The Hidden Light of Objects by Mai Al-Nakib

Author:  Mai Al-Nakib
Original title: The Hidden Light of Objects
Pages: 311
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Format: Paperback
Genres: contemporary, short story collection
Goodreads

Blurb:    
    Short story collection.
The headlines tell of war, unrest and religious clashes. But if you look beyond them you may see life in the Middle East as it is really lived – adolescent love, yearnings for independence, the fragility of marriage, pain of the most quotidian kind. Mai Al-Nakib’s luminous stories carefully unveil the lives of ordinary people in the Middle East – and the power of ordinary objects to hold extraordinary memories.

My thoughts: 

       This is a short story collection and it was difficult to say if I loved it immensely or not.
       Although the stories are seemingly accessible and easy to read, there is an undeniable depth. The stories gave a description of peaceful Kuwaiti life before Hussein invaded and America bombed the country. There were nine stories, but I would not tell which I liked more.
        Before each story is a short vignette which I am still unsure about, some of them seemed to give insight into the story that came after, some seemed completely unconnected and I wondered what they are for. Several of the stories are interlinked either through characters or, fittingly, through objects hinting at yet more stories untold. The stories hold a lot of sadness, but also beauty. And they are wonderfully told:

  The thing is to be as light as air, like a shawl through a rose gold ring. To be present and, at the same time, to wander through the alleys of the past, plucking memories and possibilities like grapes off vines.

I’m so glad I was given the opportunity to read Mai Al-Nakib’s work, thought it was not easy task.
 

Rating:  

  3/5 

Tales of Belkin by Alexander Pushkin

Author: Alexander Pushkin
Original title: Повести покойного Ивана Петровича Белкина 
Pages: 82
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: paperback
Genres: Classics
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   This collection is a set of stories within a story. The preface by "the editors" incorporates a letter from a friend of the eponymous Belkin, describing the dead writer's character, history and interests. The stories are themselves said to be tales once told to Belkin by various and sundry figures.
  
My thoughts: 

    Pushin is often referred to as the father of modern Russian literature. Though the title implies gravity and humorlessness, Pushkin was a very funny writer. He was light-hearted and good-spirited Thus, his writing, both poetry and prose almost always interwoven with satire, parody and allusions. And this book is a great example in that regard. The five tales of Belkin were brief, to the point, and composed with a lightness that I found delightful. Curiously, the story I liked best was the only sad one The Stationmaster. My childhood favorite was The Mistress Peasant and I was not so enchanted this time.
      I have read many reviews where people find the stories quite funny and witty. True, but I was finding a lot of drama between the lines. Where are scenes in which you can see many social problems, inequality and bulling. At the same time other matters as parental love, sense of duty and pride are discussed in this witty and fun collection of short stories that made me feel genuine delight and enjoyment.

The Shot - a duel is derailed when one participant notices the indifference his opponent has towards his inevitable demise (5 stars)
The Blizzard - an aristocratic young woman falls in love with a young officer, but her parents disapprove of the relationship so they decide to elope, marry quickly, and then beg forgiveness (5 stars)
The Undertaker - an undertaker returns home after a party offended after someone jokingly offers a toast to the health of Prokhorov's customers; he decides to hold his house-warming party with his customers rather than his neighbors (3 stars)
The Postmaster - a returning traveler is surprised to see the station master's change of fortune after this daughter's kidnapping (5 stars)
The Mistress Peasant - in order to meet the handsome new arrival, a young lady pretends to be a peasant girl(4 stars)  

Rating:  

    5/5 

The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier

Author: Daphne du Maurier
Original title: The Birds and Other Stories
Pages: 336
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: e-book
Genres: Contemporary,
Goodreads

Blurb:    
    The idea for this famous story came to du Maurier one day when she was walking across to Menabilly Barton farm from the house. She saw a farmer busily ploughing a field whilst above him the seagulls were diving and wheeling. She developed an idea about the birds becoming hostile and attacking him. In her story, the birds become hostile after a harsh winter with little food -- first the seagulls, then birds of prey, and finally even small birds -- all turn against mankind. The nightmarish vision appealed to Hitchcock who turned it into the celebrated film.
     Stories in the collection:
The Birds
Monte Verità
The Apple Tree
The Little Photographer
Kiss Me Again, Stranger
The Old Man

My thoughts: 
     I am not a great short story reader, but loved this book. The most favorite is Apple Tree, I loved how the paranoia of the main character was escalating. Least favorite is Monte Verita: the story was developing beautifully, but I hated the ending... it was so lifeless and perfect.

Rating:  

    4/5 

Almost Famous Women: Stories by Megan Mayhew Bergman

Author: Megan Mayhew Bergman
Original title: Almost Famous Women: Stories
Pages: 256
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Format: Paperback
Genres: Short Stories
Goodreads

Blurb:    
    Twelve of the 13 stories in this collection take up the lives of historical women who are either virtually unknown or only known through association with more famous figures. As Bergman puts it in her author’s note, the stories “are born of fascination with real women whose remarkable lives were reduced to footnotes.”

My thoughts: 
      This is the book we read in Tales & Co. book club during January 2018.
I loved the whole collection. I enjoyed reading up on all of these women afterward to get more information about their lives.
 
 Stories
The Pretty, Grown-Together Children
    Truly sad story about two conjoined twins whose life turned out to be a constant fight with difficulties and humiliation.
The Siege at Whale Cay
    This story I liked a lot for its atmosphere. Though the story is not that captivating, I could feel the tension in the air and all the suppressed emotions.
Norma Millay’s Film Noir Period
   That story did not captivate me at all.
Romaine Remains
   This one was quite an interesting read, though I did not like the character too much.
Hazel Eaton and the Wall of Death
    This one is rather short and I literally couldn’t care about anything in it. It felt a bit flat. But as I have never heard about this woman it was a nice acquaintance.
The Autobiography of Allegra Byron
     It was quite a touching story. I read later about the relationship of Byron to his daughter, but it was interesting and moving to see how the child goes with that drastic change in her life and find someone ready to perceive Allegra first as a little girl but not a daughter of a great figure.
Expression Theory
    I had to read about Lucia Joyce otherwise I could not understand what was it all about.
Saving Butterfly McQueen
    This was such an unusual introduction of this "almost famous" woman. There is almost no participation of Butterfly McQueen in the story development and still it is story about her.
Who Killed Dolly Wilde?
      This is again a sad story and shows what bottom can reach a person touched by fame and does anything to stay at the top. This is also the joining point for two other persons from this collection: Joe and Romaine.
A High-Grade Bitch Sits Down for Lunch
The Internees
The Lottery, Redux
Hell-Diving Women 
These last stories I liked the least.

Rating:  

    4/5