What We Are Reading Today: ‘Azazeel’

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Updated 09 September 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Azazeel’

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  • Ziedan addresses the historical context of early Christianity, highlighting the schisms and debates that shaped the faith

Author: Youssef Ziedan

“Azazeel” by Youssef Ziedan, winner of the 2009 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, is a profound exploration of faith, doubt and the complexities of the human spirit. The novel is set against the backdrop of the early Christian era and unfolds through the eyes of Hypa, a young monk navigating the tumultuous world around him.  

Ziedan’s storytelling, translated by Jonathan Wright, is rich and immersive, transporting readers to the deserts of Egypt in the fifth century. His ability to weave together historical facts and fictional elements creates a vivid tapestry that illustrates the conflicts between different religious ideologies.

Hypa’s journey of self discovery, particularly his encounters with the enigmatic figure of Azazeel, invites readers to reflect on the nature of temptation and the struggle within us all.

One of the most compelling aspects of the novel for me was its exploration of the tension between science and religion. As a scholar and healer, Hypa embodies this struggle, grappling with rational thought and blind faith.

Ziedan addresses the historical context of early Christianity, highlighting the schisms and debates that shaped the faith. This was not just a personal journey for Hypa; it mirrored broader existential crises that resonate even today.

The philosophical musings and theological discussions sprinkled throughout the narrative invited me to ponder my own convictions and the nature of belief.

The lyrical quality of Ziedan’s prose brings the ancient world to life, with evocative descriptions that lingered in my mind. The characters are richly developed, each representing different facets of faith and morality.

Hypa’s internal struggles also reflect the external conflicts of a society grappling with change, a theme that resonates with many of us in today’s world.

I found some sections of the novel a bit slow, particularly where philosophical discussions took precedence over action. However, these moments are essential for the thematic depth Ziedan aims to achieve, prompting reflection and contemplation.   

“Azazeel” is a thought-provoking novel that challenges readers to confront the complexities of faith, reason, and the human experience. Ziedan’s masterful storytelling and rich historical detail make it a compelling read, especially for those interested in the intersections of religion and philosophy.

This book is not merely a journey through history, it invites us to contemplate the timeless questions that define our existence, making it a profoundly rewarding experience.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Elusive Cures’ by Nicole Rust

What We Are Reading Today: ‘Elusive Cures’ by Nicole Rust
Updated 21 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Elusive Cures’ by Nicole Rust

What We Are Reading Today: ‘Elusive Cures’ by Nicole Rust

Brain research has been accelerating rapidly in recent decades, but the translation of our many discoveries into treatments and cures for brain disorders has not happened as many expected. 

We do not have cures for the vast majority of brain illnesses, from Alzheimer’s to depression, and many medications we do have to treat the brain are derived from drugs produced in the 1950s—before we knew much about the brain at all. 

Tackling brain disorders is clearly one of the biggest challenges facing humanity today. What will it take to overcome it? Nicole Rust takes readers along on her personal journey to answer this question.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Atlas of Birds’ by Mike Unwin

What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Atlas of Birds’ by Mike Unwin
Updated 20 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Atlas of Birds’ by Mike Unwin

What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Atlas of Birds’ by Mike Unwin

“The Atlas of Birds” captures the breathtaking diversity of birds, and illuminates their conservation status around the world.

Full-color maps show where birds are found, both by country and terrain, and reveal how an astounding variety of behavioral adaptations—from flight and feeding to nest building and song—have enabled them to thrive in virtually every habitat on Earth.

Maps of individual journeys and global flyways chart the amazing phenomenon of bird migration, while bird classification is explained using maps for each order and many key families.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘When the Bombs Stopped’

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Updated 18 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘When the Bombs Stopped’

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  • Fifty years after the last sortie, residents of rural Cambodia are still coping with the unexploded ordnance that covers their land

Author: ERIN LIN

Over the course of the Vietnam War, the United States dropped 500,000 tonnes of bombs over Cambodia—more than the combined weight of every man, woman, and child in the country.

What began as a secret CIA infiltration of Laos eventually expanded into Cambodia and escalated into a nine-year war over the Ho Chi Minh trail fought primarily with bombs.

Fifty years after the last sortie, residents of rural Cambodia are still coping with the unexploded ordnance that covers their land. In “When the Bombs Stopped,” Erin Lin investigates the consequences of the US bombing campaign across post conflict Cambodia.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Spike’ by Mark Humphries

What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Spike’ by Mark Humphries
Updated 17 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Spike’ by Mark Humphries

What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Spike’ by Mark Humphries

We see the last cookie in the box and think, can I take that? We reach a hand out. In the 2.1 seconds that this impulse travels through our brain, billions of neurons communicate with one another, sending blips of voltage through our sensory and motor regions.

Neuroscientists call these blips “spikes.” Spikes enable us to do everything: talk, eat, run, see, plan, and decide. In “The Spike,” Mark Humphries takes readers on the epic journey of a spike through a single, brief reaction.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Lost Souls’ by Sheila Fitzpatrick

What We Are Reading Today: ‘Lost Souls’ by Sheila Fitzpatrick
Updated 16 November 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Lost Souls’ by Sheila Fitzpatrick

What We Are Reading Today: ‘Lost Souls’ by Sheila Fitzpatrick

When World War II ended, about 1 million people whom the Soviet Union claimed as its citizens were outside the borders of the USSR, mostly in the Western-occupied zones of Germany and Austria.

These “displaced persons,” or DPs—Russians, prewar Soviet citizens, and people from West Ukraine and the Baltic states forcibly incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1939—refused to repatriate to the Soviet Union despite its demands.

Thus began one of the first big conflicts of the Cold War. In “Lost Souls,” Sheila Fitzpatrick draws on new archival research, including Soviet interviews with hundreds of DPs, to offer a vivid account of this crisis, from the competitive maneuverings of politicians and diplomats to the everyday lives of DPs.