Member: booklover1357

"Places We Love

Places we love exist only through us,
Space destroyed is only illusion in the constancy of time,
Places we love we can never leave,
Places we love together, together, together,

And is this room really a room, or an embrace,
And what is beneath the window: a street or years?
And the window is only the imprint left by
The first rain we understood, returning endlessly,

And this wall does not define the room, but perhaps the night
Your son began to move in your sleeping blood,
A son like a butterfly of flame in your hall of mirrors,
The night you were frightened by your own light,

And this door leads into any afternoon
Which outlives it, forever peopled
With your casual movements, as you stepped,
Like fire into copper, into my only memory;

When you go, space closes over like water behind you,
Do not look back: there is nothing outside you,
Space is only time visible in a different way,
Places we love we can never leave.

"
— Ivan V. Lalic

posted by theoldman at 8:58 am (EST) on Oct 15, 2009

Thanks for that, I won't add it to my enormous wish list then!!
There seem to be a lot of books about Eastern Europe these days, The Road Home by Rose Tremain (brilliant) and Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka come to mind. ML is a good author but I wish the covers of her books didn't make them out to be hilariously funny, they have a serious nessage and should be respected for that (IMHO). Would like to read her current book.

Your book list is growing!
I enjoyed Zlata's Diary too - and didn't enjoy Eat, Pray, Love.
But The Secret Life of Bees!!! One of my all time favourites......only one star!!!
**sob, sob**

posted by DubaiReader at 5:20 am (EST) on Oct 2, 2009

Aha! I know Choueifat School - that's the one where no-one could be bothered to park properly and just abandonded their cars in the middle of the road!! My kids went to DC and I could never get down that road :)

Are your parents still here?
We live near Safa Park but the house is going to be demolished and I'm just starting to look around for another place. Where did you live?

I'm sure you'll enjoy LT as you get to find your way around - and add more books.
I've read the Siba Shakib book and I've got A Kiss From Madelena on my tbr. Hadn't heard of Daughter of War though. You only gave it 3* so I guess you didn't enjoy it so much?

Hope the course is going well, sounds an interesting combination.
Best Wishes,
MaryAnne

posted by DubaiReader at 11:26 am (EST) on Sep 28, 2009

Hi Booklover,
Haven't heard of the book you mention, I'll look into that, thanks.
If you're interested in Middle Eastern fiction you could try taking a look at my tags under Global - that'll show you what I've read and what I'd recommend. I see you've found the Reading Globally thread - that's excellent for recommendations too.

Yes, I've been in Dubai since 1984, minus the 90's when we were back in UK.
When were you here? Where did you stay? What were you doing?
My kids were here for most of their childhood and two of them have returned to live here as adults.It's kind of a manic place but I can't imagine living anywhere else.

My recommendation for you would be Gardens of Water by Alan Drew. It's in the league with Khaled Hosseini but doesn't seem to have got the accolade it deserves.
Thanks for dropping by :)

posted by DubaiReader at 6:51 am (EST) on Sep 27, 2009