It is evident to anyone familiar with Arabic culture, language, customs, and traditions, or its literature, that the spirit of the East profoundly influences all aspects of life, particularly in literary works. This influence is recognizable in the richness of the Arabic language, which is filled with metaphors and similes reflecting the natural world. It also reflects the values and perspectives of its people.

From early history, Arabs cultivated a distinctive culture shaped by their geographical surroundings and natural features. Living in small tribes, they developed a strong sense of community and responsibility. These elements left a lasting impact on their language, both spoken and written, and consequently on their literature. For instance, the Arabic language contains sixteen synonyms for the moon, thirty-four for the stars, twenty-one for light, fifty-two for darkness, fifty for clouds, ninety-one for length, and one hundred and sixty for shortness. There are distinct terms for every hour of the night.

In their poetry, Arabs passionately described landscapes, animals, and weather in vivid detail. Poetry served as a mental repository of traditions, history, morality, and geography. It encapsulated the spirit of the East in every line. For example, the poet Ibn Said often used similes in his work. In one collection, he wrote:

"The orange trees show us their fruits;
They look like tears colored red by the chagrin of love;
Balls of coral on topaz branches;
The zephyr holds clubs in its hand to play with them."

This form of expression was widespread among Arab poets, reflecting their deep connection to nature and their surroundings.

In conclusion, the storyteller of the book North Africa Speaks captured the influence of the environment on the inhabitants when he stated:

"Sometimes I am myself carried away, I hold an intense learning to give free play to the imagination, to leap out into the greater field."

About the Writer

The author was raised in Egypt, where he completed his secondary education in the city of Fayoum, his birthplace. He later moved to Cairo to study at the University of Cairo in the Faculty of Law. In 1974, he traveled to London to study the English language. He attended North London College and later London University, where he studied both English and French.

In 1980, he moved to the United States and earned a degree in Communications from California State University, a field he cherished deeply.

He began writing at an early age. However, during his travels through Italy, Turkey, Syria, London, and Paris, he lost many of his materials. Writing and editing his first book required over two years of dedicated effort and sleepless nights.

The writer has published numerous articles in both Arabic and English for the Arab-American media. Some of his notable works include:

A Trip With Art and Politics: An Invitation to Objectivity
Among Us Lives an Evildoer Named ‘Suicide’
From the Diary of Insanity
On the Platform of Immigration
Man, Jealousy, and Envy
Passion and Suicide
Religious Hallucination
Let Me Tell You a Little Story: Human Psychology
Can You Help Loving London?

He is currently working on his second book, Thoughts, and is an active member of the Arab-American Press Guild.

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About the Writer