Customer Reviews

Friendly Fire: Stories

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Alaa Al Aswany writes of contemporary Egypt, the Egypt he sees and interprets. He explains in his very thorough and worthy of note preface; that there is a usual similarity between the audiences of the first moving pictures who were terrified because they believed the train coming toward them was real and the people who believe the literature they read is real; that one should not interpret his writing as a hatred of Egypt.
He explains the history of the book, mainly his first story - 'The Isam Abd el-Ati Papers' and why it was not published at his first try. His 219 page book, Friendly Fire consists of short stories, the first 92 pages long, the other 16 much shorter. He is a good writer, but one can see why the Egyptian authorities would not publish his writing; it expresses no virtue of the country or its' people - one has to remind themselves of his admonishing in the preface that he loves his country and his literature possesses an independent existence from his thinking.
So, in summary be prepared for a book with stories that rail on the subject of human kind, not the worst of society but the everyday foibles and failings of the inhabitants of modern Egypt, but they could exist anywhere -the teasing of schoolmates, the difficulties and obstacles of achieving one's life dreams.
Each story is a tale of woe and wretched luck. Each story leaves much of what will finally happen to your imagination, much as life is. This is not just about Egypt but the state of anger and frustration in humankind - well written but frustrating to me in that there seemed to be no optimism or closure. So read if you are interested a different style and a critically acclaimed contemporary Egyptian writer.

Having read and enjoyed Alla Al Aswany's The Yacoubian Building I did not hesitate when I saw this title. The novella He Who Drew Close and Saw, which occupies just over half the book, is an account narrated by Isam, a young Egyptian who clearly has a very low opinion of his countrymen. He briefly takes us through his childhood and to his working career, and along the way describes his relationships with his family, work colleagues and friends. Initially one is inclined to have less than positive thoughts about Isam, for he appears arrogant and selfish, yet there is something about him that wins the reader to his side; it is not until the neat twist at the end that we realise what that strange allure is.

The remainder of the book comprises nine short stories, all of which are centred on Egypt. Several revolve around children and the typical problems of growing up, including a bullying schoolteacher, the victimisation of an overweight boy, the bright new boy who everyone wants to befriend, and the triumph against adversity. Other stories tell of the trials of a bright young medical student who despite his brilliance seems unable to win approval, a political activist who has a vision, and an absentee son trying to justify his failure to support his ageing mother. What unites all these stories is their commentary on human nature, and often the Egyptian way of life. Al Aswany's penetrating perception and frank depiction of Egyptian culture is always tinged with wry humour and peopled with appealing characters. But whatever the story, and however short or even unresolved, one always is left with a thought provoking point to ponder.

It's a good book with several short stories. Not as good as Chicago or The Yacobian Building, but still good.