mentioned in Banipal 38’s brief review have not been added, and neither has any other film from the 21st century. Instead Sha-

208 BANIPAL 53 – SUMMER 2015

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