Mikhail Naimi is a prominent Lebanese author of the early 20th century. He is known for being one of the founders of the movement for the rebirth of Arabic literature presided by Gibran Khalil Gibran. Some people believe he was the best Lebanese writer of his era. I sincerely do not wish to think for a second that he might have written another book as horrible as this one. With all objectivity, this book is what I call a mutilation to writing and an offense to readers. The author should have been ashamed of himself upon writing this book which he clearly wasn't for he had insisted on publishing it in Lebanon after failing to do so in London.
What were the people who published the book thinking at that time? Were they that blinded by his name and fame or were they just that bad at evaluating texts? I tell you one thing, they should have followed the Brits and spared me this great pain I felt while and after reading the book!
The book of Mirdad was a masterpiece until Mirdad opened his mouth. I cannot describe you my disappointment. I got seriously hooked on to the story as soon as a man decided out of nothing to go up a mountain taking the hard road, the road of no return. As he climbed, I felt my reading pleasure going crescendo with him. When he arrived at the top, I saw myself standing next to him. He dies and resurrects and I follow him. Then all of a sudden, I felt as if someone pushed me off the top of the Everest into the 7th hell below. The pleasure of reading, the creative and surprising encounters or misencounters that lead to the delivery of the book of Mirdad, and the petrification of the messenger priest all vanish as soon as Mirdad enters the scene. There was no more plot in the book, I wasn't reading a story anymore but rather listening to gibberish talk by the author or Mirdad (it doesn't matter). My personal interpretation is that the character reflects the author's perception of himself: someone who has something to say about everything. Unfortunately, as a reader I found that all that was said had no added value whatsoever because the ideas were pretty much reformulations of previous teachings from the Bible, Coran and almost every religious book. Can you imagine the horror in reading the "deja" heard about stuff that Mirdad had to say about any subject imaginable? He had to have a word about prayer, love, judgement and many many other stuff including IRONICALLY silence (He couldn't just shut up now could he?)!
What was more annoying than Mirdad talking is that he had a pattern-like way of talking: All Mirdad had to do to put up a sentence was to combine several adjectives that mean the same thing and then add to those the opposite adjectives. Everything I read was pretty meaningless. Not only the book story was bad but the writing was even worse! I was suffering, agonizing at every single page turn but I kept going because I thought that the book cannot finish with Mirdad speeches alone. I was waiting for Mirdad to come back, for the man who turned to stone to be freed, for anything that doesn't come out of Mirdad's mouth! The story could have been much better if only the ending was different alas, I was disappointed again and Mirdad kept moralizing until the end. Let me tell you that I had to go through a seriously intensive reading cure program to heal from this book. Thank God I feel much better now, in case you were wondering.
Now on a different issue, I have to say that some people I have discussed the book with, told me it reminded them of Jesus and that they felt as if the book indeed was spreading some teachings they already know. I agree with them on that for I have to admit that I instantly remembered the teachings of Jesus although I felt that there were no two persons more different than Mirdad and Jesus. How could one even confuse the two? Jesus is good and rarely talks while Mirdad is a devious a** who never stops talking with his arrogant tone, and the worst is that he's plagiarizing! It's funny that the Brits' reason for rejecting the book' s publication was that they were afraid that the book's aim was to spread new religious ideas or if you want old religious ideas by a new prophetic figure. Nonsense! Mirdad is so despicable that it makes it so easy to resent him and his teaching than to follow him one bit!
To conclude, I believe the author committed the worst imaginable sin in writing and that is publishing a book that is intended deliver to people a person's own morals and views on life and its hurdles. This automatically dethroned the author from his title in my eyes. How arrogant can one be to think that people would be interested in what He or his character think about every possible subject? Can someone please explain it to me?
The only nice thing about this book was the cover.
What were the people who published the book thinking at that time? Were they that blinded by his name and fame or were they just that bad at evaluating texts? I tell you one thing, they should have followed the Brits and spared me this great pain I felt while and after reading the book!
The book of Mirdad was a masterpiece until Mirdad opened his mouth. I cannot describe you my disappointment. I got seriously hooked on to the story as soon as a man decided out of nothing to go up a mountain taking the hard road, the road of no return. As he climbed, I felt my reading pleasure going crescendo with him. When he arrived at the top, I saw myself standing next to him. He dies and resurrects and I follow him. Then all of a sudden, I felt as if someone pushed me off the top of the Everest into the 7th hell below. The pleasure of reading, the creative and surprising encounters or misencounters that lead to the delivery of the book of Mirdad, and the petrification of the messenger priest all vanish as soon as Mirdad enters the scene. There was no more plot in the book, I wasn't reading a story anymore but rather listening to gibberish talk by the author or Mirdad (it doesn't matter). My personal interpretation is that the character reflects the author's perception of himself: someone who has something to say about everything. Unfortunately, as a reader I found that all that was said had no added value whatsoever because the ideas were pretty much reformulations of previous teachings from the Bible, Coran and almost every religious book. Can you imagine the horror in reading the "deja" heard about stuff that Mirdad had to say about any subject imaginable? He had to have a word about prayer, love, judgement and many many other stuff including IRONICALLY silence (He couldn't just shut up now could he?)!
What was more annoying than Mirdad talking is that he had a pattern-like way of talking: All Mirdad had to do to put up a sentence was to combine several adjectives that mean the same thing and then add to those the opposite adjectives. Everything I read was pretty meaningless. Not only the book story was bad but the writing was even worse! I was suffering, agonizing at every single page turn but I kept going because I thought that the book cannot finish with Mirdad speeches alone. I was waiting for Mirdad to come back, for the man who turned to stone to be freed, for anything that doesn't come out of Mirdad's mouth! The story could have been much better if only the ending was different alas, I was disappointed again and Mirdad kept moralizing until the end. Let me tell you that I had to go through a seriously intensive reading cure program to heal from this book. Thank God I feel much better now, in case you were wondering.
Now on a different issue, I have to say that some people I have discussed the book with, told me it reminded them of Jesus and that they felt as if the book indeed was spreading some teachings they already know. I agree with them on that for I have to admit that I instantly remembered the teachings of Jesus although I felt that there were no two persons more different than Mirdad and Jesus. How could one even confuse the two? Jesus is good and rarely talks while Mirdad is a devious a** who never stops talking with his arrogant tone, and the worst is that he's plagiarizing! It's funny that the Brits' reason for rejecting the book' s publication was that they were afraid that the book's aim was to spread new religious ideas or if you want old religious ideas by a new prophetic figure. Nonsense! Mirdad is so despicable that it makes it so easy to resent him and his teaching than to follow him one bit!
To conclude, I believe the author committed the worst imaginable sin in writing and that is publishing a book that is intended deliver to people a person's own morals and views on life and its hurdles. This automatically dethroned the author from his title in my eyes. How arrogant can one be to think that people would be interested in what He or his character think about every possible subject? Can someone please explain it to me?
Your comments are very convincing and sweet :)
ReplyDeleteLol, thank you. I am glad you liked them
DeleteExplained to you. Mirdad is not about what is in the words or the story line, it obliterates both the sign posts of words and story line altogether. What is important is what lies inbetween the words. He speaks of duality and writes in opposites to unite the absolute. The pleasure in reading this book is that it can't be read, only understood..applied to our condition of oneness projected as duality.
ReplyDeleteYou say the plot was no more, at that point the plot thickens. You are greatly mistaken to move through the book in a linear fashion as it really has no beginning...no end. It transcends both. You sought for you entertainment and were dismayed when your reading entertainment fell to the harshness of truth.
if you cannot get to the very essence of it, it will be your failure, not his.-Osho
What a wonderful contribution! Reading this comment has made me so happy because it feels like the review did not leave indifferent... Just a reminder however, that what is important to one is not necessarily important to everyone. I understand and respect the different important things for different people, but i also expect the same from others.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, I completely spotted the duality of opposites you mention, however I did not think (I still don't) that it unites the absolute. I do agree however, that it is one possible interpretation but it's not the only interpretation. I don't share absolutist views in life in general...
Other than that, this comment stems from a person seeking for his own entertainment and finding it which makes us readers of this book more or less similar...
As for the failure quote, seriously?! just because someone doesn't like a book or understand something in life, or a writer write a bad book, this becomes failure? Do I really need to comment on that?!!!
When this book fell into my hand and I read it, I was enthralled, to me it is a masterpiece, imho, it goes directly to the essence, to what seems to be the essence, in clear and elegant wording and plot. I wondered how I never heard of it before, and started looking on the internet, only to find only few comments, mainly the high appreciation by Osho, whom I do not know so well, who seems sophisticated to my, and whom I I distrust a little bit, I mean Osho seem strong and wise but not 100 pct pure. The book of Mirdad seems flawless to me. I look for other opinions. this book reverberates stronly in me. It seems so true.
ReplyDeleteIt is great book on the earth. Mikhail was enlightened being, So to comprehend his" book mirdad " a different level of awareness is needed which is no common.
ReplyDelete