Abou and the Angel Cohen: A Novel [Hardcover]

Claude Campell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 24, 2001

Abou Ben Adhem, a retired goat herder and one-time taxi driver in America, is an Arab village elder living amid the turmoil of the Middle East - and family relationships that aren't so placid either. An angel named Cohen comes to Abou one night, and Cohen is slangy, modern, and full of information about mankind's behavior through the ages and its relevance to contemporary violence, customs, religious beliefs, and conflicts.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A retired goat herder acquires an unexpected adviser in Campbell's debut, in which the author grapples with the gnarly web of conflict in the Middle East with mixed results. Abou Ben Adhem is the Arab shepherd who is awakened one night by a dumpy-looking, wisecracking angel named Cohen, who dazzles the uneducated peasant with a series of historic, religious and anthropological revelations. Cohen also chips in with some advice about a family dilemma that begins when Abou is thrown out of his home by his son-in-law Yasser, a petty, greedy man whose interest in Abou lies mostly in pocketing his inheritance. What follows is a battle between the two men, as Yasser begins beating his wife, Sophia, and spreading vile rumors about his father-in-law. Abou's frustration reaches the boiling point when he moves his tent into the village and starts teaching children about shepherding, only to see the program taken over by Hamas, the anti-Israeli terrorist organization. That takeover comes with tragic consequences during the novel's climax, which involves an Israeli retaliation attack. While some may find problematic the idea of a divine entity delivering decidedly Western advice to an Arab, Campbell counters with humor, as when a "horrified" Abou complains, "I don't want a Jewish angel." The story of Abou's plight is an illuminating if somewhat oversimplified yarn about the way politics are entangled with family life in the Middle East. Author appearances in Tennessee and New York.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Abou Ben Adhem was once blessed with a visit from an angel. Twenty years later, he lives in a shepherd's tent near his daughter's family on the Gaza Strip as relations between Palestinians and Jews deteriorate rapidly. His son-in-law wants to get rid of him, his daughter and his grandson adore him, and his friends listen and offer support. One night, his prayers are answered, and again an angel appears to counsel him a Jewish angel named Cohen. Abou is shocked: a Jewish angel? Hasn't he been devout in his prayers to Allah? Isn't he still at the top of the list of those who love the Lord? As Abou struggles with nightly visitations from Cohen, the two discuss the escalating war, family troubles, and faith. When tragedy strikes, Abou learns that the friendliest face can hide the deadliest enemy, while an enemy can show a rare act of kindness. Campbell's debut offers a provocative look at religion and war. For all collections. Melanie Duncan, Washington Memorial Lib., Macon, GA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Bridgeworks; 1st edition (December 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882593510
• ISBN-13: 978-1882593514
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,554,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A moving, powerful, and recommended book, March 26, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Abou and the Angel Cohen: A Novel (Hardcover)

Abou And The Angel Cohen by Claude Campbell is an original, ironic, humorous, and sometimes tragic novel of conflict in the Gaza Strip in the Middle East, with a plot based in part on a classic 1834 poem "Abou Ben Adhem" about how and angel comes to Abou one night. Problems amount for the modern-day Abou Ben Adhem as family conflicts and a looming political situation seems to spiral out of control, an angel's guidance can bring wisdom and comfort in unexpected ways. A moving, powerful, and recommended book, Abou And The Angel Cohen will grip the reader's rapt attention from first page to last.

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but a little too contrived, March 28, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Abou and the Angel Cohen: A Novel (Hardcover)

This book is a good read but a little too consciously profound and the Angel Cohen a little too Reminiscent of John Travolta in the movie "Michael," That said, it still lends some interesting insights into the conflict into the Miccle East, expecially the Palestinian side of the story.