WATANI International
11 July 2010
The wealthy elite
The National Centre for Translation has published an Arabic version of the bestseller Kayfa Yudammir al-Athryaa’ al Kawkab (How The Rich Are Destroying The Planet) by the French journalist Hervé Kempf. The translator is Anwar Mugheeth, professor of philosophy at Helwan University.
This is a great little book, angry and passionate, and matching concern for the earth with concern for the poor. The key factor in this, for Kempf, is a wealthy elite. They live separately, disconnected from reality. The rich set the agenda for everyone else. We have a tendency to compare ourselves upwards, which creates a constant need to do better, to have more. What the rich possess inevitably becomes the ambition of those just below them. The wealthy have all the economic and political power, and they are very happy with things that way. Democracy does not suit them and freedom irritates them.
“As long as the rich continue to run things, nothing will be done about injustice”, says Kempf. The 500 richest people in the world have as much wealth as the 416 million poorest. Why would the rich not care about injustice? Because if you fix inequality you fix poverty, but the rich will be less rich.
How the Rich Are Destroying the Planet starts out far better than most recent books on ecological and social problems. Unlike most writers, Kempf understands that environmental and social problems are closely linked, and that solving them will require profound social changes, not just individual actions and new technologies. His first chapters are very worth reading for just that reason. He reviews most problems perfectly but regrettably the solutions he offers are mere wishful thinking.
Diamond Dust
Turab al-Mass (Diamond Dust), the young novelist Ahmed Murad’s most recent novel, has been published by al-Shorouq Publishing House. Diamond Dust tells the story of the young Egyptian man Taha, who works as a sales representative for a medical company but becomes part of a horrible act of murder. Murad was born in Cairo in 1978. He studied at the Cinema Institute and excelled in writing suspense stories.
Life in the countryside
Taher Sharqawi’s latest collection of short stories Aga’iz Qaedoun alal-Dikak (Aged Sitting on Benches) is not a criticism of some of the unacceptable traditions of the countryside but a record of the rituals, customs, traditions and lifestyles of those who live there. The collection, published by the Waad House for publishing and distribution, concerns a farmer who has immigrated to the city with his wives, geese and ducks, and lives a strange life not suited to the city. The life of the farmer is told in various stories but within the same theme in 72 pages.
Brainstorming
The Uktob House for publishing and distribution has brought out a new collection of stories under the title of Fil-Maqaad al-Khalfi (In The Back Seat) by the young writer Lamiaa’ Mahmoud. Mahmoud describes her stories as brainstorming on how to develop thoughts and dreams, and how to deal with increasing violence—especially against woman.
Cottage poet
In seven chapters, Anti Talek (You Are Divorced) by Ali Hussien summarises the most common habits and mistakes that threaten the relationship between any couple and could lead to separation. The publisher is Sarh Publishing House. In the first chapter, Hussien advises engaged couples to be frank with each other to avoid many problems on the long run.
The last sentence in the book states: “Be friends, since friendship is the noblest relationship between two people.”