Storyteller of Jerusalem: The Life and Times of Wasif Jawhariyyeh, 1904-1948 by Wasif Jawhariyyeh

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"The memoirs of Wasif Jawhariyyeh are a remarkable treasure trove of writings on the life, culture, music, and history of Jerusalem. Spanning over four decades, from 1904 to 1948, they cover a period of enormous and turbulent change in Jerusalem's history-Ottoman rule, the British mandate, and the run-up to the founding of the state of Israel-but change lived and recalled from the daily vantage point of the street storyteller. Oud player, music lover and ethnographer, poet, collector, show more partygoer, satirist, civil servant, local historian, devoted son, husband, father, and person of faith, Wasif viewed the life of his city through multiple roles and lenses. The result is a vibrant, unpredictable, sprawling collection of anecdotes, observations, and yearnings as varied as the city itself"--Provided by the publisher. show less

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maureenclare 9 reviews

This book was a true joy to read. There is very little archive material of Palestinian life at the end of the Ottoman Empire because of the loss of Palestinian cultural property during the 1948 ethnic cleansing and dispossession of Palestine. Jawhariyyeh's memoirs bring that period and the British mandate to life, depicting a cosmopolitan Jerusalem where musicians throughout the Arab world would come and exchange ideas. It's impossible to imagine this happening in Jerusalem today. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Arabic music, Jerusalem, and pre-1948 history of Palestine. There are insightful essays by Salim Tamari and Rachel Beckles Wilson. I only wish it had an index.

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