Eight novels including one for young adults, two collections of poetry, three essays on sociology, three biographies… Here are brief reviews of sixteen notable works of the twelfth week of this year.
Poetry. “Birds Song” by Farid al-Din Attar
in Little gem (Gallimard, 2001), invented by Patrick Modiano “Persian of Almarai”Language that makes you hear “The wind caresses in the grass and the waterfalls rustle”. Farid El Din Attar is a master “Persian Bird”. Attar was born around 1158 in Nichapur, in what is now Iran, and died in 1221. He is one of the most prominent Sufi poets. In his most famous poetic novels, Mantic ot-teyrtranslated by Bird conference, bird language or here Bird song, tells us that one day, all the birds of the world will gather to search for their king, their supreme being, under the guidance of the hoopoe. They have to abandon everything and cross seven successive valleys. Birds hesitate. The hoopoe responds to their objections with stories, anecdotes, and proverbs. The journey is indeed full of pitfalls and suffering. Only thirty birds reach the goal…and they just find themselves: the real flight is within. “It’s all just a story, an absurd story / And real men’s business is to erase themselves”Attar concludes. From this vast and beautiful text of 4,724 syllables, Lily Anvar renders a sumptuous translation into verse, somewhat of the stern Alexandre making music, to the rhythm of Attar. The richly illustrated first edition was published in 2012. Unillustrated but accessible, this new revised and enriched edition allows you to indulge in happiness in “Persian Bird”. December.
“The Song of the Birds” (Manteq ot-teyr), by Farid al-Din Attar, translated from the Persian by Lily Anwar, Diane de Celliers, 400 pages, 29 euros.
a novel. “A Real Change of Scene” by Clement Benisch
At 22 years old, the young Romanian is not over his teenage crisis. He is the one his mother always called him “little miracle”Because he arrives late, he waves his ugly duckling feathers and asks himself big questions: “Why should I be born in Bordeaux of France?” He just passed the French capes (especially the pretentious assembly!) and asked to be trained in Guyana. There, he will be able to implement the revolutionary pedagogical methods of disjointed teachings. However, an error in the administrative program affects him at a college in the depths of Auvergne. In this exhibition of lost illusions, Clément Bénech immerses himself in hazy pedagogical theories and terminology. He laughs with a jovial talent at those, the many, who want to make others happy in spite of themselves… Everyone, on one side or the other, takes it for their rank. It may be cynical, but as we move forward into what becomes a preposterous story, we discover the emotional connection the author has with his characters. Ironically, we get affected. XH
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