I Sweep the Sun Off Rooftops

by Hanan Al-Shaykh

Since the U.S. publication of Women of Sand and Myrrh --which has now sold more than 35,000 copies and was selected as one of the Fifty Best Books of 1992 by Publishers Weekly--Hanan al-Shaykh has attracted an ever larger following for her dazzling tales of contemporary Arab women. In these seventeen short stories--eleven of which are appearing in English for the first time--al-Shaykh expands her horizons beyond the boundaries of Lebanon, taking us throughout the Middle East, to Africa, and finally to London. Stylistically diverse, her stories are often about the shifting and ambiguous power relationships between different cultures--as well as between men and women. Often compared to both Margaret Atwood and Margaret Drabble, Hanan al-Shaykh is "a gifted and courageous writer" ( Middle Eastern International ).

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Lebanon, Middle East, Asia, The World, Womens

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Hanan Al-Shaykh (Arabic: حنان الشيخ) is a Lebanese journalist, novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. Born into a conservative Shia' Muslim family, she received her primary education in Beirut and later she attended the American College for Girls in Cairo. She began her journalism career in Egypt before returning to Lebanon. Her short stories and novels feature primarily female characters in the face of conservative religious traditions set against the backdrop of political tensions and instability of the Lebanese civil war.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book of short stories based in Lebanon and started reading with some of those hopes fulfilled. Gradually I found a certain sameness creeping in, primarily of writing style and tone, negativity toward most "others" in whichever protagonists' life and constant wistfulness, dreaminess. Perhaps this comes of living in a war zone. This would not account for the style itself which sometimes seems to bludgeon the reader with its words.

There were a few stories I liked, primarily "The Spirit is Engaged Now (You May Want to Hold). Others such as "The Land of Dreams" just didn't seem to have substance, seemed to be completely unreal, beyond any possible meaning of the title I could come up with.

I didn't finish all stories, but read 2/3rds of the book, and feel that was enough to make a meaningful review of this book.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

One of my side goals for this year's Women in Translation Month is to visit as many previously read authors as possible. Hanan Al-Shaykh, last read 2015, is someone who I visited when my circles of GRAmazon acquaintance and reviewership were much larger and more active, so I don't feel as much a need as I did back then to wrangle with low average ratings and lower expectations. So, while some stories did indeed strike me as marvelous in their construction and unique in their focus, out of the seventeen of this collection, I can only apply that praise to three, with a handful or so more containing promising kernels that never quite grew to full fruition. Rhythms, poeticisms, puns, and other linguistic convolutions irrevocably lost in translation? Guaranteed. Ignorance on my part? I couldn't see how it could be otherwise. A bias towards stories that dragged a Eurocentric part of the world in like a cat with a hardly praiseworthy carcass of some errant rat or bird? Most certainly. A passive aggressive pet peeve for the font style chosen for major story headings and the first three words of every tale? Yep. So, not a great follow up to the Women of Sand and Myrrh read five years ago, but not so poor as for me to give up entirely on The Story of Zahra, which I picked up a copy of in semi desperation when this work of original interest refused to show its face for a good six years. It's not a collection I would recommend as a whole to a newcomer to literature translated from Arabic into English, but I could see a few of its stories doing that quite nicely, should someone get lucky in picking up a copy and flipping through the pages.

A family that would rather a woman be insane than be adulterous, love after death, love without commitment, love in the time of proselytizing colonialism, obsessions after death, childhood meets capitalism, cishet virginity confronts queer sex, marriage meets the family tomb, love as an ideal, homeland as an ideal, the choice of love over the guarantee of heaven, sexual fantasies, lovers turned/not turned into goats, breeding grounds, gender woes, the beguilement of Christianity, and the triumph of chastity over life. If you think there are a lot of love/sex/erotic style themes caught up in this, you would be correct. You would also be correct in picking up on the tension between "West" and "East", Europe and Yemen that is played out in 'The Land of Dreams', 'I Sweep the Sun off Rooftops', 'The White Peacock of Holland Park', 'The Keeper of the Virgins', and, my favorite from this collection, 'An Unreal Life'. That last one that I reserve for especial praise involves a woman returning to the country of her upbringing with a white Orientalist of a husband in tow, marveling at how comfortable she is here while slowly but surely throwing off the fetishistic aspects of her husband's appreciation for her. The food, the beverages, the public venues, the young people, the architecture: all of it lavishly opening up to her truly appreciative gaze, until, of course, she finds herself treated as much as any other white tourist: just another obscenely rich patron from sickeningly stable foreign country that one sells oneself to in hopes of salvation, except this one looks a bit more like us. Others I liked include the aforementioned 'Peacock' and 'Dreams', as well as 'The Funfair', with ones such as 'A Season of Madness', 'I Don't Want to Grow Up', and 'The Land of the Sun' coming in for me at second tier. These stories might go better for those more into the whole sex thing than I and worse for those who are not as deeply invested in the ongoing maelstrom that is modern day culture clash between Arab and Euro as I, and if both of those topics are off-putting for you, well: you may want to cut your Arabic lit milk teeth on something else.

So, not the most triumphant return to an author, but immersing myself so heavily in translation this month has given me the level of constant learning and critical analysis that sustains me more often than not, and I am nothing if not highly interested in procuring more and more works of the general international like. Such is necessary in these days when Beirut, Lebanon is once again making its way around Euro newspaper headlines in a tragic form. While there is truth to the content of that information, most of the readers reading about such in English and co. would be more than content to know the city, country, and culture through that form of media and nothing else. To do such means to rest easy in one's moral superiority over truncated tales of social conservatism, religious conformity, misogyny, queerphobia, and other forms of oppression that are invoked in these stories: themes embedded in a far larger and more complicated framework, rather than a catalyst for self-righteous onanism. It requires far more focus and a higher level of comprehension from the average reader as consequence, but such is the price one often pays for a true dialectic. If non-English speakers can do it for Shakespeare, English speakers can do it for practically everyone else.

It was said that people had walked on the moon. At the time the village sheikh had broadcast from the minaret that a cow must be slaughtered to atone for the moon's defilement.

[Bel Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of these short stories were very engaging, for instance 'the Marriage Fair', The Land of Dreams' and 'The Funfair'. Others were less so, with story lines that didn't appeal to me, most notably 'A Season of Madness' and the story from which the book gets its title: 'I Sweep the Sun off Rooftops'. There were some interesting insights into different cultures and I'm glad I persevered with the collection.

[Zainab Bint Younus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not sure if it's a matter of lost in translation, or my own inability to understand and appreciate the stories, or writing style, or just bad writing. I struggled to get through it, found some of the stories rather convoluted and bewildering, and others abrupt and impossible to understand.

[Yolanda Morros · Rating 4 out of 5]

La escritora libanesa Hanan Al-Shaykh, autora de la famosa novela “Mujeres de arena y mirra”, nos presenta en “Barriendo el sol de los tejados”, diecisiete relatos cortos sobre choques culturales y opresión en el mundo árabe. La escritora entra en la vida de las mujeres árabes, ellas son las protagonistas de estos relatos.

[Edvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Svårt att ge en novellsamling på 300 sidor 5/5, mer varierad än så är hennes diktning. Här finns både 5/5 och 3/5. Trots det kan jag kalla boken som helhet mycket speciell och läsvärd.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book portrays the lives of women in the modern arab world. Each chapter talks about a different family in a different country; jumping from Lebanon, to Egypt, to Yemen, and so on. The events happening in the chapters, wherever they are in the Middle East, are very realistic, and could happen to anybody at any time. The fact that the main characters are women in each chapter, shows the significance of the roll women play in the Arab World. Feminism and a woman's needs are recognised, and contributed to by the plot of the story the chapter tells. Whenever a man appears, he is acting the same way I see, or hear of, the way husbands and brothers act in the real world. This novel certainly has opened my eyes about my culture as an Arab woman; and has taught me many things I didn't know about from before. Truely a masterpiece.

[Alix Méav · Rating 5 out of 5]

The one story that stood-out from all of the other stories in this book was "Apple." An absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful story of a girl who never receives a suitor and instead is faced with the social stigma of being an old maid in her village.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one grew on me as I read through it; it's another one worth reading twice. It's nice to read a different kind of book from time to time.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An astonishingly beautiful collection of short stories.

[Zaynab · Rating 3 out of 5]

القات يا أنغريد أنزله الله علينا كما أنزل مَنَّ السماء. إنه أدرى بفقرنا. أرسله حتّى نعلكه فلا نطلب اللحم والدجاج. نخزن القات حتى تنسينا مرارته لذائذ الطعام... خذي.. خذي هذه... ورقة لمّاعة طرية وشوفي عيونك كيف تصير...

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I liked:

- A Season of Madness
- The Marriage Fair
- The Land of Dreams
- I Sweep the Sun Off Rooftops
- An Unreal Life
- The Land of the Sun

The other 11 stories didn’t hold my interest, and made the experience of reading this collection something of a slog for me.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nearly every story is this collection is a gem, and the writing is exceptionally terse and powerful. Young children on an Oil compound in the middle east are horrified to learn that their Indian servants have been cooking their pet rabbits, their distress calling into question the treatment of servants and the self-serving naivete of children. A woman moves from Morocco to London and learns the humiliations of freedom. Another woman wants to get a divorce but cannot ask for one, so she feigns insanity, which further traps her in her marriage. And my favorite story, "The Land of Dreams" beautifully portrays the impossible reconciliations of culture between the west and east, when a Denmark missionary is proposed to by a Yemeni man. I love the sensations this book provoked- of austerity and sensuality, of intense focus and vague alienation, very excellent.

[h i n d]

I initially added this one because the title, and now I'm reading it as "research" for my short story set in Lebanon

A Season of Madness a little odd, not what I was expecting, also not the cheating themes 3 stars

The Spirit To Engaged Now um not the summoning spirits with Quran verses pls 2 stars

The Marriage Fair are all the stories about marriage or what

The Land of Dreams
Place de la Catastrophe
I Don't Want to Grow Up
I Sweep the Sun Off Rooftops
The Funfair
The White Peacock of Holland Park
An Unreal Life
The Scratching Angels' Pens
Cupid Complaining to Venus
Qut al-Qulub
The Holiday
Do You Know Someone Who Can Teach Me the Piano
The Keeper of the Virgins
The Land of the Sun

[Nakib Hoq · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book from the local library just because I was intrigued by the name of the author. Yes, sometimes I do pick up books just because the author has an exotic name. It helps me to expose myself to different perspectives and different cultures that I have never been exposed to. And so teh Arab name really attracted me!

I sweep the sun off rooftops is a collection of short stories by the Lebanese female author. Dealing with sexuality, feminism and stereotyped Arab women the characters are quite nuanced and worth giving a thought. Overall, not a bad read at all; but nothing extraordinary either.

And my favorite story in the collection is 'I Sweep The Sun Off Rooftops' by the way!

[فاروق الفرشيشي · Rating 2 out of 5]

"فهل يعدنه إلى أهله أم يضعنه في غرفة الموت التي دخلها ذات يوم بصحبة الطاهرة الكبيرة حتّى يساعدها في كنس أرضها التي لم يكن ليراها لو لم تشعل المرأة المسنة شمعة صغيرة وتقربها من صندوق عال وترفع عنه الغطاء ليشهق مذعورا وهو يرى هيكلا عظميا فوق الرف الخشبي حيث أضلاع الصدر ظاهرة وبعض من اللحم ما يزال يلف اليد"

بجمل ماراطونية سيئة التركيب كهذه، لا يمكن أن تظفر بتركيز القارئ طويلا. الحقيقة أنني كنت أجاهد لأركز مع قصص حنان الشيخ الّتي تبدو جميلة ورقيقة، لكنّ أسلوبها سيئ جدا، وطريقة قصّها لا تبدو ناضجة بما يكفي.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, about woman in the Middles East in present day, trying to keep their traditions alive while entering into a new world. Loved the visuals and the writing, learning about their cultures and the way they interacted in their daily lives. The first three stories were my favorites, but really there was not one that I disliked. Glad that I read this book, not one I would have picked up had it not been a book group read.

[Sujit Banerjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An EXCELLENT read... over a period of time this book has got lost but this collection of short stories on Arab women's life is one fantastic book. Go for it if you like all kind of "reality" fiction.

[Lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 but veering towards 3 instead of 2 because some stories do have a poignancy that deserves praise, particularly the last few.

However, the book suffers from a sameness and lack of direction or reason, especially the bulk of the middle stories. Characters lack depth, and the side characters and scenery lack even more. Stories stagnate and then end, as if to allude to some greater conclusion that the reader must decipher, but unfortunately you cannot do that 15 times in a row without seeming aimless.

I recommend this for those who love a short story or two with good prose when they’re at the beach, but not for much else.

[Alanood · Rating 4 out of 5]

اللغة قريبة بسيطة، شاعرية، وفي نفس الوقت مليئة بالمشاهد الواقعية لدرجة تشعر القاريء أنه داخل السطح الذي تتحدث عنه.


هي كتاب ذاكرة أكثر من كونها رواية تقليدية. حنان الشيخ ترجع لطفولتها ومراهقتها على سطوح بيروت، وتكتب عن أول وعي للحياة، للجسد، للمجتمع، وللخوف والرغبة والفضول.

تعلمتُ على السطوح أن الخوف لا يختفي… بل يرافقنا مثل ظلّ، يكبر
حين نكبر، ويصغر حين نضحك.”

“كانت أمي تمحو حزنها بالماء والصابون… وأنا كنتُ أحاول أن أمسح الشمس بيدي الصغيرة، كأن تنظيف السطوح ينظفني أنا أيضًا.

[Lily Evangeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this one randomly from a bookshelf in Montreal, trying to expand my tastes a little. There were a few stories I really enjoyed, but unfortunately overall I struggled. I felt these were more often snapshots of a life or a moment than truly a short story, and they felt a little directionless or unsure of what they were trying to convey.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn’t say all of the stories were 5s for me, but I rarely enjoy short fiction and this collection was a rare exception. I feel like these are the kind of stories that may pop back into my head randomly through life.

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked some of the stories but I just couldn't get myself to focus on them.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

3'5/5

[orphia · Rating 4 out of 5]

read "the funfair"

i'm interested in reading the entirety of this anthology

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

collection of short stories, writing as manic in and of itself

[Eden_Under_The_Tree · Rating 3 out of 5]

al-Shaykh depicts passion and carnal desire masterfully.

Unfortunately most of the vignettes in this collection read not as complete stories, but rather the first chapters of unfinished novels.

[Asmaa Salem]

كنت هقراه لكن التعليقات السلبية خلتني اصرف نظر عن اني اضيع وقتي

[ananya · Rating 4 out of 5]

so incredibly poignant it took me a solid 3-4 business days to recover from some of these stories

[Kay Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection of stories and in particular A Girl Called Apple I found really touching and thought-provoking. It raises issues of culture in an isolated village and rituals practised to invite suitors for daughters of marriagable age. Apple's family is portrayed as loving and kind, even when they can't quite fathom why she is so resistant to marriage. Neither can Apple. It was the most memorable in this admirable collection.
The stories are insightful portraying various issues surrounding women in a culture so very different from western experience. Interestingly it's focus on the lives of women doesn't preclude insight into life for men in middle-eastern culture.
It's worth reading not only as a wonderfully realised literary work, but also to understand lifestyles of another culture that is so very topical at present.