A Beggar at Damascus Gate [Paperback]

Yasmin Zahran (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1995

Fiction. Middle Eastern Studies. "Cold and alone in an ancient Palestinian village, a travelling archeologist finds the threads of a narrative that will direct his life for the coming decade. Its characters are a Palestinian woman and an English man, each deeply commited to the conflicting demands of love and national loyalties. As the narrator slowly pieces together the fate of two unfortunate lovers, he also uncovers a tale of treachery, duplicity and passion that highlights the contemporary plight of the enormous number of displaced Palestinians. Their final resolution surprises them both and reveals a depth to their committments that neither had previously realized" -- Cole Swenson.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is a dark novel, a passionate plot of love, intrigue and suspicion. The pain of Palestine informs every word. -- Miriam Cooke, Duke University

From the Publisher

Though this may seem a gloomy and even foreboding novel, "A Beggar at Damascus Gate" ends up on the hopeful note that Palestinians will one day return to their homeland.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: Post-Apollo Press (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0942996240
• ISBN-13: 978-0942996241
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,277,743 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best recent Arab-fiction books, March 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Beggar at Damascus Gate (Paperback)

A Poetic, Empowering Portrayal of the struggle for liberation -- both personal and political liberation. Excellent characters -- including a realistic and strong Palestinian woman. A must read for those who love literature, and those who want to learn more about the Palestinian struggle

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reading, August 9, 2003

By 

Giant Panda (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Beggar at Damascus Gate (Paperback)

Having received my copy of this novel as a free promotional copy, I did not expect much in terms of quality. I was therefore pleasantly surprised when I began reading this intriguing novel, and could not put it down until I finished it in a single night! This is spy/love story, enclosed in the historical setting of Palestine in the immediate aftermath of the 1967 war. A beautifully poetic text weaves what turns out to be a highly suspenseful and symbolic novel. Even for people like me who thought they "knew it all" about Palestine, this novel brings with it fresh perspectives that deserve an ear. I was terribly sad when this novel was over. It evoked a lot of memories.

If you like this book you would definitely enjoy "Memory of the Flesh," by Ahlam Mustaghanmi.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Taking a stand for freedom, December 8, 2003

By 

Linda J. PhillipsBoyd (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Beggar at Damascus Gate (Paperback)

A Beggar at Damascus Gate is a compilation of journal entries between a Palestinian woman and her British husband. The fact that they are husband and wife is problematic because of the colonization of Palestine by England. We are privy to these writings through the eyes of an archeologist who uncovers them in his hotel room in Petra. He is at first hesitant about reading them because he realizes that the correspondence is a look into the hearts and souls of two people who cannot prevent his intrusion. He overcomes this reluctance and decides to read the journals first because of his curiosity and finally because he wants to publish them.
The journals track the lives of the couple over many years and are filled with their private thoughts, implications of murder, conspiracy, spying, and revolutionary activities. Since the archeologist decided what entries to publish, it was hard for me to establish a connection with the couple. It was also evident that the archeologist was fascinated by Ryya, the wife, which at first created a bias for me against her husband. The archeologist also tries to mold Ryya into the traditional role of a woman, but he realizes that she does not fit this mold and is forced to give the reader a picture of the true woman.
There is nothing traditional about the lives of the couple and they spend more time apart than together. They travel together and separately throughout their time together and the mission that each is committed to performing is suspected by the other, even though they have no concrete evidence of this fact.
To view this novel as merely a love story is to miss the underlying symbolism of the fight for freedom and against oppression by one country over another. Ryya has one true love left in her life, and that is her homeland of Palestine. It was a place of peacefulness, sacredness, and happiness that she is no longer able to enjoy because of her revolutionary stance against the occupation of Palestine by Israel. Alex doesn't understand her feelings about her version of what her homeland is and means to her. His annoyance comes from the fact that he cannot empathize with her because he has never been on the receiving end of oppression.
The archeologist spends ten years of his life searching for the couple and comes to believe that he will never find them. The significance of the title is revealed at the end of the novel. This novel was well worth the time because it is also a mystery. We have to put the clues together to realize the full impact of the novel.