The Angel of History

Questions About The Angel of History

by Rabih Alameddine

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i'm insufficiently versed in religious matters to gain anything from books that depend on such an understanding to convey their themes... given that this one has satan and angels and so on, is familiarity with religion a must for grasping this work? i read and loved An Unnecessary Woman, very partial to Alameddine's thinking and writing.
Mary Dallas I'm halfway through this novel. Two things are more important towards appreciating this book than a knowledge of saints. Know who Walter Benjamin was …moreI'm halfway through this novel. Two things are more important towards appreciating this book than a knowledge of saints. Know who Walter Benjamin was (both his life and his work), and familiarize yourself with the social history of AIDS in New York and San Francisco in the 1980s. Just a brief Wikipedia reference on Benjamin should be enough to appreciate the novel. The author expresses a strong social statement about the devastation of AIDS during the 1980s. If the reader has only heard about it in the news or by watching "Philadelphia," s/he would benefit from reading a bit more about it. The novel will have more impact.

Fourteen saints are mentioned throughout the book (two I never heard of, and I was raised in an active Catholic environment). I believe that as long as you have an understanding of the concept of saints and their purpose in religion, you'll enjoy the richness of the writing and be moved by it.

The Hakawati stands as one of the greatest books I've read. At first, I struggled with it as it's dense (but beautiful) writing, but about a third of the way in, I was hooked. (less)
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