reading only ARABIC books for a week (in english)

[@laurine5756]

As a translator I can't tell you how much I appreciate you mentioning the translators as we are often overlooked. Thank you 💛

[@priyanshiarora1193]

❤️❤️

[@ilytito2112]

the translator creats and opens the door for us to walk into a new world made by the writer ❤. You guys are amazing

[@aperson1004]

Do translators earn enough to live ?

[@randazyoud9619]

Yes, mentioning the translators realy impacted me and it is the first time for me to say in my head "what about being translator?" Translating is Very important work because it makes us know alot about other people who are living different lifestyle and far away from us . All appreciate 💗

[@tarekmegahed1423]

Fellow translator here and I second that

[@qualifiedarmchaircritic]

"Patience is life" fun fact - the arabic version possibly uses the word "sabr", which is commonly translated to patience. But sabr has some important connotations and is an extremely important concept within Islamic beliefs, it's more like "being patient while carrying a steadfast faith in your heart that things will get better and you should not get beaten down because everything will turn our justly", and I think that's beautiful and potentially less docile than "patience"

[@jack_edwards]

WOW. Thank you so much for this comment! This is so fascinating, and it's such a shame you lose this in the translation. Incredible, thank you!!

[@ummpearls]

Resilience is a better translation of sabr than patience.

[@toulatami296]

ترجمهه ؟

[@caglauregen3605]

@@ummpearls i am not sure about it but you might say.

[@brandontan5181]

Sabr is a cognate of the indonesian word for patience, which is "sabar". Indonesian has a lot of arabic loanwords hence yeaa

[@asmaissa8422]

As an Arab viewer who has always felt that Arabic literature is sadly overlooked or ignored because of misconceptions or stereotypes I can't even begin to explain how touching this video is and how much it means to me xx

[@shanzaez1675]

yup!!!

[@alaaazzam9811]

Totally agree 💛

[@mbletria6006]

I totally understand you, I am Portuguese and I think we have a lot of great books that aren’t that known outside Portugual. They are amazing, for example “Os Maias” or “Os Lusíadas”. The first one is one of my favourite books ever, I mean ever. It is huge but such a beautiful peace, It gives you a clear look at Portuguese society in the 1800’s. It is so deep and so funny at the same time. I can’t describe all of my feelings about this book. Everyone should give it a try

[@sk-bl3js]

I agree!

[@blessmeachoo6]

I'm Arab too and I've even grown up in an Arabic country for a good chunk of my life and even when I was there, no one around me ever paid attention to literature. I've been wanting to read Arabic books so my language skills don't get rusty but I didn't know where to start. I'm very happy that this video exists.

[@nazhaassadi1361]

I’m from a village in the northern district of occupied Palestine in which Mahmoud Darwish spent a part of his childhood. Grandmas always tell stories about him and how they used to play together as kids and then he grew up to be one of the most famous poets in the arab world. He changed the view about literature in our village encouraging many people to read and write despite not being able to go to school (they are now of ages 70-100). so we have schools and educational centers and a neighborhood named after him. Literally not a day passes without reading his poems

[@abderahmanffoujamaa4938]

That's so cool!

[@aysenurb]

Do you still live in Palestine if so are you guys okey

[@nazhaassadi1361]

@@aysenurb yes I still live in palestine and I’m alive for now😅

[@cippyjournals]

@@nazhaassadi1361 hope you and your family are always safe

[@Error-uq4gd]

Thats really cool what village are you from? (my grandparents are 1948 refugees from Tetaba and Tarshiha)

[@saraqatar100]

Someone who isn't sexualising Arab culture or a weird obsession with being the colonizer/orientalist, AND you're highlighting literature from all around the Arab world? It's a dream come true!!

[@prettypoetess_]

i mean someone who isnt sexualizing the culture is kinda the bare minimum 😂, still get what you meant tho haha

[@joatanpereira4272]

People sexualize Arab culture?

[@prettypoetess_]

@@joatanpereira4272 i guess with like baladi and stuff

[@toulatami296]

يتكلم عن ايش 😢

[@Fa23792]

@@toulatami296 يتكلم على الادب العربي قرا كم كتاب وحبه

[@drankclaw2095]

I've never seen a non-Arab so SINCERELY excited and interested and genuinely happy to be reading Arab literature i'm barely a few minutes in and I LOVE this video - instant subscribe!

[@zynpkrdg]

Me, a non-Arab LOVING Arabic and just wanting an opportunity to start to learn it as a third langyage so I can read Quran and all the other books in their original language thus meanings because Arabic literally has the best literature ever and you can say even the word camel like 50 different ways and- okay okay I shut up but like your language is. just. BEAUTIFUL. So yeah I love Arab literature.

[@popcornbag7897]

@@zynpkrdg I've been wanting to pick up another language and arabic is tempting me 😭

[@blueswan7655]

“I don’t mean to fatshame a book” damn

[@jack_edwards]

[proceeds to fat shame the book anyway]

[@jamesacolatse7447]

Me going back to see that

[@themanmrbijok7364]

They aren’t fat, they CHONGAS.

[@uth5425]

@@jack_edwards After having a look at an old arabic book, I felt like I have loss interest in modern Arabic books. I highly recommend old Arabic books for everyone for they are extremely precious.

[@ohohnenyeoo2654]

@@uth5425 like??? Pls give me some recommendations. (Beginner friendly)

[@Meowmeow-jh1ey]

"I respect you, but I don't understand you" everyone should use this more often

[@nha8909]

as an arab, I was not expecting this at all, so happy that you got to explore arabic literature

[@narashikamaru0]

I feel like u have an ask fm account ! Hmm are u the one who loves space and religion studies ?

[@nha8909]

@@narashikamaru0 ahhh i dont think so because idk what you're talking about

[@narashikamaru0]

@@nha8909 ok sorry

[@nha8909]

@@narashikamaru0 Its okay :D

[@HopeButMiserable]

:0

[@luciferbroke7875]

Arab literature is so poetic. Like, even the novels are so poetic, and I don't think I've ever found a translation that does justice to how beautiful they are in arabic.

[@mariemmahmoudi8785]

I never clicked on a video this fast!! As a Tunisian (I am Arab and I speak Arabic), I am so happy to see this. By the way, Seasons of Migrations to the North is one of my favourite books ever. I love Tayeb Salih's writing style and narratives. I read his complete works when I was 12 years old and it changed me. THANK YOU for this. Arabic literature needs more recognition internationally.

[@auroraqoshi9353]

Please can you suggest me some other books if you don’t mind?

[@mariemmahmoudi8785]

Hi @@auroraqoshi9353 These are few of my favourites: The Prophet by Khalil Gibran The Broken Wings by Khalil Gibran The Bamboo Stalk by Saud Alsanousi I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti East of the Mediterranean by Abdul Rahman Munif Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi

[@auroraqoshi9353]

@@mariemmahmoudi8785 thank you

[@CoolPianist98]

Never thought I would find another Tunisian here haha. I usually read in English but i'll take a look at what you recommended 😊

[@mariemmahmoudi8785]

@@CoolPianist98 I usually read in English too because I am an English literature student. But I try to read at least the classics of Arabic literature. Hope you enjoy reading them.

[@musicandloveismylive]

Jack secretly (but not really) becoming a booktuber, bit by bit.

[@jack_edwards]

worst kept secret of all time

[@joychalaby]

I'm here for it.

[@glorytobe]

I’m a new viewer and i thought he is a booktuber lol .. isn’t he tho ?

[@alankn6508]

i followed thinking he was a booktuber LOL

[@Pablo360able]

I came here from the green aesthetic book video so the fact that jack wasn't always a booktuber is actually news to me

[@nayarajab7579]

As an Arab, I'm so happy that you're showcasing Arabic literature on your channel! It means a lot, so thank you!! ❤

[@randomniche1345]

As a Libyan, I couldn't help myself from crying when you were talking about Darwish. Palestine will forever be a subject that brings tears to my eyes whatever the context talked in was

[@sohibmohamed9548]

hello fellow libyan

[@zainaa6133]

as a palestinian thank you

[@d1m1u]

As another Palestinian, thank u

[@malihafairuz1290]

@@d1m1u are you a directionar and swiftie as well ??

[@mussamariam9036]

Same 🇱🇾

[@erinmariecece]

I completely adore how you review literature. You always approach books with such open-mindedness and respect, and your passion towards these novels make me feel connected to them even when I haven’t read any of them. 💙

[@jack_edwards]

This is so kind, thank you!!

[@sjdhiidfoou7291]

The literal translation isn't "celestial bodies" ,it's "the ladies of the moon" or in Arabic "سيدات القمر"

[@JayPalfrey]

yes Jack! I need to get my hands on these :)

[@jack_edwards]

KING!! i'm living for your travel vlogs!!

[@shxb9194]

@@jack_edwards do pakistani literature next🇵🇰

[@ramihayazila]

read "Secrets of Divine Love" Jay!

[@jannat4585]

A crossover i didn't expect from my two top KZbin channels. 🌟

[@mingemma5818]

Jaaaay 😍

[@sarakoski5484]

The books: 1. Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih 2. Gold Dust by Ibrahim al-Koni 3. Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi 4. A River Dies of Thirst by Mahmoud Darvish 5. Time of White Horses by Ibrahim Nasrallah

[@smritika3767]

Omg ily

[@BhashwatiDutta]

Thank you!

[@same.e.e]

Do you possibly have it in Arabic ?

[@mariem4511]

@@same.e.e 1-موسم الهجرة إلى الشمال، طيب صالح 2-التبر ،إبراهيم الموني 3-سيدات القمر، جوخة الحارثي 4-نهر يموت من العطش، محمود درويش 5-زمن الخيول البيضاء، إبراهيم نصر الله

[@Nightshay]

I clicked SO fast when i saw "Arabic"

[@martincelino]

Same here.

[@TheMunnnn]

Lol same 😂

[@AKaq-iv3nt]

Yeah my heart skipped a beat tbh

[@pourtous1763]

Same

[@hibadrai6169]

Me too

[@manal_nizam]

I need to learn Arabic. Arabic poetry is so magical, as well as Arabic books.

[@HusXX]

Arabic is so deep that you would love to live longer in this dunya purely because you sunk into that beautiful deep language that Allah chose as the last one for the revelation to whole humanity!

[@yinhannasjournal]

I’m interested in Arabic too, but it sounds and looks so tricky. 🥺

[@notime497]

@@yinhannasjournal it’s worth it, try it!!

[@yinhannasjournal]

@@notime497 I just might! Thanks for the support :3

[@ميعاد-ظ7ش]

@@yinhannasjournal good luck with Arabic 🌼

[@tengancuidado]

I love the fact that you're mentioning names of the translators!

[@dariceccoosman7843]

I was looking for someone to mention this! ❤️

[@dpaf3534]

yes!! as a translation student that’s so heartwarming 🥺 im glad someone appreciates our work

[@franc1194]

@@dpaf3534 oh boy we do appreciate u

[@dormantuntilfurthernotice]

@@dpaf3534 appreciate u bestie thank you for letting ppl understand literature that isnt in their native language. heres a 🥐 for ur hard work

[@yinhannasjournal]

Same! 🥺❤️

[@rania1408]

as a North African, this means a lot! It’s amazing that you took the time to read arabic books which are so often overlooked. Books in other languages can be so beautiful, and i’m glad you enjoyed them! loved this video, please do more like this!

[@abigase135]

North African here too :D hello and stay safe!

[@Vicky02811]

Usually I don't comment on KZbin, but I just wanted to tell you that especially your recent book videos are genuinely getting me to fall back in love with reading - quite a thing in times of online uni and aimlessly starring at screens the whole day. Thx!

[@jack_edwards]

Thank you so so much!!

[@douae5857]

Absolutely agree! His enthusiasm and passion are contagious.

[@imansh5132]

As a Syrian, I cried when you quoted Darwish 😭 but I must recommend you two other Arabs Writers, you may choose or ask your audience for a book name for them. NIZAR QABBANI and YOUSSEF ZAIDAN ❤❤❤

[@kristenkim]

love love love nizar qabbani his poetry has my heart 🥺❤️

[@Thattw]

ايش اسم كتاب محمود درويش بالنسخة العربية ؟

[@imansh5132]

@@Thattw نهر يموت من العطش

[@bsharahourany154]

i strongly recommend Gibran Khalil Gibran's ''The Prophet'' and ''Broken Wings''

[@kris-ish600]

Broken Wings made me cry like a baby! I need to read The Prophet.

[@zainabqureshi9334]

@@kris-ish600 the prophet is absolutely ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ It was my initiation into reading more poetry because WOW 😭

[@kris-ish600]

@@zainabqureshi9334 Yes, I have it, so I will pick it up soon! It sounds like I need to. 🥰

[@DeeRafatSweileh]

Oh yesss!!

[@ausername2675]

I remember my lit Teacher always recommending our class to read the Prophet!! It's really good, it's like the book that made me interested in poetry

[@abigaelwambui4689]

I really appreciate you reading foreign literature, cause there's so much out there. I'd love to see you read more African literature, like Chimamanda's books or some from my home, Kenya, like the River and the Source by Margaret Agola. If you do short stories, there's a collection of them from different countries called When the Sun Goes Down.

[@damamwagona27]

Hell Yeah

[@damamwagona27]

Hell Yeah

[@MatchaMeow1]

As a Palestinian viewer this made me so happy! Especially you reading Darwish's work :)

[@z4kry44]

i am jordanian american

[@Chickenwings09837]

Oh same!

[@Beekeeperjuju]

I am palestinian too yaay nice to meet you here 😂

[@Chickenwings09837]

@@Beekeeperjuju nice to meet you too♥️😌

[@naseema5776]

Hi from Algeria 🇩🇿❤

[@avividmindpalace]

Oh God as an arab myself I really like the fact you highlighted the richness of Arabic literature. That's why I suggest you these two female and feminist writers too ( they are arabs ) Nawal saadaoui, Fatima Mernissi ❤️ their books are so engaging and breathtaking

[@marion8252]

I know it's one year later, but maybe you get a notification for this comment:) I'm trying to read a book from as many countries in the world as I can right now, and I was wondering if you could recommend me any specific books by the two authors you mentioned above:) It sounds very interesting and I haven't read books from Egypt and Morocco yet. Thank you in advance

[@j7055]

@@marion8252 not from this two authors, but a good place to start with Egyptian literature is naguib mahfouz (you may have heard of him if you did a little searching, he had a Nobel prizes so like,,,, that’s why) but the Cairo trilogy is what he won the Nobel for, so maybe try palace walk :) definitely try the other authors though!

[@marion8252]

@judi Thank you so much, I appreciate it😍 Definitely gonna check it out🥰

[@ahmedyamany5065]

@@marion8252 For old Arabic Books and literature. The best Arabic books of all are the Qur’an, then hadith, then old Arabic poetry, but there is a big difference between the original text in Arabic and its translations. However there you can enjoy reading the following old Arabic literature: The Muqaddimah for Ibn Ibn Khaldûn, The Arabian Nights or Tales of 1001 Nights, The Travels of Ibn Fadlan and Ibn Battuta, and Ibn Tufayl's Hayy Ibn Yaqzan. Arabic literature (Egyptian) in the last century and this century. You can start with Naguib Mahfouz, who has many novels translated into English, and also, The Days of Taha Hussein, The Sin and Other Novels by Yusuf Idris, and other novels for Tawfiq al-Hakim, books by Abbas Mahmoud Al-Akkad, and Azazil by Yusuf Zaidan.

[@ahmedyamany5065]

Nawal saadaoui, or Fatima Mernissi, wrote in feminism, not Arabic literature.

[@nataliak.3380]

I am a student of Arabic Studies and in literally one weeks time we are about to start reading Arabic literature. The timing of this video is just spot on! Thank you Jack for introducing your viewers to literature that is less talked about, yet so important 🙏

[@hayagh9340]

"Hepta" try to read this one

[@soon4476]

What's arabic studies talks about?

[@hadillanguages5645]

Great choice I appreciate it ... I really respect the Arabic foreigners students

[@memesawy7115]

As an arab i recommend u "The Granada Trio" for Radmw Ashor

[@ferminsalaberri]

"I'm pleased that it's over" giggles, hidding his chin on his chest. So cute, so tender. I wanted to hug him

[@maryamalketbi1770]

I’ve never clicked on a video so quickly!! As an Arab (I’m from the UAE) who studies in a British curriculum school, I sort of overlooked Arabic literature as I was too focused on reading English literature for my GCSEs and AS Level. Your video has now inspired me to delve a little deeper within my culture and perhaps find new books to add onto my reading list! I might have a go at reading them in Arabic too to see how the translation differs. Loved this video so much! :)

[@remy9051]

exact same situation here, except that now I'm studying abroad for uni and I'm honestly missing Arabic SO MUCH

[@ftmb24]

Honestly when I made that transition from English to Arabic literature ( in Arabic) I found it VERY hard to go back! Arabic is truly captivating

[@maryamalketbi1770]

@@remy9051 Awwe good luck in your studies abroad! (I’m hoping to study abroad as well after Year 13). I would say try and immerse yourself back into the Arabic culture as much as you can- I know with studying abroad that can be very hard :( Try and read more! Wishing you all the best!! ✨💕

[@maryamalketbi1770]

@@ftmb24 Oh my gosh!! YES!! that’s exactly what I’m aiming to do (after finishing my AS level). That’s so awesome!! ✨💕

[@remy9051]

@@maryamalketbi1770 Thank youuu, studying abroad is hard for sure, but it helps you grow and develop in so many ways! It makes you appreciate our Arab culture and language even more and not take it and its beauty for granted

[@sereen5552]

Arabic literature is the closest thing to perfect..reading it in English doesn’t even come close, idk how 1 language can b this beautiful

[@smritika3767]

Hey, you could try reading only Indian literature in a video too. I have some suggestions - 1. The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri 2. Annihilation of Caste by B.R. Ambedkar 3. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy 4. Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh 5. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga 6. Joothan by Om Prakash Valmiki 7. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie 8. Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand 9. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry 10. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 11. The Inheritance of Loss’ by Kiran Desai

[@joshuageraldbutler8037]

Definitely recommend the white tiger

[@nacho6438]

all of these are pure gold

[@priyanshiarora1193]

Also, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

[@prabhavbhagat292]

@@priyanshiarora1193 Enhhh ...... I guess everyone has a right to hold their own opinion about something , so I am not saying that you shouldn't like it or something like that , but honestly didn't you find it a bit too meandering and one-dimensional ?

[@prabhavbhagat292]

Perhaps something by R.K Narayan too ? Because I don't think any other writer has ever been able to capture the simple innocence of life in a small indian town quite the way he did .

[@lunafickel2987]

Omg a booktuber who folds down the pages! I finally feel seen 😂

[@floario]

as an arab i’m so glad you’re giving a platform for arab writers because the arab world is rich with literature yet so under appreciated in the modern world!

[@yaaliyaali1723]

Being an Arab and seeing my favorite youtuber talking about our literature and reading our novels is wonderful.... i am so happy thank you and we love you so much : )"نحبك" and this is in arabic .....

[@mariam0205]

Yess I’m soo excited to watch this video!!But I just wanted to let you know, for the title, it’s ‘Arab’ authors not Arabic. Arabic is the language so you would either say Arabic books/literature or books by Arab authors.

[@jack_edwards]

corrected the title -- thank you so much for pointing this out so kindly!

[@summalik2780]

@@jack_edwards I hate to be nitpicky like this but you forgot to change it in the description too

[@kirstenclow1467]

This is probably an odd thing to point out: but I adore the way you use sophisticated vocab/jargon and you give definitions or explain it as you go. I'm an English teacher, and this is something I have had to learn to do for my lower ability classes, and the fact that you do it automatically almost, just shows that you care about creating an inclusive community.

[@Sofia-ng7wh]

I'm so ready to watch you talk about books instead of writing my essay about a book

[@raniamahmoud3165]

I really appreciate you making this video! Being an Arabic viewer who has been raised by a mother with an Arabic Literature Degree; I have been surrounded by Arabic literature my entire life, and have enjoyed it thoroughly for a long time. But when I was introduced to the amazing world of English written/translated literature, I sort of neglected all the Arabic titles on my shelves in exchange for all the exciting and "flashy" English titles. However, your video has inspired me to regain my love for Arabic works and it really encourages me to be more diverse in my reading and pick up all those great books that I've been putting off reading!

[@TimothyLam]

Jack: posts a video Me: clicks faster than the speed of light

[@abdulazizalbelushi7005]

As a Pakistani who was born and raised in the middle east. It's the most rich language ever tbh. I can speak arabic with all it's different accents and i do write arabic as well. Urdu is my mother language:)

[@katehopedonnelly]

i’ve been waiting for this one... TURN IT UP

[@hammerjohn9290]

Nice profile picture 👍

[@katehopedonnelly]

hahaha thank you!

[@Sayfway]

From a Palestinian whose family was expelled in 1948: Thank you so much.

[@saraqatar100]

The pronunciation of the authors' names is so sweet, I can tell you tried to nail them!

[@MWAR-hj6cl]

Hey jack! I've been watching your videos for the past few days quite religiously and just taking in all the book recommendations and your gripping reviews. My 'To Read' Good Reads list is overflowing at this point, but I have started to dig my way through it. I actually really wanted to study English Literature but my unadulterated love for the medical sciences won me over. This video is by far my favorite and I might be a bit biased due to the fact that I, myself, am Palestinian. Seeing you actually appreciate these books and not talk about them with a condescending tone (yes sadly that is something I've seen and heard) was really nice. Sadly, the bar is to the floor with treating the middle east with dignity in this day and age. I am thanking you for these Arabic recommendations, as I haven't read them yet but with your reviews I know which ones my taste would call for. I hope you keep making videos for the unforeseeable future and I can't wait to see what you will do next. - An Admirer

[@LizzaRob160]

I would recommend continuing with Murakami’s work for a week or in a Japanese week!

[@jack_edwards]

currently reading kafka on the shore!! but will definitely do an 'asian authors' version of this video at some point too :)

[@LizzaRob160]

@@jack_edwards Brilliant choice! 😁

[@likelyowl]

@@jack_edwards I'd definitely recommend The Memory Police by Ogawa Yoko or The Thief by Nakamura Fuminori, or anything by Tsushima Yuko! (Overenthusiastic Japanese studies major here .😁 )

[@LizzaRob160]

@@likelyowl ooo wow, have you read no longer human by Dazai? It’s one of my favourites 😊

[@joschisaurus182]

@@jack_edwards I recommend you to read "No Longer Human" by Osamu Dazai. It's a semi-autobiography set in the first half of 20th century Japan, and deals with the author's problems of his changing culture. It's however though to read, because of the author's mental health issues - which ultimately lead him to end his life early, just a month after the novel was published. The novel is a must read in Japanese schools, hence why I recommend it for an east Asia themed book week.

[@theplantenthusiast7153]

As a Sudanese book enthusiast, it’s often sad to recommend people Sudanese books because all they think of when they hear Sudan is all the media shows them. Arabic literature is a whole new world.

[@apinchofdisappointment]

Sorry this is an old comment so idk if you will see this but PLS I would love some recommendations

[@juliana43]

i love that this is just becoming a booktube channel this sparks So much fucking joy

[@yinhannasjournal]

Ikr. 😭❤️

[@randismail4771]

As a palestinian I can't tell you how much this video means to me. Arab culture is rarely appreciates so thank you x

[@oscarsharples6754]

as an arab i’m very appreciative of this!

[@sofiapezzarini2083]

Thank you so much for introducing arabic literature to me! As a former cologne (not from England though) I totally agree with the comment section: our culture and literature is usually overlook internationally and even we tend to look always outside instead of inside. I love this idea, I am SO ready to be introduced to literature styles from cultures that I haven't read before. And if you need a hand for the selection of the books from Latin America, I'm here to help!

[@va98055]

yesss!I'm trying to read more non-english literature too!I really want to start reading Urdu literature and it's a shame that it's taken me this long since I'm literally Indian.I hope you'll include some Urdu Literature too.It really is beautiful and it's unfortunate that nobody outside South Asia seems to know about it.Saadat Hasan Manto's short stories are probably the most widely read(at least where I live).His stories are usually set during the India-Pakistan partition.They are difficult to read because of the subject matter but are really really important in South Asian History & literature.

[@fatimaha3686]

Same! I can read Urdu yet I feel like haven’t read much. It’s such a beautiful language, even the ‘insults’ sound poetic.

[@zeynabh]

Woah you guys can read urdu I'm impressed maybe I should try to learn hindi

[@tayamoskva]

the fact that you name people who made the translations of these books makes me so happy. you're such a joy jack 💕

[@ave807]

I am studying translation and it makes me so happy that you also give credit to the translators. Loved this video!

[@skinni_the_P00hBear]

As a Muslim (American, though), I learned a few Arabic words through the religion, but when it came time to learn everyday Arabic in Arabic class, that stuff was hard lol! I thrived in high Spanish though 😅 I'm 21 now, but I'm sure it would've been easier to pick up on as a kid, instead of learning when you're older. My husband speaks it so maybe I can learn from him, because I still really want to learn the language 🤣. These books sound good, so I may take a look at some of them.

[@szsa13]

Yeah I think it's really hard to learn! I've been trying to learn arabic for so long... I still can't speak fluently or understand most words when I'm listening to people speaking it but it's a really beautiful language so I guess I'll never stop trying

[@raad1754]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@alex-zl1iy]

HOW DOES HE READ SO FAST it takes me two weeks minimum to finish a book

[@zakiahassan5564]

Well when I first started reading books I did the same. But now that I am too deep I once read all the 8 books of Harry potter in 15 days.😂😂

[@maha-shh]

Well i was just like you but now if I’m really interested in a book I can finish it in a day , if I’m busy it takes me ages Here’s a piece of advice don’t ever start more than a book at the same time it’ll drive you crazy

[@naylisyazwina6836]

would take me 2 weeks for that thickest book. The one half the size, just 3 days - 1 week.

[@born2think184]

@@zakiahassan5564 8 weeks? How?

[@yinhannasjournal]

I’m so jealous of him. 😭✋🏻

[@emanalwan6461]

I would recommend reading Jebran Khalil Jebran’s books he is an iconic Lebanese writer (try reading The Prophet)

[@chowdhurytasnim3600]

Omg yesss i was waiting for someone to mention him!!! He is one of my all time favourite authors, his "the madman" being my number one favourite book.

[@marialacuriosa8316]

I love his books! Someone gave me The Prophet years ago when I was at University, and I've always been so grateful they gave it to me. His books are so wise and his words are so beautiful, you will want to read them again and again and memorize them.

[@heyitsadiya]

This made me SO much more interested in reading books from other cultures (especially since I don't read them for a level english lit)

[@shafiashaan4331]

First of all your book rec are immaculate, you are one of my favourite booktuber and we should acknowledge and thanks all the booktuber, bookstagraamer for keeping the novel reading culture alive as well as interesting ☺️

[@Folmolhdjdu]

Absolutely love Arabic literature and poetry 😍 just the way they manipulate words is so beautiful. Honestly want an Arabic love poem dedicated to me lol

[@xabderrazakx3132]

Here you go لَوْ أَنَّ الْحُبَّ كَلِمَات تُكْتَب لانتهت أَقْلَامِي لَكِن الْحَبّ أَرْوَاح تُوهَب فَهَل تَكْفِيك رُوحِي ✌🇩🇿

[@Folmolhdjdu]

@@xabderrazakx3132 that was smoooth 🇧🇩 can I be greedy and ask for both your heart and your soul?

[@xabderrazakx3132]

@@Folmolhdjdu thank you 😘✌

[@yasmine3212]

i was so happy when i came across this. as an arab that wanted to get into arabic literature, this video was extremely helpful!

[@marimomu]

omg, I loved this video, I love the way you describe books 🥺💖 please do one of these with brazilian authors 🥺

[@ЕвгенияЕвгениева-о3г]

For around an year, all I could tell about what I was in the mood for reading was... Arabic and I didn't know where I could find the right books and now this video. Thank you

[@mai.2001]

As an Egyptian , this means so much to me . Thank you Jack 💖

[@fatimaabdallah4292]

As a Sudanese viewer who fell in love with season of migration to the north I feel so touched and I recommend that you read the forty rules of love by elief shafaq it's realy deep and great and it's sets in the 13th about such great concepts like god life friendship community diversity it really blew my mind.

[@nooralggg4829]

GOD I LOVE YOU FOR BEING SO BLOODY OPEN MINDED

[@marwaslibrary9363]

Not me crying my eyes out because Time of The White Horses is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. This video unintentionally made me feel privileged to be a native Arabic speaker. So happy you got to read those. If you ever consider a part 2 of this I have so many more masterpieces to recommend!! Thank you so much for making this :)

[@jack_edwards]

My email address is [e-mail] - I’d love to hear your recommendations !!

[@marwaslibrary9363]

@@jack_edwards Will do!!

[@tatianehannisdal5215]

Share with us your recommendations! 💛

[@fatma4942]

As an Arab, I’m ashamed that I haven’t heard about these books before 😣 but i added them all to my tbr shelf 😍🙏🏻

[@aliaoda8864]

لا داعي للخجل فهي كتب غير مشهوره او ربما ترجمة العناوين غير موفقه

[@Mars-bb9vn]

I’ve been stalking your channel for a year now how did I miss the only vid u were reading books from my native language 😭😭

[@SaLeh-ep6wn]

Much respect brother may Allah bless you❤

[@sherinloveschocolate]

Ok, as a palestinian who RLLY HAS BEEN TRYING to find good arabic to reads to improve my arabic reading, i have to say this has been SUPER HELPFUL, i think ill check these out! Plus all the great recomendations im seeing in the comments. I always have difficulty finding the right arabic books to read cuz since my arabic is kinda rusty i cant do something too long & i just have difficulty finding stuff im interested jn cuz im not always in the mood for something poetic but a lot of arabic literature is VERY poetic. Anyways, thanks for making this and for giving arabic literature a chance. Arabic literature is sooo vast, its hard to know where to start, so id love to see u do an arabic books pt. 2

[@reemgaga5622]

Omg im arab and Im so excited to watch this video!!! 🥺💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗 I have to say you’re very good at pronouncing arabic names!

[@minoriteabooks2665]

WE LOVE YOU FOR READING ARABIC LIT FAM also big respect for not shying away from Palestinian content

[@yasmineweshahy4829]

I love this so much (all your videos really) but as an Arab myself this was really entertaining to me. Ik you are going to read from different regions not just the Arab world but you REALLY REALLY have to check out Egyptian authors, most notably Naguib Mahfouz. He’s arguably the most famous writer in Egypt and in the Arab world. He has written sooo many stuff, but his most notable one is The Cairo Trilogy (won a Nobel prize for this). His most controversial one is called The Children of the Alley (almost got assassinated for this one but thankfully he survived). The last one I read was Modern Cairo (of Cairo 30). I read it for school but I really loved it. It’s about Egypt in the 1930s and tackles so many topics but manly highlights the quest for identity as for human beings and as for Egypt as a country. It reflects the difference social classes of that time. I would really recommend him and would love if you do a video on him (if u like of course). Love your videos. Thank you❤️

[@moonienoire]

YESSSS. Here for the Naguib comments. Also Mahmoud Taymour

[@AzazeelHandmade]

I am sad that I was too late to discover your channel! I really appreciate Jack as an Arabic to see foreign readers interested in our culture

[@harshasewlani5312]

There are so many amazing songs and poems in South Asia and Middle East that get overlooked because of language barriers. Thank you so much for this!

[@maya_existing6273]

I'm an Arabic viewer and I have always felt like Arabic literature was not getting the recognition it deserves so seeing you giving it a try and appreciating it is very touching and meaningful to me ,there are so many gems in Arabic literature that people are sleeping on.

[@samahcanread]

I clicked so fast when I saw Arabic! As an Arab, I feel so happy how you highlighted the greatest parts of Darwish's poetry; his poems are driven by his exile and you can actually feel the trauma from his work. I would recommend reading Naguib Mahfouz's work. He's considered a pillar and his work would give you another perspective about Arabic literature.

[@uth5425]

Are u a student of English?

[@brittanygoodrich9392]

Thank you for doing this series! I took a Chinese literature class in university, and it struck me that there are so many good classics from around the world that no one talks about. If you ever do Chinese lit, I highy recommend Family by Ba Jin. It features a multi-generational family and explores how societal expectations sometimes clash with personal dreams.

[@_Zaaiinaab]

As an Arab I really really REALLY appreciate that you picked Arab literature, and I may have even got a ouple of recommendations from you!

[@pasiphae5472]

I barely read books and i really look up to people that can read books constantly and understandin them and stickin to them until they end the book,i loved the video.

[@Grace-jn8de]

Great video as always! Would love to see what you think of books by Māori authors one day! So often forgotten 💕

[@nemutai3596]

if you have any recommendations of authors i’d love to hear them !!!

[@Grace-jn8de]

@@nemutai3596 Witi Ihimaera, Keri Hulme, Alan Duff, J.C Sturm, Patricia Grace, Hone Kouka :)

[@leylaharoon2492]

Omg I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that you found celestial bodies confusing too! As someone from an Omani background everyone around me was raving about this book. I was seriously underwhelmed and confused throughout. I wanted to like it so much but just couldn’t for all the reasons you’ve mentioned.

[@mohammadalshamsi717]

YES!! Finally someone is shedding light on Arabic literature!!

[@rxseqvartz5679]

This video made me feel happy not only because I'm Arab but also because I read 2 of the books that you've mentioned and because I just discovered your lovely channel :)

[@jiheneharzallah]

Thank you Jack for recognizing the Arabic lite. i would highly recommend the classic arabic lit like one thousand and one night---the muqaddimah---kalila was dimna they are awesome

[@tatianehannisdal5215]

My daughter (half brazilian and half norwegian) loves these stories! The Usborne Publisher has a beautiful version for kids. 💛

[@iman.a.t]

I have never seen anyone read Arabic books on YT before, and I am so happy you did! Time of White Horses has been on my shelf for YEARS and now I am encouraged to pick it back up. I would recommend you anything by the Egyptian author Radwa Ashour, or her husband Mourid Barghouti. Their son is also a famous poet by the name Tamim al-Barghouti, he has many publications out. But Radwa is my favorite out of the three, (Granada is translated into English and is a wonderful read).

[@kmarina4261]

I hope you make this a series! Would love to see a vlog with brazilian or other latin-american books

[@zeinabk5527]

im so shocked and happy that you featured a book based in Sudan!! As a Sudanese im happy to see Sudanese art or arabic works in general being shed light on

[@marahm4026]

As an Arab person, I'm so glad to see someone who is interested in out culture. Darwish is definitely the most respected poet we have had during the last century. Glad you enjoyed them all! ❤️

[@ayutasan9494]

As a Tunisian ( aka north african arab) i'm so glad that u dived in arabic litterature it is so diverse. I highly recommend reading tunisian , algerian or moroccan litterature to discover the history of the french colonisation of north africa

[@remy9051]

As an Arab who's always lived outside their country, I've really never read past maybe 2 pieces of Arabic literature. I feel like I really need to get back into reading more Arabic books to be more in touch with my language and culture... Thank you Jack for the motivation!

[@amarkhalil7974]

I'm so amazed by what you are doing; not just inspiring people to have a more diverse reading experience, but also inspiring me, as a danish girl, with Arabic parents, to read books written in the same language as my ancestors. Love it!

[@momentmemos]

Just in case you are interested, a Finnish book recommendation: The Unknown Soldier by Väinö Linna - tells about the Continuation war between Finland and the Soviet Union in the 40s. It‘s from the Finnish soldiers pov and has a lot of great dialogue. It’s a book that basically everyone has to read in Finnish class haha but I actually love it

[@ciinthiamk]

Jack, even if this video doesn't get as many views, keep doing this type of content because you're giving visibility to non mainstream literature and translated fiction, and using your platform for that is awesome

[@hdusbekshfbdksisnakla7536]

I'm an Arab and I love how you're showcasing Arabic literature 😍😍 Oh! I do suggest you read books for Gebran Kahlil, Said Akl and Naguib Mahfouz ! Three of the best Arabic writers by all means.

[@nooraelkenawi7823]

You definitely need a Najeeb Mahfouz only for a week. An Egyptian Nobel Prize winner, I believe that you'll love his style he mostly describes extremely ordinary characters in an extraordinary way. It's intriguing, I was really looking forward to seeing one of his books here, but I think you should read more than one by him so a whole week would be amazing, love the video, love how respectful you are.. I'm subscribing.

[@randazyoud9619]

Literally I was smiling tell the end of the video, I'm arabic girl and don't expect that non arabs can read arabic books and I think that there is lack of Translated books from arabic to other language. Hope you enjoyed this experience all love ♡

[@himetako5525]

Thank you SO much for making a video about Arabic books. I have been trying to find novels that will help me to connect with my heritage on a deeper level and I had not heard of any of these until you reviewed them. I'm Palestinian so Time of White Horses really caught my attention. I'm currently reading it and it is beyond gorgeous and heartbreaking and enlightening all at once. What a gift! Sincerely, thank you, for introducing these novels.