Review
A Map of Home begins with the aftermath of Nidali's birth. Her
father names her
Nidal, thinking she's a boy, adding the "i" only after realizing his mistake.
So begins a
journey filled with expectation, chaos, love, music and strife. The novel
could easily
form the backbone for an independent film with its hyperbolic characters,
dialogue
zingers, rapid pacing, and everything from war to multiculturalism to a
teenager's first
sexual explorations. The territory covered in this debut is handled with
grace by Jarrar,
whose eye for imagery is equal to that of a cinematographer's: the pianos
saved by Mama
decorating the Texas yard, the announcement for Baba's poetry reading, Wonder
Woman
stickers adorning a headboard, a car burning in the desert, and even ordinary
occurrences
with the potential to become running gags, like the making of...
Beyond the Book
Arabic music is influenced by a history of conquest
and contact with numerous countries including but not
limited to Greece, Medieval Europe and Turkey. Elements of
Arabic music can also be found in non-Arabic countries. A
few common characteristics are the connection between music
and poetry, and the use of
maqamat. In Arabic music, a maqam (plural maqamat) is a
set of notes. The nearest equivalent in Western classical
music would be a mode.
Traditional instruments include:
- Oud: A round-bodied stringed instrument without
frets (watch
& listen)
- Violin: The European violin (also called
Kaman/Kamanjah) was adopted into Arab music...
