The History Book Club discussion

Hello Everyone,

For the week of May 6, 2013 - May 12, 2013, we are reading Chapter Ten and Eleven of House of Stone.

The sixth week's reading assignment is:

WEEK SIX: May 6, 2013 - May 12, 2013
Chapter Ten.: Last Whispers (pp 128 - 141)
Chapter Eleven: Khairalla's Oud (pp 142 - 154)

We will open up a thread for each week's reading. Please make sure to post in the particular thread dedicated to those specific chapters and page numbers to avoid spoilers. We will also open up supplemental threads as we did for other spotlighted books.

We look forward to your participation. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and other noted on line booksellers do have copies of the book and shipment can be expedited. The book can also be obtained easily at your local library, or on your Kindle.

There is no rush and we are thrilled to have you join us. It is never too late to get started and/or to post.

Jill Hutchinson will be moderating this discussion.

Welcome,

~Jill

TO ALWAYS SEE ALL WEEKS' THREADS SELECT VIEW ALL

by Anthony Shadid

REMEMBER NO SPOILERS ON THE WEEKLY NON SPOILER THREADS - ON EACH WEEKLY NON SPOILER THREAD - WE ONLY DISCUSS THE PAGES ASSIGNED OR THE PAGES WHICH WERE COVERED IN PREVIOUS WEEKS. IF YOU GO AHEAD OR WANT TO ENGAGE IN MORE EXPANSIVE DISCUSSION - POST THOSE COMMENTS IN ONE OF THE SPOILER THREADS. THESE CHAPTERS ARE EXTREMELY DENSE SO WHEN IN DOUBT CHECK WITH THE CHAPTER OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY TO RECALL WHETHER YOUR COMMENTS ARE ASSIGNMENT SPECIFIC. EXAMPLES OF SPOILER THREADS ARE THE GLOSSARY, THE BIBLIOGRAPHY, THE INTRODUCTION AND THE BOOK AS A WHOLE THREADS.

Notes:

It is always a tremendous help when you quote specifically from the book itself and reference the chapter and page numbers when responding. The text itself helps folks know what you are referencing and makes things clear.

Citations:

If an author or book is mentioned other than the book and author being discussed, citations must be included according to our guidelines. Also, when citing other sources, please provide credit where credit is due and/or the link. There is no need to re-cite the author and the book we are discussing however.

If you need help - here is a thread called the Mechanics of the Board which will show you how:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2..................

Glossary:

Remember there is a glossary thread where ancillary information is placed by the moderator. This is also a thread where additional information can be placed by the group members regarding the subject matter being discussed.

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

Bibliography:

There is a Bibliography where books cited in the text are posted with proper citations and reviews. We also post the books that the author used in her research or in her notes. Please also feel free to add to the Bibliography thread any related books, etc with proper citations. No self promotion, please.

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

TOC and the Syllabus:

The following is a link to the table of contents for the book and the weekly syllabus:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

Book as a Whole Thread:

This link for discussion of the book once you are finished:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

by Anthony Shadid

Chapter Overviews and Summaries



Last Whispers (pp 128 - 141)

The tiler, Labib, as expected, turns out to be a real problem. He doesn't bother to show up for work for days and Shadid goes looking for him. He is tiling the floor of a church and says that he will be along soon. When he finally arrives, he tells Shadid that all the tiles needs cleaned and polished before he begins. Shadid is furious.

The French occupation of Lebanon after WWI was a time of great turmoil for Shadid's grandfather, Isber and his first child leaves home for America to escape the bloodshed and vengeance. The vestiges of the Ottoman Empire still linger in Marjayoun and at least one ottoman gentleman survives...Shadid's friend Cecil Hourani who tells him, "I lived the last whispers of the Ottoman Empire" (pg 133).

Abu Jean brings Malik to the house of stone to lay the tile, since Labib is still working at the church. He is dependable (and honest, he says) and begins work immediately. Shadid wonders how long it will take to finish all the work since it has taken four months to finish one room.

Khairalla's Oud (pp 142-154)

The political situation in Lebanon is in disrray and Shadid muses about identity.....whether its inhabitants were Arabs firs or Lebanese above all, whether they belonged to East of West, whether they were bound to a destiny that stretched far beyond its borders. The country was not bonding around principle or ideals and it appears that they are living in the "silence before the storm".

Shadid begins spending more time with Dr. Khairalla whose illness is progressing. He spends time in his workshop where the doctor makes bouzoukis and ouds, the stringed instruments used in Arabic music but the oud is the doctor's passion. He was never trained as a maker of instruments and relies on inspiration....as he says, "What you see now is what I imagine" (pg. 148).

The doctor predicts war in the region and posits that in thirty years there won't by any Christians left in Marjayoun. He recalls his experiences during the war with Israel in 2006,

In 1920, Isber's children are gone as are many of the young people of Marjayoun. Things are changing in the town.

It appears that no one shows up for work on time or at all and can't be depended upon to provide services to Shadid. Is this indifference a cultural thing or is it because of his Americanism? I had a friend that lived in India for many years and said that things moved at their own pace and if a bus was three hours late, people just patiently waited. So it may be cultural......what do you think?

I wondered at that too. It may be because of the situation in a particular place more - where they value life and spontaneity more and that they realize in the scheme of things - life moves on and it is better not to miss its small details and enjoy them even if work sometimes should get in the way. Maybe their priorities are better. And different due to war and what their community has gone through.

I honestly don't think it was because of his Americanism. I think it was just the way they were or are.

I visited a Caribbean island or two recently and waiting for the Ferry boat was just like this - the printed schedule had no meaning whatsoever - it was just a "recommended timeline" and there was no pattern to when it would be early, when it would be on time or when it would be an hour and a half late. It was on "island time". Everybody on the island adjusted and just called to find out when the boat had left the other side and adjusted accordingly - the rest of us were just kept waiting and wondering.

We just did not understand their methods or their idiosyncrasies.

Jill wrote: "It appears that no one shows up for work on time or at all and can't be depended upon to provide services to Shadid. Is this indifference a cultural thing or is it because of his Americanism? I had..."

I believe it may be culturally. I am not really familiar with Lebanese culture. I do know as an American, that time runs me and in other cultures they run time.

Shadid's frustration with Labib reminds me of an incident I had when stationed in the Philippines. I was having a dress made by a seamstress "off-base", and I told her I really, really, really, needed the dress by Tuesday. I went back Tuesday for the dress, no dress. I believe I got the dress on Thursday. Different culture.

Laurie wrote: "Jill wrote: "It appears that no one shows up for work on time or at all and can't be depended upon to provide services to Shadid. Is this indifference a cultural thing or is it because of his Ameri..."

How true, Laurie. Americans are always in a hurry.....I love your statement ......in other cultures they run time.
The art of the tiler both in the creation of the tiles and the laying of them, seems to be becoming a lost art in the area. Shadid's choice to use many of the tiles from the stone house is a wise one for both sentimental and fiscal reasons. But the time consumed was underestimated by Shadid and I can't think that the house will be finished within his time frame.

I love his descriptions of all the people in this book. So much so that I've gotten ahead. Not what I expected, but I am truly into the people and their personalities.

Kathy wrote: "I love his descriptions of all the people in this book. So much so that I've gotten ahead. Not what I expected, but I am truly into the people and their personalities."

Now I will just need to be really careful not to do spoilers.

Kathy wrote: "Kathy wrote: "I love his descriptions of all the people in this book. So much so that I've gotten ahead. Not what I expected, but I am truly into the people and their personalities."

Now I will ju..."


That is easy to do.....but read on! One of the best parts of a spotlight read is that you can jump in anytime for the late starters....but for the faster reader, you have to keep in mind that you know something about a particular character that is revealed in later chapters. The characters are so interesting that I know there is much more about at least a couple of them in the coming chapters.

The time immediately after WWI when the French were handed Lebanon as one of the spoils of war, Isber's eldest son wants to go to medical school in Beirut. But the country is rife with violence by Lebanese rebels and the French's revenge against the population. The son must leave, causing sorrow to Isber but he knows that it is best. It appears that the emigration of the young is caused by the after effects of WWI, not the war itself and the beginning of the split between religious sects.

Shidad is dispirited about the current situation in Lebanon. The Ottoman civilities, which attracted him to Marjayoun are just a memory. But he finds one last Ottoman gentleman in Cecil Hourani who says "I lived the last whispers of the Ottoman Empire" (pg 133). Wouldn't you think that a free Lebanon would be preferable to rule under the Ottoman Turks? ..... but it seems that many still yearn for that time.

Yes, I could not relate on that one either.

It may be that the French partition was so hateful that the Ottoman rule seemed benign. And once the French left, things really went south as the country split along more religious lines.

Jill wrote: "It appears that no one shows up for work on time or at all and can't be depended upon to provide services to Shadid. Is this indifference a cultural thing or is it because of his Americanism? I had..."

I think it's a little cultural and a little of the job. My BIL is in construction and focuses on tiling. We've had him do a lot of work for our homes over the years. I love him to death but I also know not to stick to the timeline we first discuss. I know it's hard manual labor and have learned that he'll come in and work a few hours and then say "well I'm done for the day". He may leave and go work on another job, or just be physically exhausted, or just want to go do something else. And it is not just him, everyone that he works with is like that, and I've seen that in other places we've lived too. They definitely make sure that jobs get done on any true deadline they have, but if they have the time, they'll take it.

I also know of friends that have been stationed in Australia that have purchased items from locals, things that will be paid for later when things are shipped and the Americans are more worried about getting things paid for than the locals. Most are like "meh, whenever" where I think Americans are more concerned with making sure that everything is paid or taken care of.

So I think at times, it's our society that runs so counter to others. Americans are constantly on the go and as Laurie said, we run time. We don't have extended lunches or afternoon siestas. We (as a society) seem to be so sue happy that if someone doesn't work within our expectations/timeline, we're calling management or lawyers, and because of that we're constantly trying to meet expectations of others and their timelines. I think, for the most part, America just runs on a different cadence than other countries. I would love to work on the timeline of Europeans that take long lunches or afternoon siestas. I wonder what the heart attack rate is in those countries vs. the US.

Teri wrote: "Jill wrote: "It appears that no one shows up for work on time or at all and can't be depended upon to provide services to Shadid. Is this indifference a cultural thing or is it because of his Ameri..."

Well said, Teri. Americans hurry, hurry, hurry, got to get there, got to get this done, etc. The slower pace would be a much better life style, both for physical and social reasons. But sometimes deadlines are necessary and I think that's what is bothering Shadid.

My husband and I took a trip down the Nile several years ago. We noticed that many, many houses lacked a second story. There would just be rods sticking out of the top of the first floor. When we asked about this, we were told that people generally stopped building when they ran out of money. Where finances are so precarious and credit is not readily available this makes some sense. So maybe the people are use to thinking of construction as something that is more or less flexible.

Shadid's problem, I think, is that his leave-of-absence from work is finite and so is the amount of money he has available to spend on house renovations.

Interesting observation, Bea. There is where the cultural aspect come into play. Americans have to finish it and the Lebanese take it as it comes.

I think Marjayoun was bigger than I realized in its heyday since Cecil Hourani's father help found the Marjayoun National College. I was also surprised that the "last Ottoman gentleman", Cecil, was born in England and only came to Lebanon after WWII. The pull of the homeland is similar between Cecil and Shadid, don't you think?

Yes, I found that interesting as well Jill. A very strong ancestral pool like going back to the well. Deep.

Cecil Hourani fascinates me......he has led a very interesting life, often in high places. I chuckled at his last project to re-instate the monarchy in Albania (he must be a royalist at heart).
The residents give great attention to their gardens, especially the fruit trees which are plentiful. Shadid also alludes to the cacti which were bulldozed by the Israeli in the 1948 war......these cacti reappeared and have grown strong again. There have been many descriptions of the flora of the area in these chapters and I think that Shadid is making a connection between the living plants and the resilience of the people.

The change in Lebanon from a generation ago is palatable. Before the 1975 civil war, all peoples of all sects, atheists, radicals and reformists co-existed. But the country is sliding downhill fast. Have the Lebanese lost their identity through their own languor or has the influence of its more militant neighbors affected the direction in which they are moving?

It is a shame about Lebanon - everybody around the poor country is strong-arming it. I do not believe it is the Lebanese as much as it the Syrian government and the radical islamists floating from god knows where. Then they have the Russians also using their ports and the Israelis flying overhead whenever they want to. And of course they also have Hezbollah pushing its way in under the auspices of Iran who has caused many problems for this poor nation. I wish that Lebanon could be left alone.

Bentley wrote: "It is a shame about Lebanon - everybody around the poor country is strong-arming it. I do not believe it is the Lebanese as much as it the Syrian government and the radical islamists floating from..."

Unfortunately, it's location is too strategic.

I couldn't agree more. They don't have the internal strength of government to fight the outside influences that are pushing them around. It makes me wonder if some day the country will simply be absorbed into some type of larger country (something to the effect of the UAEs, except dangerous).

The situation of the people in Lebanon seems so sad, and yet this book did not make me feel sad. Rather I did get a sense of some hope in the past and for the future.

Bless your heart Kathy......I certainly pray that Lebanon will get on her feet but there are certainly some pretty vicious influences acting as puppet-master in that part of the mid-east. The book is so beautifully descriptive that it does make the reader feel uplifted (somewhat), especially with some of the characters who are really "characters"!!