BOOK CLUB

[-Lily-]

Blessed, Tolstoy & Castro, those sound like fascinating reads, will look into them.

 

 

Khyar

 

It would be a Herculean task to define exactly what literary theory is. If I could do that I would be loaded. Anyway, I’ll have a go and give you the briefest and general outlook because your question covers a huge topic.

 

Literary theory is concerned with how literature is read/approached. From whose perspective and from which tradition. The traditions that are common reflect the type of literature that is dominant as well as who wrote that literature. the theories also reflect powerful movements/historical changes that have shaped societies and education(marxism & feminsim). There are a number of approaches to literary theory common to humanities in general, the popular ones being Historical Criticism, Formalism, Post colonialism, Psychoanalysis, Structuralism, Marxist theory , Postmodernism (the works of Habermas specifically have great impact in literature of the early 20th century) Feminism and the eternal Critical theory. Literary Criticism is born out of literary theory.

 

This may also lead to questions about the nature of literature. What is its purpose? To entertain? To educate? (Plato) To imitate/represent nature/art? (Aristotle) You can see some of these debates are still raging with no end in sight. Thus to conclude, the purpose of literary theory is to ask questions, and keep asking them so that we may not take what we read for granted. It also shows that much of literary theory is a Western product.

[Khayr]

Originally posted by WaTerLily:

Blessed, Tolstoy & Castro, those sound like fascinating reads, will look into them.

 

 

Khyar

 

It would be a Herculean task to define exactly what literary theory is. If I could do that I would be loaded. Anyway, I’ll have a go and give you the briefest and general outlook because your question covers a huge topic.

 

Literary theory is concerned with how literature is read/approached. From whose perspective and from which tradition. The traditions that are common reflect the type of literature that is dominant as well as who wrote that literature. the theories also reflect powerful movements/historical changes that have shaped societies and education(marxism & feminsim). There are a number of approacolonialism, Psychoanalysis, Structuralism, Marxist theory , Postmodernism (the works of Habermas specifically have great impact in literature of the early 20th century) Feminism and the eternal Critical theory. Literary Criticism is born out of literary theory.

 

This may also lead to questions ches to literary theory common to humanities in general, the popular ones being Historical Criticism, Formalism, Post about the nature of literature. What is its purpose? To entertain? To educate? (Plato) To imitate/represent nature/art? (Aristotle) You can see some of these debates are still raging with no end in sight. Thus to conclude, the purpose of literary theory is to ask questions, and keep asking them so that we may not take what we read for granted. It also shows that much of literary theory is a Western product.

Literary theory is concerned with how literature is read/approached. From whose perspective and from which tradition.

So then, it is safe to say that it comes with an set AGENDA, a set BIAS-RIGHT?

 

So if a book is written by a british 17th century author, that book would carry with it the

 

authors AGENDA,

 

authors BIASES,

 

authors HISTORICAL OUTLOOK,

 

authors WORLDVIEW etc.

 

The traditions that are common reflect the type of literature that is dominant as well as who wrote that literature. the theories also

reflect powerful movements/historical changes that have shaped societies and education(marxism & feminsim).

So books like Jane Eyre,Great Gatsby,Brave New World, 1984, Joy Luck Club, Lord of the Flies etc. had a CERTAIN COMMON THEMES i.e. anti-socialism, evolution, equality of the sexies etc. behind them, thus a reason why they were taught and are part and parcel of some school Cirriculms.

 

 

the nature of literature.

 

What is its purpose?

 

To entertain?

 

To educate? (Plato)

 

To imitate/represent nature/art? (Aristotle)

It is ALL of the above because Literature does EDU-TAINMENT and Imitates the social values of its time. Case in point, sci-fi,fantasy books like the Chronicles of Narnai v. Harry Potter. One was written in an age were pernnial concepts such as Divinity, Good v. Evil, Truth, Honesty etc. were cherished and these themes run through out the Chronicles of Narnia. I don't know about Harry Potter, but someone told me that it doesn't have these themes and that it represents a diff. age of writers.

 

P.S. The name is KHAYR not kheyr, khyar, or whateve else way your spell it. Inshallah, I hope you can respect that.

[-Lily-]

Yes Khayr everything is influenced by our internal values, including even so called 'objective' pure science.

 

 

As for Harry Potter, I do think it covers the same themes of Chronicles of Narnia, but it doesn't state them explicitly. Clearly the Lion Witch and the Wadrobe is a Christian alegory.

Truth, Honesty, the ancient topic of Good vs Evil is discussed in the form of Harry and Lord Voldermort. The children undergo trails and tribulations becoming 'vitorious'. They fight for the 'Good' bravely. They deal with loss & death and afterlife. These themes never die but the way the are told change. I think they teach children important lessons.

 

p.s. Sorry about the nick, I'll pay more attention.

[RedSea]

Assalamu Calaykum,

 

Mr. Tolstoy with all the respect in the world tell me what the benefits of reading such nonsense put forth by an author who was probably drunk at the time? instead you should encourage people to read the books that matter to your life. There are many more important books than War and peace, there is the Quran and the sunnah, have you ever read them?

 

Advice poeple to read the Quran and the Sunah rather some nonsense written by a non believer.

 

Furthermore, Ms. Lilywater, read the Quran for those 30 minutes would you.

 

Assalamu Calaykum.

[-Lily-]

For your information Red Sea, I read the Quran more on a daily basis. Happy?

[makalajabti]

I'll recommend a book I just finished reading, it's called : Freakeconomics by Steven Levitt.

It's about statistics and Life. It's crazy, provocative and You'll see life differently.

Who said Maths and numbers were boring?

[NGONGE]

Since I went to the trouble of writing this poem in a pervious thread about books and reading, I think it’s worth another airing.

 

 

Thought I’ll answer in verse. [big Grin]

 

In my time of reading, I learned about Japan

Of Geisha's and of Samurais

Great people to a man

 

Now China too I read about

the land of Chairman Mao

Its history was great before

it’s more amazing now

 

The Brits invaded half the world

for gold and other things

I read about it in a book

I know how Big Ben rings

 

I’m not American as you know

but know their civil war

Gone With The Wind was a great book

and helped open that door

I read of masters and of slaves

of southerners and yanks

yet I have never ever set

one foot in that land!

 

The French Monarchy, I’m sure you heard

was a great institution

But Louis and family were scared

When faced with the revolution

They were executed by the mob

or should we call them public?

And there and then it was born

the great French Republic

 

 

The Spartan war was not real

it was as fake as Achilles’ heel

Gods came and fought alongside men

and poor old Priam lost his son

Odysseys he was a man of thought

he was brainy and he was clever

he made the horse that changed the course

of this long and hard fought war

between men, gods and even rivers

 

The easterners too wrote great books

on all types of subjects

they even translated porn and names of sexy objects

The days they loved and the afternoons

but they most enjoyed the nights

they wrote of 1001 of those and all their great delights

Aladdin was to be found there

Ali Baba and Sinbad

and the adventures of the three in great old Baghdad

 

 

You really don’t have to read a book written by man

but I fail to see how you’ll explain not reading your Koran

in there too you will find stories of many men

some of them prophets, some good and great and many men of sin

Each story there has a lesson, a sort of a moral tale

of life and people and history and even heaven and hell

 

Of four four two I hear you speak

Of football and of races

of sport and winning all the cups

and trainers with no laces

In reading that you might pick a hint (some might say that’s just vague)

on who is good and who is bad and who might win the league

It might be silly and might sound daft

still, it’s information

and that’s what reading’s all about

enlightened communication....

 

 

PS

Don’t pay too much attention to the technical bits of that (poetry was never my thing). Heh.

Tolstoy recommends a great book above and since what you ask for are books that have historical themes, let me recommend the following books and authors.

 

Try anything by a lady called Colleen McCullough: Thorn Bird, Morgan’s Run or any of the Masters of Rome serious (this latter is great reading).

 

You mentioned Louis de Bernières, so I assume that you’ve already read Captain Corelli's Mandolin. But all his other novels (The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts, The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman, etc) are as funny and captivating.

 

Gone with the Wind is yet another MUST READ book.

 

Even Dickens does ‘historical’ novels in Barnaby Ridge.

 

There are many many more that I could recommend but I don’t want to bore you with them. I suggest you check out older book topics on this site.

[Baashi]

Try Orientalism by Edward Said. It is a groundbreaking scholarly work indeed. He takes up the relationship between knowledge (such as history) and power (nation-state level as well as institutional level). You will come away with the understanding that the relationship between colonizer and the colonized is one that's defined in terms of power. This relationship is reflected in the learning institution and the scholarly work they produce.

[-Lily-]

Thanks Bashi, I've already read that.

[Sharmarkee]

Originally posted by Blessed:

Currently reading 'The Road To Mecca' by Muhammed Asad. It's a Jewish converts biography on his journey to Islam, his adventures through the desert, Iran, the Muslim world and the Sauds in the 1930's... Great read..

 

Aparently, he was the first to translate The Quraan into English.

Salaam,

 

Aminah,

 

I read Mohamed Asad Road to Mecca long time ago, yes indeed great read, as he was distinguished journalist in Austria-germany in early 20/30's, but hes was not the first one to translate the Quraan into english, I think Marmaduke Pickthall - (an english convert) was before him.

 

Back to the Topic,

 

I being longing to read the Classic work of Ibn Kathir for a time now “The Beginning and the End†(AlBidayah wa Nihayah), I dont know how many volumes it would be, but it's a great (Marjac)- a reference and It is considered to be one of the most authoritative sources on Islamic history.

 

Wa Salaam

[Khayr]

Originally posted by Sharmarkee:

 

 

Back to the Topic,

 

I being longing to read the Classic work of Ibn Kathir for a time now “The Beginning and the End†(AlBidayah wa Nihayah), I dont know how many volumes it would be, but it's a great (Marjac)- a reference and It is considered to be one of the most authoritative sources on Islamic history.

 

Wa Salaam [/QB]

Masha Allah, its 8 volumes worth.

 

Tell us what sort of information is in it, saxib.

 

These books need to be translated.

 

I don't think that there is a single contemporary scholar that can match the effort, the thought, the will, that such an alim/scholar as ibn kathir put in to his work.

 

Source

 

 

Waterlilly,

 

what do you think about books like the Da Vinci Code?

 

 

Fi Amanillah

[-Lily-]

Khayr,

 

The Da Vinci Code, is a well written thriller story, it's pupose to make money and to become a bestseller because it is accessible to anyone who has reached puperty and who can read. I don't think it's a particularly deep story but I do appreciate some of the historical facts that are incorporated. eg. The existence of groups such as Opus Dei (not sure of the spelling) that still exist and have prominent members, such as the Edcuation Minister Ruth Kelly.

[Sharmarkee]

Originally posted by Khayr:

[QB]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sharmarkee:

 

 

Masha Allah, its 8 volumes worth.

 

Tell us what sort of information is in it, saxib.

 

These books need to be translated.

 

I don't think that there is a single contemporary scholar that can match the effort, the thought, the will, that such an alim/scholar as ibn kathir put in to his work.

Salaam Khayr,

 

About Albidayah Wa Niahyah its: The First part is of Albidayah is a history collection of containing the Stories of the Prophets(CS) and Previous nations, the life story of the Prophet(SAW) or (Seerah), and Islamic history unitl his time. The Alnihayah is a book he added called Alfitan, about the signs of the Final Hour. All based remeber that Hadith of the Prophet(SA) I dont have the excat (Nass) or text, saying the Quran is = Alkhabar ma qabalakum, Wa Naba' ma bacdakum wa alxukumu waa baynakum(something similar the Quran is the news of the early nations, the forcast of the coming news and the laws in between you at the present) he weaved into that theme I guess Walaahu acalam.

 

You said :

 

I don't think that there is a single contemporary scholar that can match the effort, the thought, the will, that such an alim/scholar as ibn kathir put in to his work

 

Check his friend, Co-student and the student of Ibn Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya, Ibn Rajab AlHanbali the Author of (Dabaqaat Alhanaabalah), check how many volumes is that, they were all amazing. SubxaanAllah, they were people of Zuhud and Calim.

 

Fi Amaanilaah Akhi Karim

[xiinfaniin]

For me, abu al Hasan al Nadawi’s Islam and the world(ماذا خسر العالم بإنحطاط المسلمين ) and Sayyid Qutub’s Milestones (معالم ÙÙŠ الطريق) have no match when it comes contributing to the Islamic awakening.

 

These two books articulated the historical precedent, the causes of the decay, and with a superb intellectual prose, stimulated and inspired the reform movement. The influence of these books on the ummah far surpassed than any other book. Both are translated widely, and readily available. Read them, I recommend, and you will forever be appreciative for the efforts of these two great scholars.

 

Ibnu Qayyim’s Healing for every Ailment is great read.

[Sharmarkee]

Originally posted by xiinfaniin:

For me,

abu al Hasan al Nadawi’s

Islam and the world

(

ماذا خسر العالم بإنحطاط المسلمين

) and

Sayyid Qutub’s

Milestones

(

معالم ÙÙŠ الطريق

) have no match when it comes contributing to the Islamic awakening.

 

These two books articulated the historical precedent, the causes of the decay, and with a superb intellectual prose, stimulated and inspired the reform movement. The influence of these books on the ummah far surpassed than any other book. Both are translated widely, and readily available. Read them, I recommend, and you will forever be appreciative for the efforts of these two great scholars.

 

Ibnu Qayyim’s

Healing for every Ailment is great read.

Salaam Xiin

 

I've read both of them, still got the Tafsiir of Sayid ( ÙÙ‰ ظلال القرءان ),I also got the Healing for every Ailment it's called - the edition I got is called (الظب النبوي).

 

I will recommend you to read Ibn Qayim's الجواب الكاÙÙ‰ لمن سال عن الدواء الشاÙÙ‰

 

The Sheekh was been asked one question and he put togather the above mentioned book for an answer. amazing Walaahi grab it and read it Ya Xiin, you will wonder it's contents.

 

That trio was amazing Nadawi, Qutub and Mawduudi, when it comes to converts I like Marayam jameela(jewish convert from NY) - she wrote a great deal and many books in islam, Mawduudi helped her to immigrate to Pakistan and she was there as an islmaic writer/thinker for a long time till her death(allah yarxamuha).

 

Waan ka sii caraabayaayee nabadeey