Words Without Borders--Spotlight on Libya
THE MAGIC LANTERNS OF LIBYAN LITERATURE
"Like a bottled genie, Libya’s literature whispers to us mysteriously, until those moments when its container is buffed properly, its luster blazes and the spirit within reveals marvels and wonders beyond the imagination. It happened when Libya discovered oil in the 60s, and it struck a well of poetry, prose, and press that its fearful master soon bottled up." --Words Without Borders
And the stories remain albeit mostly hidden still. I'm no longer sure if it's external censorship, self-censorship, or just a conservative culture of privacy that makes it this way. It's possible that people prefer to keep to the oral tradition of story telling in addition to a fear of leaving written documentation that could lead back to them. What I do believe is that there are treasures of stories among Libyans that are waiting for the right time or the right question.
I am positively amazed that Khaled Mattawa and Words Without Borders have put together a Libyan publication. I'm also thankful. The stories are super interesting and I send my blessings to Mattawa for facilitating this.
For some Libyan stories, check out Mint Flavored Hiccups or Wet Sleeves. Or al-Koni's "Sufi Shaykh."
Let me know what you think... I'd be interested in discussing.
posted by smokey spice at 4:32 AM
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