Narrating Postcolonial Arab Nations Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, Palestine

Narrating Postcolonial Arab Nations significantly enhances the interface between postcolonial literary studies and the hitherto under-studied Arab world. Lindsey Moore brings together canonical and less familiar Arab novels and memoirs from the last half century to consider colonial continuities and consequences. Literary narratives are shown to oppose repressive versions of nationalism and to track desire lines toward more hospitable nations. The literatures discussed in this book enable a deeper historical understanding of twenty-first century Arab uprisings and their aftermaths.The book analyzes four rich sites of literary production: Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, and Palestine. Moore explores ways in which authors critique particular nation-state formations and decolonizing histories, engage the general problematic of ‘the nation’, and redefine, repurpose, and transcend national literary canons. Chapter One contrasts Egyptian literary representations of popular revolt with official revolutionary discourse. Chapter Two addresses the enduring legacy of anti-colonial violence in Algeria and the place of Albert Camus in its literature. Chapter Three uses narratives of gender violence on the Beirut front line to reveal the divisibility and intersectional identity politics of postcolonial nation-states. Chapter Four emphasizes ways in which Palestinian memoirs insist upon remembering towards a postcolonial future. The book provides detailed analysis of literary narratives by Etel Adnan, Rabih Alameddine, Alaa al-Aswany, Rachid Boudjedra, Albert Camus, Rashid al-Daïf, Assia Djebar, Ghada Karmi, Naguib Mahfouz, Jean Said Makdisi, Edward Said, Boualem Sansal, Raja Shehadeh, Miral al-Tahawy, and Latifa al-Zayyat. It is an indispensable volume for students and scholars of Postcolonial, Arab, and World literatures.

Acknowledgements A Note on the Text IntroductionI. Postcolonial Studies and the Arab World: Towards a Critical CounterpointII. Postcolonial Arab NationsIII. Narrating Postcolonial Arab NationsChapter One. Before, After and Between the Revolutions: Desire and Death in Egypt I. Revolution I / 1919—1952: Naguib Mahfouz, The Cairo Trilogy II. Revolution II / 1946—1956: Latifa al-Zayyat, The Open Door III. Between the Acts: Mahfouz, Miramar IV. (Counter-)Revolution / After 1967: Miral al-Tahawy, Blue Aubergine V. Death and Desire: Alaa al-Aswany, The Yacoubian BuildingChapter Two. ‘We Algerians’: National Emergencies and Alternative GenealogiesI. A Brief History of Algerian Violence: Two ‘Fanonian’ WarsII. An Alternative Algerian Vision: Albert Camus, The First Man and ‘The Guest’III. Unfinished Literature: Assia Djebar, Algerian WhiteIV. ‘Le fils naturel’: Rachid Boudjedra, The Repudiation and The Barbary FigsV. Algerian Hospitality in the Feminine: Boualem Sansal, Harraga and Rue DarwinChapter Three. Gender Trauma on the Line: Lebanese War LiteratureI. Taboo Subjects, Narrative Predicaments and the Front LineII. Dissident Dismembering/Remembering: Etel Adnan, Sitt Marie RoseIII. Queerer and Queerer: Rachid al-Daïf, Passage to DuskIV. Gendered Space, Heteronormative Desire, Disavowed HistoriesV. Rabih Alameddine, I, the Divine: A Novel in First ChaptersChapter Four. Palestine in the Colonial Present: Ruins, Rifts and RemaindersI. Writing Palestinian LivesII. Becoming Palestinian: Edward Said, Out of PlaceIII. An ‘Arab Woman’s Memoir’: Jean Said Makdisi, Teta, Mother and MeIV. Resolution Deferred: Ghada Karmi, In Search of Fatima and ReturnV. Ruins and the Rift: Raja Shehadeh, Strangers in the House, Palestinian Walks and A Rift in TimeWorks CitedIndex

Lindsey Moore is Lecturer in Senior English Literature at Lancaster University, UK.