Customer Reviews

The Boy Who Set the Fire

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Paul Bowles tape recorded Mrabet and other Moroccan storytellers back in the 50s, then edited and translated the tales to give to the Western reading public. The result is a large body of Arabic literature that would have pased into the void had it not been for his efforts.

These stories alone would suffice to merit the eternal gratitude of literature and story lovers everywhere. It's impossible to fathom how an illiterate (Mrabet) could smoke a few bowls of kif and effortlessly spin forth such highly structured, intricate yarns "off the top of his head," yet he and several other of his Moroccan compatriots could do just that. Luckily for posterity, a genius such as Bowles was there to act as amaneunsis.

The title story alone is enough to warrant a purchase. It's an unforgettable account of a young Arab boy who falls victim to a band of vicious marauders. The revenge he exacts is truly diabolical.

Readers who enjoy this collection will NO doubt want to investigate Bowles' collection of indiginous, Moroccan, kif-smoking, oral storytellers, HUNDRED CAMELS IN THE COURTYARD. It, too, is unforgettable. Just another piece of the fabric that went into the tapestry of genius that is Paul Bowles.