Qais Ghanem's Blog - Posts Tagged "incest"

Qais Ghanem This fictional story of Two Boys from Aden College describes beautifully the dilemma faced by two friends thrown into a world completely alien to their conservative culture. Arriving in the UK in the 60′s they are faced with challenges they had never experienced. The 60′s was a time of new previously unheard of sexual freedom and both boys in different ways indulge in what is on offer. Hassan on the surface follows his faith religiously but hypocritically enjoys extra marital sex. His character is already in training for his future successful life based on greed and corruption. - See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/cate...

Qais Ghanem I very much enjoyed reading Dr Qais Ghanem’s new novel, Two Boys From Aden College. The story and dialogue are very well written, with detailed descriptions and straightforward expressions.
Qais took me some fifty years back to the good old days of Aden College and then Liverpool School of Medicine. He reminded me so much of my early days in the University students hostel, as if he was living in the room next door. - See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/cate...

Qais Ghanem This novel is indeed a page-turner. I read it with fascination and enjoyed it at different levels.

The author described the events and characters in an entertaining way and yet with deep and exploring insight reflecting the author’s long- established writing wizardry combined with his extensive background in the understanding of human nature and human endeavour.
He made use, beautifully, of hard hitting deep dialogues in order to make the reading enjoyable and in unison to dissect the characters’ inner thoughts, vulnerabilities and belief-systems
I am an Aden College alumnus myself and at that level I was spellbound by the imaginary journey of two co-alumni –Ahmad and Hassan. They may well be imaginary but I bet any Aden College alumnus reading the novel would enjoy recognizing more than fleeting resemblances of some of his classmates to these two “composite” characters.
The novel as such – albeit in a secondary way and not in depth – reflects aspects of what befell the alumni of this great and unique College (which one can read about in its rich website www.adencollege.net). This is not a private affair of interest for Aden College alumni only, as it could easily apply to graduates of British Universities who emanated from different British colonies during that era.
At another level the author cleverly uses his novel with its intricate plot to delve into the generally tragic and corrupt governance system of Yemen, and as such it is a record of the recent history of that country. The story shows that people in power in such unbelievably dictatorial regimes will stop at nothing to get their way and to hold on to power.
The author also gallantly tackles certain taboo areas in the society he is addressing; such as sex, homosexuality (in males and females), prostitution and oppression of women. He also head-on addresses the hypocritical abuse of religious doctrines.
He is to be commended for discussing these issues as they do clearly exist, despite persistent societal attempts at brushing them under the carpet and thus not bothering to address and resolve their unhappy and devastating consequences.
The author cleverly, not just gloss over these taboo areas, but he also attempts to show the degree of abuse of the vulnerable, hypocrisy and the suffocating double standards that are associated with them. As such the novel is also – to a degree — a socio-anthropological refection of the era in that part of the world.
At an important level, the novel simply excels as fast-paced “mystery” & “who-done-it” story as the reader follows with fascination and interest what would become of the two main characters of the story, Ahmad and Hassan, with the frequent ups and downs of their lives. The forensic detective work by Ahmad was simply stunning besides being funny and clever.
The story is in a way a sophisticated form of the ever-present struggles of “good” and “evil” within and between us. Dr Qais Ghanem does not resort to easy answers for such struggles but leaves it to the reader to make up her/his mind while painting a fascinating background to the issues concerning such eternal struggle.
The novel should – and I imagine it would – be made into a TV play or be extended to become as series of plays. Perhaps to attract more audience such a play would be called “The Doctor versus The Lawyer” or “The Brothers-in-Law”
The novel would – if I have my way – be a component of the curricula at Yemeni Universities in the faculties of English, sociology, psychology and even politics. Alas, this is unlikely to happen

Dr Abdulla Al-Sayyari,
Jedda, Saudi Arabia, Professor of Medicine
King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences
Head, Division of Nephrology & Renal Transplantation,
King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh
Editor in Chief, Saudi Journal for Kidney Diseases & Transplantation
- See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/book...

In reading TWO BOYS FROM ADEN COLLEGE, I had to delve deeply into the personality of the author, the physician, the man, Dr. Qais Ghanem; because everyone who excels has his own special personality which leaves its finger prints on his creations, however much he tries to avoid that. For in the end he is only human. That is why I enjoyed reading his book, and learning so much about his personality, his intelligence, his aspirations, his achievements, as well as his failures. However I will tell him about these, if and when I meet him in person. - See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/cate...

Qais Ghanem This is my second book review and to my unanticipated luck, it is Qais Ghanem’s second novel as well. Two Boys from Aden College represents, passionately, the elegance of a heroic author who increases his page count in order to honor the decent, delicate, and dedicated Muslim women, as his first page of dedication demonstrates. Certainly this fiction salutes the dignity of women and recognizes their equal value within Western and Eastern borders. Nothing less would do for Dr. Ghanem; for anyone who is familiar with his first novel, Final Flight from Sanaa, will notice his high regard for neutrality and fairness – like a complementary dish with all the right spices. - See more at: http://dialoguewithdiversity.com/cate...

Qais Ghanem The inspiring script and rather entertaining style had me imagine the events as though I was following the events of an exhilarating movie. Each segment and paragraph made sense and showed good judgment. It also related to the actual life experience of many, though in fictional form.The erotic segments were almost live in front of my eyes. The phraseology used to bring about the required meaning never made me refer back to reread it again. For me, it was smooth sailing in Technicolor. In addition, some of the material was so witty that in many occasions, I chuckled, more specifically the proposed name of the baby daughter of Bibby as Barbara, which the father, Hasan, thought it was more the name of Burbura, a town in Somali land.

The author, with his dedicated medical knowledge and proper use of terminology, made it easy for me to relate to the actual intended meaning.

But I leave the best of the first person singular scenario to 3 main segments in the book. One is the Irish Policeman, David, when talking to Hasan to get the latter to relinquish the ownership of the house which his reluctant father-in-law, the Reverend, James McCartney, gave to Hasan. What followed is what I believe to be an award winning discussion.

More so, is the hate/ love various discussion scenarios between Ahmad and his sister, Salma, which is typical in that part of the world. Finally, I refer to the wonderful exchange of views between Dr Ahmad and his would-be-wife, Meethaq, in their first meeting. The judgment, the wisdom and the logic were in my humble view a sufficiently rewarding reading material for any reader to buy this book. Farook Aman Ottawa, Canada
Farook Aman
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Qais Ghanem And in order to communicate his message, the author had to shock and awe his readers. Page after page–see for instance, chapter 5, The Faculty of Law, pages 36-44, and you will discover that sexuality and an open discussion about it and so many other taboos are not forbidden anymore!

It is a refreshing review of our culture and corners of the hidden minds, thoughts and biases. We are what we think. And sex, in all its forms, is a major part of the human affairs. But the Arab culture burdens the soul and mind by suppressing it and hiding it under the carpet.

More than fifty per cent of our population in the Arab countries are marginalized and not utilized for their talent and immense potential. This novel is a direct appeal to change all that practice and challenge this historic travesty and tragedy.

No Arab Spring is possible if we continue to keep women in the winter wilderness forever. No Arab Renaissance is achievable if women continue to go to universities and then not given an opportunity to practice their knowledge and contribute to the greater common good.

Dr. Ghanem is a novelist for the Arab soul, the Arab Awakening and for the new Arab generations who are yearning to relieve themselves of the yoke of tradition, conformity and social tyranny. I am proud to be a reviewer of this historic work.

(Note: I hope the author will consider a non-fiction book next time around. The world is waiting…!)
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Qais Ghanem I have enjoyed reading Two Boys from Aden College. It is a great story. I read the last hundred or so pages in one night. I have not done that in a long time since the Kite Runner.
I could not help but see in the novel the similarity to the life of two individuals I know. I also read in it the stories of many Yemenis represented by the main two characters Ahmad and Hasan. The social, religious and political themes, the novel tackles, are thought provoking.
This should be a required reading in Arab and Yemeni high schools and colleges; when Yemenis start reading again.