Memory for Forgetfulness: August, Beirut, 1982

Rating:
Summary: surreal prose
Review: Darwish is first and foremost an eloquent poet. He uses a very surreal language in this book as a way to define a chaotic time. The time cannot be defined though, and this is the reason for the ambiguous writing. Darwish uses several allusions to coffee, water, and soccer to keep his readers grounded and also to take their minds off of the bombings in Beirut. Ultimately the book is a meditation on death, and has several thought provoking sections. Darwish is an excellent writer, as evidenced in the array of scenes he paints in the book. You will laugh, become depressed, think very very deeply, and be completely enthralled with the text. If you like poetry, surreal atmosphere, or middle eastern literature, this book is a must. It is also a valuable first hand experience of the situation in Beirut in 1982.