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Book of the month

Find reading inspiration on our Book of the Month forum.

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Original poster

October Book of The Month Discussion - In the Country of Men

166 replies

TillyBookClub · 30/10/2007 11:22

This is the thread to come to for tonight's Book of the Month discussion and live author chat. Just a reminder, we'll kick off at 8pm and chat about the book amongst ourselves for an hour. And then Hisham Matar, our author for this month, will join us at 9pm to answer questions and give us the inside story. We'll probably wrap up around 10pm.

If you can't make it this evening but would like to ask Hisham a question or two, please post them here now and Hisham will post his answers later on.

See you here at 8pm...
Tx

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Original poster
TillyBookClub · 30/10/2007 22:04

Hisham, you've been a brilliant virgin web chatter - hope it was good for you too... thank you very very much indeed for answering all our questions and giving us so much insight into your excellent novel.

We'll all be looking out for the next one, and in the meantime, good luck with the hard graft of writing it.

Tx

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beanymum · 30/10/2007 22:05

And I now know how to spell Libya

fryalot · 30/10/2007 22:05

thank you Hisham, it was a pleasure to "meet" you. Good luck with the next one.

ChampagneSupernova · 30/10/2007 22:06

Yes, thank you.

MadamePlatypus · 30/10/2007 22:06

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. Looking forward to the next book.

cosmicdancer · 30/10/2007 22:06

Many thanks Hisham - great to meet you.

HishamMatar · 30/10/2007 22:09

beanymum,
He might know about the book. My uncle, who is also a political prisoner in Libya but is allowed visits, heard an interview I had given to the BBC Arab World Service.

Original poster
TillyBookClub · 30/10/2007 22:11

Hold on a minute.....for those of you still here, Hisham has very heroically said he'll stay online and answer questions for another 20 minutes. So do fire away if there's one more thing you'd like to ask...

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HishamMatar · 30/10/2007 22:12

It has been a pleasure.

HishamMatar · 30/10/2007 22:13

Yes, I am still here. This is more fun than I thought it would be.

yajorome · 30/10/2007 22:14

Excellent chat - thanks for coming and very sorry to hear about your dad and uncle. It's great that your uncle heard you on the radio!

yajorome · 30/10/2007 22:15

Oops - didn't mean to show you the door! It just took me a bit to post...

SusanNevs · 30/10/2007 22:15

Here's a quick one - what book(s) are you reading now? (Loved the Borges reference)

yajorome · 30/10/2007 22:16

What do you hope people will take away from the book? It certainly helps bring the spotlight back on political prisoners and the abuses of the regime. Is there more or any action you hope people will take?

fryalot · 30/10/2007 22:16

ooh, good question susan

beanymum · 30/10/2007 22:16

Thanks for your time Hisham it has been fun. Will def. find out a bit more about Libya.

HishamMatar · 30/10/2007 22:17

I am readying the entire works, or those in translation at least, of Rober Wolser. An excellent Swiss-German author. But stopped to read The Gathering, which I have just finished.

Original poster
TillyBookClub · 30/10/2007 22:19

One question that we didn't get to, something that beanymum and JustScreamMumsnet brought up - does Suleiman deliberately set out to punish his parents with his betrayal, or is it naive, thoughtless behaviour?

And would love your thoughts on yajorome's question about Myanmar and Libya..

(sorry, there I was telling you to go to bed and now I'm piling the pressure on)

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MNHQ
JustscreamMumsnet · 30/10/2007 22:22

Going back to Suleiman's motivation Hisham - why do you think he was so destructive with regard to the things/people that were precious to him? His friendship with Kareem, his mother and fathers' safety?

HishamMatar · 30/10/2007 22:23

yajorome,
Saul Bellow was once asked if novels should have an ethical drive. He said that novels should be, above all things, entertaining. That an unethical novel is a boring one. So I hope that those who read my book find it entertaining. This is me the novelist speaking. But as a citizen, as a British citizen, I take my government to task about its chumminess with the Qaddafi regime.

fryalot · 30/10/2007 22:24

Hisham - if you could give one piece of advice to a would-be author (not me, btw, I'm just curious) what would it be?

yajorome · 30/10/2007 22:31

Thanks for answering. Your quote about an unethical novel being boring is really interesting - I'll keep that in mind when reading your next one, too.

HishamMatar · 30/10/2007 22:31

TillyBookClub,

It is way too early for me to go to bed. So please don't worry.

As I said before, I cannot explain why Suleiman did what he did. All I know is that it seemed truthful. It was his nature. His ability or inability. He is fallible. Like the rest of us. He regrets and wants to be better and fails and regrets again. Talking about reactions to the book that have surprised me, this is one of them. I am surprised that he is seen as being all that bad. I think he did fairly well with the cards that were dealt him. But I would say that, wouldn?t I? Because I love him. You can?t write about people you don't love. I even loved those two that tied the noose. I have no choice. To write is to love.

Original poster
TillyBookClub · 30/10/2007 22:31

Not a question but an invitation - it looks like The Gathering will be Mumsnet's November Book of the Month (its got the most votes so far, final result announced Thursday 6pm) so if you fancy joining the discussion on that book, please come along... Would be fascinating to get your take on it.

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HishamMatar · 30/10/2007 22:33

Squonk,
Of course it is not you...
Read and write. Those are the two things that help the most after living. And read the best, and try to write better than you ever thought you could.