It took me one full year to finish this novel, and I must say I abandoned many many times...
The book is confusing, but not in an interesting (planned by the author) way: there are jumps from different places and times before you even get to understand who's talking. The characters are so detailed that they actualy end up being frozen and monolithic.

Not an interesting read at all, even thought it sounded so promising. ( )

Reading this book in 2010 one can't help but think of all the reversal of fortunes in Iraq since the 1960's. Although, on the one hand, this is an examination of philosophers and the absurdity and satire therein, this is also a glimpse into the Iraq that we don't remember. In doing so, it also provides a snapshot into a rich culture. Bader's short chapter format proves effective for this work that follows a brief period in real time, but steps back in time chronologically. I felt the latter half "flowed" better not sure if that's the result of a translated version or lengthy character exposition. Overall, an engaging read! ( )

An amusing story of an unnamed writer who is hired by a couple of dissolute former friends of the great Iraqi existentialist philosopher, Abd Al-Rahmen. Our writer is given hints to follow and must determine whether Abd Al-Rahmen commited suicide due to existentialist angst or was the victim of a common murder. Al-Rahmen is a pretentious somewhat annoying character, who experiences the "nausea" of life. But as the story progresses the character somewhat grows on you. The story takes him thought his childhood, studies in France and later life in Baghdad - covering the incidents that lead to his "existentialism." ( )

I just loved this unique mix of Eastern and Western culture. Both critical and loving, Bader creates a colourful tapestry of his country. There is the joie de vivre, the poverty, the intellectual curiosity, the opportunism, the cleverness and the duplicity. His simple descriptions evoke the sounds, smells and sights of Baghdad - and that alone is worth cracking this little book open. Of course, as a lover of French literature, I enjoyed both the homage and critique of Sartre, the unique interpretations and all the comedic discourse around a dry philosophy suddenly turned playful.
Parts of the protagonist's psychological development are perhaps simplistic, but the use of his character as a foil to life around him is brilliant - and a great stage for the little twist at the end.
Highly recommended! ( )

I imagine this book might have some kind of deeper meaning, something that someone who is familiar with Jean Paul Sartre, especially his book [Nausea], and has at least a working understanding of existentialism would understand. Or perhaps someone who knows what this might have meant to 1950’s era Baghdad would glean some appreciation I missed. On the other hand it’s quite possible that’s all superfluous to this somehow unexpectedly enjoyable read – since our philosopher doesn’t seem to know the first thing about any of this.

This doesn’t begin promising. The overall structure begins somewhat similar to Phillip Roth’s [American Pastoral] where we are given an entertaining description of how the narrator took on the story he’s about to tell us, and how he went about researching it. Then, he begins to tell us the story, and the life quickly leaves the book. We get stilted-feeling descriptions clearly manipulated to lead to the conclusions that were settled long before the writing began.

In this case we have what too all appearances is the story of a wealthy bum who lived convinced he was a serious philosopher, who drank and whored constantly as pretty much the only manifestation of his philosophy, and who didn’t really understand anything about philosophy, or human nature for that matter - except that he took himself completely seriously and managed to be regarded semiseriously by his contemporaries. Our story teller can’t come right out and say this because he’s getting paid to tell the story, and his sponsors believe the philosopher is someone special. So, every ridiculous and nonsensical aspect of the philosopher is told to us, showing clearly who he is (over and over) without outright saying so.

This should have been painful to read, but something happens along the way. Suddenly the philosopher becomes interesting, and suddenly I wanted to know more about his life and I was enjoying reading about it. It’s not clear to me what changed, when the apparent condemning polemic became apparent real curiosity into what this man and his relations were really like.

I’m not sure how well this book will stick, but it sparked my curiosity; it makes me want to look up Sartre and 1950’s era Baghdad. Now I’m thinking there must have been a deeper meaning in here, maybe about existentialism, or Iraq, but I’m not sure what it is.

2010
http://www.librarything.com/topic/81181#1811219 ( )