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Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem
"Suzy Kassem is an American writer, poet, philosopher, and artist of Egyptian origin. The granddaughter of a respected sage in 19th century Cairo, mysticism and wisdom run through her blood just as the water of the Nile flows through her veins."--P. [4] of cover.
264 pages, Paperback
First published December 12, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 2, 2011
By far, the most inspiring, most creative, and most eloquent book I have ever read. When you are in a funk, going through life and the mundane daily routine and responsibilities, perhaps balanced, but not exactly fulfilled--this book is a blessing, and should be read. I absolutely loved this book, and have bought at least ten copies for other people as gifts to assist and coerce them in finding truth and their individual 'treasures.' A MUST READ!
December 9, 2011
Those who seek truth or are open to discovering it will be drawn into this tantalizing collection of thoughtful writings and short stories. Non pop-culture seekers will appreciate the eye-opening array of ideas captured in 245 well-written pages. I was awakened on subjects I'm often hesitant to speak of to my friends and family. Subjects such as death, war and the universe are all captured in a way most readers can appreciate. It helped me discover a new way to look at many everyday things I either took for granted or never even questioned. I'm glad I found this book.
February 28, 2013
Brilliant book that words cannot possibly define. Suzy Kassem lights the way with prophetic wisdom.
July 22, 2012
The poetry is well-written, beautiful, inspirational and full of love. The right book at the right time for me.
August 19, 2011
The poems and stories in this book absolutely give me those wonderful goose-bumps that come when I experience something very special.
April 29, 2014
Love the stories in this book. Eager for more material from this author. In the meantime, her blog is worth checking daily for more material. Keep up the great work!
May 18, 2014
The author is truly amazing. This is a great quality read from a truth seeker. Words of wisdom and words from an inspirer. Her words direct others to see the light , almost like moths. This read was definitely on the top of my list.
January 28, 2015
The stories and essays are short and effective. The poetry is quite clever and addictive. Many poetry authors tend to make their creative writing too complex, and often so subversive and artsy that it is difficult to grasp what they are trying to say. Suzy Kassem doesn't. Her poems are extremely simple to read, easy to understand, yet at the same time have a deep meaning beneath the surface.
This collection of creative writings leaves a lasting impression in the readers mind. They are usually fairly short and sweet too, avoiding chunky paragraphs of prose that make the reader think 'not another full page....'. I enjoyed the bit on Ancient Egyptians being way too transdimensional, operating on higher frequencies and higher realms than modern humans to ever be understood by today's historians and archaeologists. Also the part about the evolution of language and deciphering symbols etched on ancient walls that were intentionally designed to have multiple meanings really excited me. Suzy Kassem's analogies are legendary (i.e. the moon/the mind/ego and the sun/heart/conscience). She makes you re-examine history under a whole new light.
This collection of creative writings leaves a lasting impression in the readers mind. They are usually fairly short and sweet too, avoiding chunky paragraphs of prose that make the reader think 'not another full page....'. I enjoyed the bit on Ancient Egyptians being way too transdimensional, operating on higher frequencies and higher realms than modern humans to ever be understood by today's historians and archaeologists. Also the part about the evolution of language and deciphering symbols etched on ancient walls that were intentionally designed to have multiple meanings really excited me. Suzy Kassem's analogies are legendary (i.e. the moon/the mind/ego and the sun/heart/conscience). She makes you re-examine history under a whole new light.
August 11, 2016
Rise Up and Salute The Sun is a relatively hard book to summarize. I found it to contain rich wisdom from a very contempory woman. The lessons and language throughout the book bounced between being brisk and light to intense and deep. The collection of short stories kept me flipping for more. I also enjoyed and appreciated the unexpected quotes between chapters. These were thought-provoking and powerful compliments to an enlightening collection of ideas. This has become my favorite coffee table book because any reader can flip through and find a piece of content that will enrich their own life and experience. Highly recommend.
March 14, 2016
I have a special place in my heart for Suzy Kassem. She is rich in bold and subtle maxims composed in a language of the utmost simplicity.
January 30, 2015
Beautiful and ingenious. There is much more light and lightness here.
April 14, 2015
I always underline in books, either for the wise quotes that teach or for the pure beauty of the passage. About ten pages into this book, though, I gave up underlining as nearly every sentence was a combination of beauty and wisdom. This book provides a fairly solid overview of Ms. Kassem's philosophy in short, easy to understand chunks. It's not a book to rush through. I found reading roughly one chapter per week was perfect, giving me enough time to reflect on each one's contents as I went along.
November 9, 2015
A writer who mystifies and attracts the world's artists. A thinker who draws respect and recitation from spiritual houses of all denominations. A goddess veiled in sunlight, truth and universal love. That is Suzy Kassem.
January 17, 2015
Book is well written and truly one of a kind. Looking forward to more good readings from this author!
April 9, 2015
I'm still absorbing all the principles discussed in this book, but I feel it has shifted my thinking. Every page has something worth quoting. Suzy Kassem is unusually wise and intelligent.
March 7, 2016
Suzy Kassem's anecdotes, poems, essays, and stories have been a great source of strength and inspiration to me. She's a natural guru. The stories in this book are simple and short but convey essential wisdom for personal development. The Sphinx has a conversation with a young schoolgirl. An adventurous mouse longs to explore the fields beyond the limits of his own confinement, but overcoming the fear that had prevented many from his colony from living their dreams becomes the greater obstacle. Suzy Kassem's book is like a box of chocolates. It's packed with a wide variety of little parcels with something much deeper inside, leaving the reader with much to savor.
October 11, 2016
I deeply enjoyed most of the author's poems, but her stories towards the end of the book were, while positive and encouraging, somewhat disinteresting. She emphasizes the importance of listening to the heart first and then letting the brain reason with the heart.
A nice collection of poems and stories for those interested in balancing mysticism and reason.
A nice collection of poems and stories for those interested in balancing mysticism and reason.
September 21, 2016
Suzy Kassem is a gift to this world.
May 8, 2021
From her thighs, she gives you life
And how you treat she who gives you life
Shows how much you value the life given to you by the Creator.
And from seed to dust
There is ONE soul above all others --
That you must always show patience, respect, and trust
And this woman is your mother.
And when your soul departs your body
And your deeds are weighed against the feather
There is only one soul who can save yours
And this woman is your mother.
And when the heart of the universe
Asks her hair and mind,
Whether you were gentle and kind to her
Her heart will be forced to remain silent
And her hair will speak freely as a separate entity,
Very much like the seaweed in the sea --
It will reveal all that it has heard and seen.
This woman whose heart has seen yours,
First before anybody else in the world,
And whose womb had opened the door
For your eyes to experience light and more --
Is your very own MOTHER.
So, no matter whether your mother has been cruel,
Manipulative, abusive, mentally sick, or simply childish
How you treat her is the ultimate test.
If she misguides you, forgive her and show her the right way
With simple wisdom, gentleness, and kindness.
And always remember,
That the queen in the Creator's kingdom,
Who sits on the throne of all existence,
Is exactly the same as in yours.
And her name is,
THE DIVINE MOTHER.
And how you treat she who gives you life
Shows how much you value the life given to you by the Creator.
And from seed to dust
There is ONE soul above all others --
That you must always show patience, respect, and trust
And this woman is your mother.
And when your soul departs your body
And your deeds are weighed against the feather
There is only one soul who can save yours
And this woman is your mother.
And when the heart of the universe
Asks her hair and mind,
Whether you were gentle and kind to her
Her heart will be forced to remain silent
And her hair will speak freely as a separate entity,
Very much like the seaweed in the sea --
It will reveal all that it has heard and seen.
This woman whose heart has seen yours,
First before anybody else in the world,
And whose womb had opened the door
For your eyes to experience light and more --
Is your very own MOTHER.
So, no matter whether your mother has been cruel,
Manipulative, abusive, mentally sick, or simply childish
How you treat her is the ultimate test.
If she misguides you, forgive her and show her the right way
With simple wisdom, gentleness, and kindness.
And always remember,
That the queen in the Creator's kingdom,
Who sits on the throne of all existence,
Is exactly the same as in yours.
And her name is,
THE DIVINE MOTHER.
March 27, 2022
"To be yourself, in a world that is constantly trying to make you into something else, is a great accomplishment."
"The two most important days of your life is the day you are born and the day you find out why."
This quiet Dust was Gentlemen and Ladies
And lads and girls;
Was laughter and ability and sighing,
And frocks and curls;
This passive place a summer's nimble mansion,
Where bloom and bees
Fulfilled their oriental circuit,
Then ceased like these.
Maslow:
"This is of course not the same as resignation in the eastern sense, but resignation to can be observed in our subjects, especially in the face of illness and death. Be it observed that this amounts to saying in another form what we have already described; namely, that the self-actualized person sees reality more clearly: our subjects see human nature as it is and not as they would prefer it to be. Their eyes see what is before them without being strained through spectacles of various sorts to distort or shape or color the reality."
Hans Christian Anderson Psyche and the Snow queen eternity.
Legend 1985 "they express only love and laughter. You find them by searching for innocence"
Return to Innocence Enigma
Dido white flag
"The two most important days of your life is the day you are born and the day you find out why."
This quiet Dust was Gentlemen and Ladies
And lads and girls;
Was laughter and ability and sighing,
And frocks and curls;
This passive place a summer's nimble mansion,
Where bloom and bees
Fulfilled their oriental circuit,
Then ceased like these.
Maslow:
"This is of course not the same as resignation in the eastern sense, but resignation to can be observed in our subjects, especially in the face of illness and death. Be it observed that this amounts to saying in another form what we have already described; namely, that the self-actualized person sees reality more clearly: our subjects see human nature as it is and not as they would prefer it to be. Their eyes see what is before them without being strained through spectacles of various sorts to distort or shape or color the reality."
Hans Christian Anderson Psyche and the Snow queen eternity.
Legend 1985 "they express only love and laughter. You find them by searching for innocence"
Return to Innocence Enigma
Dido white flag
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2017
Rarely do I stumble on books where I feel that I share the same perspectives, thoughts, frustrations, fears and values as the author. I was very positively surprised reading her poetry - raw, confrontational, strong and very honest. I can imagine that not everyone may like what she writes - but I loved every single word and am looking forward reading more of her work.
August 24, 2018
These stories by wise suzy are so on point and deep as hell!!! This is some serious writing that will warp your brain with wise reasoning that’s so affective you”ll be saying dayum all day long. it’s all fun and addictive! Dayum! A+++ and um yeah she’s the people’s poet!
May 29, 2020
Suzy Kassem exploded on radio, blogs, paper, magazine, social media and the streets that you don't really need this book to find her work etched in the crevices of every street, sidewalk and wall.
December 7, 2015
This was a real eye opener. Suzy Kassem's Rise Up and Salute the Sun comes on strong with some of its messaging. I appreciated the mixture of styles and methods chosen to deliver what constituted as being a multitude of things I never thought of before. There were perspectives that challenged my own thinking and helped me identity new ideas. I like my reading to come with a side of wisdom - and that came through in this mixture of prose, short stories and poetry. Looking forward to seeing even more from this author.
July 31, 2015
The Writings of Suzy Kassem is a literary rarity. The excerpts tossed between chapters are strewn with heavy jewels of wisdom. Transportive, deep, raw, evocative, straight-to-the-point, mystical, hard, tender... all adjectives I would use to describe this book. Possibly the most delicious and magnetic poetry I've ever read. Some passages in her short stories and essays will reunite you with your lost soul! SK is so wise and smart and real... I love the fact that she exists!
February 8, 2017
I keep coming back to this book, and although I have my favorite parts, I always find something new each time that moves me. Her writing is profound and I'm looking forward to reading more.
February 8, 2017
Kassem's enchanting reinterpretations of history prompted me to fly to Egypt to study the possibility of her ideas. There are passages here that are worthy of analysis. Her stories are transparent takes on society and the human condition. No matter how she dresses them up her endings reveal a naked, depressing truth not many can swallow. Definitely something in it for everybody.
October 15, 2015
Chapeau! An unputdownable piece of work. Really powerful and unusual book, which I did enjoy. The world needs badly to hear Suzy Kassem. I'm thinking of buying the English version to compare it with the Arabic version and also, I look forward to reading her other books. ♡♡♡
April 13, 2016
I'm absolutely speechless. The way Kassem writes, her symbolic stories, the characters, the poetry, the profound essays that discuss important issues nobody dares to touch, it all just comes together so beautifully. Recommended.
August 13, 2016
Suzy Kassem has been enormously influential on my thinking over the last 8 or 9 years. I'm still waiting for the next compilation of her work -since it's been a number of years, and the much anticipated novel. Powerfully absorbing. She always hits the mark.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews