Badawi: A Novel

by Mohed Altrad

Published to wide critical acclaim in France, Badawi is Mohed Altrad’s heartrending debut novel, inspired by the author’s own narrative arc from Bedouin orphan to engineer and finally billionaire businessman.

In the Syrian desert, a young boy watches as his mother dies. She was a repudiated woman, abandoned by the boy’s powerful father, leaving Maïouf to his scornful grandmother. Though the Bedouin tribes have stopped their centuries-long travels across the dunes—their tents long since converted into sedentary shacks—Maïouf’s grandmother wants him to carry on tradition as a shepherd. But from the first time he sneaks off to the white-walled schoolhouse to watch the other children learn, Maïouf envisions a different future for himself. This is one extraordinary child’s story of fighting for an education, and a life, he was never supposed to have, from a tiny desert village to the city of Raqqa, from the university halls of Montpellier on to the oil fields of Abu Dhabi. But is a life of exile the one he wants? Can a child whose name means “the abandoned one” ever make a home for himself? With each step forward, he feels the love of his youth—a steadfast young Syrian woman named Fadia—and the shifting, haunted sands of his native village pulling him back toward the past he thought he had left behind.

Genres: Fiction, Novels, Middle East

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 1994

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading "Badawi", (a novel), I looked up information about
Moded Altrad. And 'that's' when I cried!!

My God...this story, "Badawi".... REALLY 'is' autobiographical. I had read the blurp months ago, but had forgotten about it...( at 2am when I started reading this on my paper white).

This story breaks my heart...yet certainly has a happy ending. (not that the happy ending ever erases permanent scars). The author is very successful today...and from what I can tell, a very kind- giving - contributing man...a guy making a difference in the world.

Mohed Altrad, is a Syrian-born French billionaire businessman, rugby chairman, and writer, born in March 1948 in the desert of Syria. His mother died on the day he was born and his Bedouin father gave him away to his grandparents at age 4. He was destined to be a shepherd. There are beautiful images of him on the Internet and if you speak French, a lovely You Tube of Mohed speaking about his book "Badawi".


Maiouf is an orphan from birth. His mother was barely 15 years of age when she had him. She had given birth alone in the village - had no friends - and was treated like excess baggage.
For whatever the reason his mother was considered a repudiated woman.....yet Maiouf, throughout his growing years, never believed or accepted the negative tales he heard about his mother. As far as he was concern his mother (dead), was his only family.

This little boy's life was put through every obstacle. His grandmother and father did everything they could to hold him back...gave him zero encouragement to succeed - or support to feel proud and worthy of himself... Yet, this little 'munchkin-to-man' had a spirit in him --- that couldn't be stopped.

A story like this takes your breath away.

I almost want to reach out and hug this author and thank him for the difference he is making in the world! Thank you to Mohed Altrad....(I feel privileged to have read this personal story).

Thank you Grove Atlantic, Netgalley, and Mohed Altrad

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The constraints of length mean that the life of Maiouf, of Mohed himself to some extent, jump from event to event. Yet this makes it a book of vivid pictures. Instead of being left feeling like the story has been treated lightly, the reader feels like they have seen the highlights in full technicolour, the unimportant scenes cut away to leave the others with a far greater impact.

Maiouf is a fascinating character. Especially in the first third of the book, the alienation he suffers, the position as 'outsider', is stark and emotional. Yet he is not an entirely likeable man, in the book at least (I can't judge the author, of course). His treatment of the woman he belatedly realises he loves is harsh and more than a little reminiscent of the kinds of behaviours he detested in his family as a child. Perhaps he was doomed to repeat the ways in which he was treated, having little opportunity for positive relationships after the death of his mother. Still, the spirit and drive which led him to succeed personally was incredible. At its heart, the book is about the transformation of a poor, unwanted Bedouin boy in to a man of the world. In expanding his horizons through determination and hard work, Maiouf attempts to escape the labels and limits placed on him by his background. He moves from being what others consider him to be, or want him to be, into a period of questioning, and finally, understanding. In the novel, there is a sense that this knowledge comes too late, but in reality, Mohed Altrad seems to have mastered the kind of person he wants to be and answered the questions about who he is.


Many thanks to Mohed Altrad, Grove Atlantic, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

[♑︎♑︎♑︎ ♑︎♑︎♑︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is sweetly told in a way that reminded me strongly of the children's books ...And Now Miguel and Esperanza Rising and even Anne of Green Gables although the protagonist is not as overtly plucky or talkative as Anne by any means.

Here, in short, is the story of Badawi: He is an orphan, he is wretchedly poor, and he overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve seemingly impossible goals.

It's a familiar story. The action is presented in a straightforward manner. The story moves forward without a hint of novelistic flourish or digression. I would not think the novel very interesting or new except that it tracks completely with the author's own life and childhood challenges. Altrad himself was an orphaned Bedouin who was expected to become nothing more than a nomadic shepherd. Instead he became a billionaire businessman with a net worth that Forbes estimates at around $2 billion. These facts about the author's life changed the read for me completely. The over-simplicity of the prose, when judging the book as fiction, became instead, when considered autobiographically, a thoughtful restraint, a humility in this author about his own achievements.

I hope to see Altrad's biography soon, written by a writer who can reveal just how Altrad did it. In the case of this small novel it's enough to know that somehow this fantastic story really happened.

[Paltia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devastatingly beautiful story. Told in simple and direct language a story of a man lost to himself. It begins with his childhood as a poor Badawi longing for a sense of being loved, accepted and educated. He is determined to learn, and against all odds he succeeds, but at what cost? As time moves on he develops a relationship with Fadia. They make commitments to each other. Later, she represents a painful memory of his past, his bare feet, torn clothing, and paternal rejection. A piece of his father’s cold indifference cuts into his being. Money, power, and an artificial environment take hold. To recall the gentle empathy and kindness of his first teacher and to allow himself to feel Fadia’s love creates a vulnerability that he stubbornly rejects. The contrast of the oil rich anonymous rooms in prefabricated buildings with the wild perfume and freedom of the desert is at the center of his crisis. A sad tale of loss, alienation, and what happens when we lose ourselves before we are found. ‘The pure end up among the stars.” Quiet and frightening.

[Safiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't love it until the end... the end was so unexpected in a great but awful way.

[Sean Blevins · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Maïouf, growing up means growing away, from people, from places, from promises.

Poignant, David Copperfield-esque tale of the attempt to make a life between two cultures.

A quick, weekend read.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Altrad company now owns the construction company my husband works for. Part of the orientation mentioned that the owner, Mohed Altrad wrote an autobiography. Curiosity got the better of me and I am happy to have picked it up.

The story of a self-made man, with no one for him after his mother died -- his father disowning him, a maternal grandmother who will not have anything to do with him. And living in the Syrian desert. It just breaks my heart, having a son of my own, for a boy to go through all those hardships and trials alone. Surely, it made Mr. Altrad the man he is now but, it is still sad for anyone to go through life thinking you are alone and that the world's odds are against you. A story of resiliency, faith, and sheer perseverance, and still remembering your roots. Of the value of education and pursuing a passion. Very inspiring, very touching.

[Anne Mey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intéressant roman parlant de l'ascension d'un enfant de Syrie qui vivait dans la campagne reculée et qui grâce à l'éducation a fait des études et a commencé à travailler pour des exploitants pétrochimiques. Son lien à sa terre natale va s'étioler et il va se sentir en conflit partout où il se trouve. Et son histoire d'amour naissante va en pâtir. C'était très juste au niveau des réactions et sentiments qui viennent avec l'âge adulte et comme parfois les circonstances nous perdent.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

review to come

[Suzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book from a Little Free Library (I have a thing for "found" items--they seem like treasure to me.) and was very pleasantly surprised. The book follows a sharp and studious Bedouin boy of unfortunate circumstances from his young boyhood to adulthood, focusing on how he struggles to learn what's important in life, among love, power and culture. It is very well written, in short chapters. I would have rated it more highly but for the ending, but I won't spoil. Endings often disappoint.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slim novel, originally written and published in France, is autobiographical. The author, Mohed Altrad, was born in Syria and his mother died from giving birth to him. His life was filled with indifference and downright hate from his grandmother and father. Maiouf pushed himself into school and this becomes a true rags to riches story. The novel doesn't create that easy a scenario. Maiouf struggles for every crumb of life he can scratch away at and we, the readers struggle with him. Maiouf gets himself into school in the village near where lives the 'Bedouin' life with his grandmother. It is the beginning of a very long journey to achieve what he wanted, to see the world beyond the sand dunes he knew as home. This story is written with a light touch, as if Altrad takes us for a long flight shimmering over the sands from Syria to France and then to the United Arab Emirates. It is a Dickens like story, heartbreak and pathos, but it is clearly the writer's redemption. A story of our time, to know and understand what the children of Syria suffer and dream of, a gift of a story.

Original publish date was 1995 so this story does not involve the horror that Syria is today.

Copy courtesy of NetGalley and Grove Press, Black Cat (Sept)

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Translated from the French this is the author s heartbreaking tale of loss and perseverance growing up Bedouin/Syrian. The writing is both stark and lush and the story is sparse with detail but rather full of deep emotional longing. An interior often quiet and lonely journey into one man s soul reflecting the desert that pushes him and becomes his refuge.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book - a story based in Syria about a boy who wants more than a life lived in the desert as a sheep farmer. It's become a classic in France, and it's easy to see why.

[Odi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel's strength lies in its authentic portrayal of Bedouin life, drawn from Altrad's own experiences. Through Maïouf's eyes, readers are introduced to the rigors of desert existence, the complex social structures of Bedouin society, and the challenges faced by those who seek to break free from traditional constraints.

One of the most powerful aspects of "Badawi" is its exploration of education as a transformative force. Maïouf's journey from an illiterate shepherd boy to a student with dreams of higher education serves as a testament to the power of learning and the potential for personal growth. This theme resonates strongly, especially given Altrad's own remarkable life story as a successful businessman and writer who emerged from similar humble beginnings.

The book also delves into the complexities of family relationships and societal expectations. Maïouf's struggle to reconcile his ambitions with his duty to his family and tribe adds depth to the narrative, highlighting the internal conflicts faced by individuals caught between different worlds. While "Badawi" offers a rich cultural exploration, the pacing is slow at times, as Altrad takes care to build a detailed picture of Bedouin life. However, this deliberate approach allows for a more immersive reading experience, enabling a deeper understanding of the protagonist's world.

Altrad's writing style is straightforward yet imbued with moments of profound insight. His ability to convey complex emotions and cultural nuances through simple, direct language is commendable. The translation maintains the essence of Altrad's voice, allowing English readers to connect with the story's heart.

"Badawi" is a window into a vanishing way of life and a meditation on the universal human desire for self-improvement and belonging. Altrad's novel serves as an important contribution to world literature, offering valuable insights into Bedouin culture and the transformative power of education.
This book is highly recommended for readers interested in Middle Eastern literature, cultural studies, or anyone seeking a thoughtful exploration of identity and personal growth against the backdrop of a unique cultural landscape. "Badawi" is a testament to the enduring human spirit and the power of determination in the face of adversity.

[Bajidc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the first half of the book quite intriguing with its poetic descriptions of the desert and the Bedouin lifestyle. The second half, not so much, though I suspect I would have liked it more if this was an actual autobiography rather than thinly veiled fiction.

Superb blurb:
Now, in those days Maiouf put justice before everything else. Ah, justice! Even before friendship or love. He was starting to grasp the miserable fate that Syrian society had in store for his bedouin kinsman. So he lent an ear to what the brotherhood had to say. And he’d drawn a new strength – founded on conviction - from their exhortations. With their arguments, they’d reinforced the resentment he felt toward powerful men like dignitaries or the architect. But not everything they claimed convinced him. He’d to come to know a few young Jewish boys, and the concept that Judaism was evil incarnate seemed very strange to him. He’d also felt that the brotherhood’s interpretation of the Koran was unsophisticated. As for the condemnation of the Western world, he was too fond of the films from those faraway places to give that credence. He hadn’t joined them, but had learned from them to view the world and certain customs around with a critical eye.

Second superb blurb:
He weaved through some panicking sheep being ineptly herded by children who were hardly more confident than their flock. He slipped between groups of men, through dust and shouts, then walked along a small esplanade where fat, smug, pot-bellied men – unquestionably tradesmen – sat stuffing their faces with sandwiches and swilling them down with arak and Coca-Cola just to show how well they were doing. They’ll be drunk before the end of the day, Maiouf thought as he passed them. He climbed over bolts of cloth, then on to some badly made crates that threatened to collapse; he was scolded, pushed, and jostled but he didn’t back down before finally spotting his father.

[Kkraemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maiouf is a reject. He's a reject because of his mother's bad luck in being given as a 2nd wife to a man whose 1st wife hates her and gets her thrown out of the house, along with Maiouf, the young son. After a time, the mother dies, and Maiouf becomes the hated responsibility of his grandmother, who wants him to go and be a shepherd so that she doesn't have to take care of him.

Maiouf doesn't want to be a shepherd: he likes school. For a desert Bedouin kid, this is not acceptable, either from his people or from the school. Kids hate him, but he's smart and hard working, and he perseveres, the rejected child of a rejected people.

Schools get bigger and bigger and further and further away from his people. He leaves Syria to attend school in France, and, as an adult, he changes his name to Quher (meaning victorious, as opposed to "the abandoned one"), wears Western clothes, and becomes an engineer in the UAR, yet he bears the scars of rejection, of anger over the regular and routine hatred of his people, and of having to rely on himself for everything.

Maiouf's story powerfully reveals the depths of isolation and anger that rejection, immigration, and just plain individuality. Maiouf is alone. We all are. His story, though outwardly a "rags to riches" Horatio Alger story, is, in fact, the universal search for meaning and for the place of one's own -- the place where each of us actually fits into this world.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The child had never really believed the storytellers, never really accepted that someone could always win like the heroic soldiers in their tales. But he’d listened to them so often he’d eventually convinced himself that, if you fought, you could always hope.” Page 13

“If you don’t listen to your history, you’ll be as light as a cloud in the sky, you’ll never be able to settle, light as a feather carried away on the wind.” Page 18

“‘Why does he want to find a liar?’ He asked.
‘Because he doesn’t know what an attorney is. Look, can you see the man in the hat over there, facing him? He’s the public prosecutor. He’s just finished his speech for the prosecution. The Bedouin is challenging it. He thinks he’s at a lying competition and he’s asking to be allowed to choose his own champion.’” Page 72

“He hurried on. He wanted to get away from this flat, stony ground. He wanted to press on into the dust, to heat the fine sand crunch beneath his feet. To trample that judge underfoot along with all those who judged his life. He was irresistibly drawn by the supple, shifting curves, the swelling waves which rose up into the sky, abolishing a sense of space, stretching into infinity. As in the old days. He wanted to get to that mysterious place where the land came to an end.” Page 214

[بتولينا الحمصي · Rating 3 out of 5]

although I hate poor to billionaire kind of books , but I really loved this book .
The end of the novel had turned it from "mmm-okay " to "It is a very good novel" without the touching ending I really would rank it with 2 stars
the fact that the book was written by his only loved woman added a distinctive and glory to the book .
I couldn't stop my tears when I read :
" The shadow she was talking to , the shadow listening to her , was waiting for the end . So she continued in a sad , sympathizing some of the words
There ,my son , the son I never had , that's the story of the father you should have had"
I really saw my self in these lines too :
" The years hadn’t hardened her but they hadn’t brought her much joy either . She glanced briefly out of the window she left open . From where she was sitting she could only see the sky . What did that poet say, the one he had introduced her to when he was still with her ?”

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first blush, this is a typical upward-mobility, boy from the sticks goes to the big city story, with the message, "You can't go home again." The protagonist, a proxy for the author, was born a Bedouin (Badawi) near Raqqa, Syria, now famous for other sad reasons. An outcast even in his village, he parlays hard work and success in school into a career as a petrochemical engineer, educated in France.

The story is well told and moving, though much of it is as old as "Dick Whittington's Cat." The achievement, the loss, the nostalgia, the loss of love and connection. Well told, in an Arab ambiance not familiar to me or to most readers in the original French or in English translation, this is a poignant variant of an old, old story.

And alas, you can't go home again. None of us can.

[Mike Clinton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bedtime reading for a few weeks. The earlier parts of the book that cover the protagonist's childhood were interesting, but the novel ended in a way that felt predictable and even maudlin. The author plays with themes centered on personal relationships within shifting frames of family and community culture complicated by individual transformation. You can take the boy out of the desert but can't take the desert out of the boy--seemed to be the trite moral of the unsatisfying resolution of the novel's themes.

[Bigi Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy to read, hard to put down book. Nurture or rather the lack of it informs the child who becomes the man who forsakes his roots to achieve success in a capitalistic system but someone who is never able to completely integrate/assimilate into this new world. Maīouf's experience leaves one feeling sad. I am sure this book with resonate with anyone who is interested in exploring the joys and perils of moving from one culture to another; to seeing how adopting a new western culture gradually replaces what the core values of the original Bedouin culture.

[Suzie Agustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

an easy and touching read. Set mostly in Syria, I particularly loved the poetic imagery of the desert landscapes and cultures he would describe. The desert, and all the harshness and emptiness commonly associated with it, took on a more poignant form in the words of an author who could not separate himself and the successful man he was becoming from the sand dunes that are his heritage.

[Florent Sampaio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une belle histoire, émouvante, assez captivante, de la vie de ce jeune Bédouin qui quitte le désert, puis la Syrie, pour essayer de laisser derrière lui son passé. Mais celui-ci le rattrape. Le seul bémol, qui me fait ne mettre que 4 étoiles, c’est que cette histoire n’est pas spécialement originale non plus. Bien qu’on prenne plaisir à la lire, rien n’est vraiment surprenant.

[SilenceFort · Rating 4 out of 5]

The love story felt a little sad for the girl, at least to my western gut.
This is a typical coming-of-age book in an unusual cultural context.
Good entertainment book on the basis of a true experience.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

First book I’ve ever read about a Bedouin person. I liked learning about their lifestyle and hardships. However, the main character was not very endearing and was a difficult protagonist to root for. Many poor choices and bad attitudes. Not a satisfying story.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

(για όλες τις ηλικίες)
Η φίλη μου ως τεράστια βιβλιοφαγος το βρήκε υπέροχο και ανατρεπτικό.Συνεχεια με πίεζε να το ολοκληρώσω. Όμως εγώ ακόμη και τώρα δεν έφτασα ποτέ στο τέλος λόγω έλλειψης χρόνου κτλ. Θα δοκιμάσω να το ξαναδιαβάσω από την αρχή πάλι και θα σας πω 😉

[Eleonora · Rating 3 out of 5]

La prima parte del libro è davvero bella, poetica mentre ti da un pugno allo stomaco per tutte le difficoltà che il protagonista deve vivere. Ma a partire dalla sua partenza dalla Siria, ho cominciato a far più fatica a seguire la storia e il personaggio…

[Elé Farge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce roman autobiographique de Mohed Altrad est touchant tant l’on se sent éloigné de la réalité du quotidien du héros. Pourtant, les sentiments et émotions sont tellement bien décrits qu’on réussit à se projeter dans cette histoire.

[Meriem · Rating 4 out of 5]

C'est encourageant de voir la réussite de gens comme Monsieur Mohed ALTRAD, de rien est du fin fond de la misère il devient l'un des plus riches et important entrepreneurs en France...

[Liz Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really intresting window into a culture I knew nothing of.