Interlink Books
Abu Jmeel's Daughter & Other Stories : Arab Folk Tales from Palestine and Lebanon
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Abu Jmeel's Daughter & Other Stories
Author(s): Jamal Sleem Nuweihed
These 27 traditional folk stories were written down, shortly before her death, by Jamal Sleem Nuweihed, who had recounted them to the children of her extended family over many years. Authentically Arab in their themes, yet timelessly universal, they are sometimes magical, sometimes naturalistic, and combine a wealth of vivid detail with elements of pathos and humor. Translated by family members of various generations, then expertly edited, the book is a precious store of the kind of tale endlessly cherished but in danger of disappearing.
Review(s):
"Women are the center of these 27 lively traditional tales that have been told and retold in Lebanese, Palestinian, and Turkish families for generations...translated here for a contemporary audience...bright, accessible...the informal style has the immediacy and timelessness of family storytelling...There are motifs from The Thousand and One Nights...and also from the Brothers Grimm...for family, school and adult audiences. A rich resource for teens and teachers."
"Exquisite collection...While the female protagonists are intelligent and capable, their worlds are circumscribed; they know little of the universe outside their garden walls. The male protagonists travel far and wide, their only boundaries imposed by bad luck....Magical birds, beautiful genies, clever sons and beautiful daughters populate these pages. Readers of all ages will enjoy the delightful and timeless narratives."-Foreword Magazine
"These tales had been passed down as oral tradition by generations of women and finally were written down by Nuweihed, when she was eighty-three, at the request of her niece, Salma Jayyusi...The stories she memorized and frequently retold are not only entertaining but also show how a classic oral tradition becomes a medium for passing on to children moral lessons and ethical values. In addition, these stories are interesting in that almost all of them portray women who are active decision makers in various life situations that they confront."
ISBN: 9781566564182
Author(s): Jamal Sleem Nuweihed
These 27 traditional folk stories were written down, shortly before her death, by Jamal Sleem Nuweihed, who had recounted them to the children of her extended family over many years. Authentically Arab in their themes, yet timelessly universal, they are sometimes magical, sometimes naturalistic, and combine a wealth of vivid detail with elements of pathos and humor. Translated by family members of various generations, then expertly edited, the book is a precious store of the kind of tale endlessly cherished but in danger of disappearing.
Review(s):
"Women are the center of these 27 lively traditional tales that have been told and retold in Lebanese, Palestinian, and Turkish families for generations...translated here for a contemporary audience...bright, accessible...the informal style has the immediacy and timelessness of family storytelling...There are motifs from The Thousand and One Nights...and also from the Brothers Grimm...for family, school and adult audiences. A rich resource for teens and teachers."
"Exquisite collection...While the female protagonists are intelligent and capable, their worlds are circumscribed; they know little of the universe outside their garden walls. The male protagonists travel far and wide, their only boundaries imposed by bad luck....Magical birds, beautiful genies, clever sons and beautiful daughters populate these pages. Readers of all ages will enjoy the delightful and timeless narratives."-Foreword Magazine
"These tales had been passed down as oral tradition by generations of women and finally were written down by Nuweihed, when she was eighty-three, at the request of her niece, Salma Jayyusi...The stories she memorized and frequently retold are not only entertaining but also show how a classic oral tradition becomes a medium for passing on to children moral lessons and ethical values. In addition, these stories are interesting in that almost all of them portray women who are active decision makers in various life situations that they confront."
ISBN: 9781566564182