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The Secret Maker of the World
A powerful collection of fiction that lingers long after the last word
A boatman fishes bodies from the Yellow River searching for the one he can claim. A construction worker speeds through the Indonesian jungle to board his plane on time. Playing a terrifying game of cat and mouse, an isolated sniper in Beirut observes the city from his rooftop perch.
With profound insight El-Zein’s stories cross continents and time zones, effortlessly melding themes of loss and longing with larger questions of power, politics, faith and love. His characters, as provocative as they are diverse, confront issues of violence, justice and redemption with varying degrees of rage, suspense, satire and wit.
With a sharp eye for the ridiculous, El-Zein’s collection cleverly illuminates stereotypes and contemplates global truths. These are worldly stories in the best sense, and wise ones.
‘These stories range across time and culture, yet somehow sit outside both. They are often disturbing and beautiful in the same moment. A stark, moving and memorable collection.’ EVA HORNUNG
A boatman fishes bodies from the Yellow River searching for the one he can claim. A construction worker speeds through the Indonesian jungle to board his plane on time. Playing a terrifying game of cat and mouse, an isolated sniper in Beirut observes the city from his rooftop perch.
With profound insight El-Zein’s stories cross continents and time zones, effortlessly melding themes of loss and longing with larger questions of power, politics, faith and love. His characters, as provocative as they are diverse, confront issues of violence, justice and redemption with varying degrees of rage, suspense, satire and wit.
With a sharp eye for the ridiculous, El-Zein’s collection cleverly illuminates stereotypes and contemplates global truths. These are worldly stories in the best sense, and wise ones.
‘These stories range across time and culture, yet somehow sit outside both. They are often disturbing and beautiful in the same moment. A stark, moving and memorable collection.’ EVA HORNUNG
- GenresFictionShort Stories
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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About the author
Abbas El-Zein
7 books5 followersAbbas El-Zein was born and raised in Beirut. He was twelve years old when the civil war broke out in 1975. He lived in Beirut through most of the war and, like many Lebanese of his generation, experienced shelling, car bombs, shootings and displacement. Although he came from a family of Shia religious scholars, he attended a French secular school and studied civil engineering at the American University of Beirut. He migrated to Australia in 1996.
Abbas has written essays and short stories about war, identity and displacement for The New York Times, The Age, Meanjin, HEAT and Australian Book Review. His first novel was Tell the Running Water (Sceptre, 2001) and his second book was a memoir about growing up in Beirut called Leave to Remain (UQP, 2009). His most recent book is the short story collection The Secret Maker of the World (UQP, 2014).
He lives in Sydney with his wife and two sons and lectures in environmental engineering at the University of Sydney.
Abbas has written essays and short stories about war, identity and displacement for The New York Times, The Age, Meanjin, HEAT and Australian Book Review. His first novel was Tell the Running Water (Sceptre, 2001) and his second book was a memoir about growing up in Beirut called Leave to Remain (UQP, 2009). His most recent book is the short story collection The Secret Maker of the World (UQP, 2014).
He lives in Sydney with his wife and two sons and lectures in environmental engineering at the University of Sydney.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 27, 2019
An impressive collection of stories, characters and locations. The stories follow a sniper in Beirut, the a poor Chinese farmer who fishes out dead bodies from the Yellow River, a pompous politician, an Afghan construction worker in Indonesia, a clergyman with a secret lover, a 12th century geographer who escapes from an invading Mongol army, a business man in a cross Atlantic flight and a deaf woman with bipolar in Baghdad who goes searching for a lover believed to be fighting in the deserts of Iraq.
In each story the character is humanised, their situation understood and the outcome surprising.
In each story the character is humanised, their situation understood and the outcome surprising.
March 12, 2014
3.5* I received this book for free through first reads, so it's only fair I review it! The Secret Maker of the World is actually more a collection of short stories, but the really awesome thing about it is that in some way all the stories seem to be linked. The link was generally subtle, and to be honest I'm not even sure if it was intentional, but I found it really nice. Each story had something in common but they were all so different. This book is definitely adult though, and it deals with some fairly heavy subjects. It's pretty grim, so if you're wanting to read it be sure to be accustomed to more adult reads. I know that I'll be rereading this collection of short stories, because the characterization of each individual is brilliant and dynamic. Anytime I'm having trouble with writing characters of my own, I think this book will really help. And the fact that there is such a range of diversity among both character and setting! Man, all those different perspectives were done so well. The only problem I had with it was that in the begin of each story it took me a while to get my bearings. It was difficult to understand who the character was and where they were because you jump right into the thick of it. I feel that if I reread this, maybe even when I'm a little older, I won't have that problem. Overall it was really enjoyable! Definitely recommend.
April 21, 2014
This collection of short stories is very dark! Each story I was drawn in by the main character and actually feeling empathy for them and then the story takes a surprising turn. It really made me think about people having two sides and the fine line we walk and sometimes cross by choice or by a split decision. I can't say I 'enjoyed' this book - it made me feel ill at ease but it is very well written, beautifully written in parts, and definitely thought provoking.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews