The author and his doubles : essays on classical Arabic culture / Abdelfattah Kilito ; translated by Michael Cooperson ; with a foreword by Roger Allen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kilito, Abdelfattah, 1945-

Series:

Middle East literature in translation

Standardized Title:

Auteur et ses doubles. English

Language:

English

French

Subjects (All):

Arabic literature--History and criticism.

Arabic literature.

Originality in literature.

Imitation in literature.

Physical Description:

xxi, 129 pages ; 21 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Other Title:

Author & his doubles

Place of Publication:

Syracuse, N.Y. : Syracuse University Press, 2001.

Summary:

In this exceptional volume, Abedlfattah Kilito argues that genre -- not authorship -- is at the heart of classic Arabic literature. Using simple yet lyrical language, he examines love poetry and panegyric, the Prophet's Hadith and the literary anecdote, as well as such recurring themes as memorization, plagiarism and forgery, and dream visions of the dead. Ultimately, he evokes these as an allegory for post-colonial Arab North Africa.

An elegant translation faithfully captures the author's poetic finesse and makes the book easily accessible to English-speaking readers. Warmly received by critics and anthropologists, this volume is a must for scholars, students, and devotees of Arab culture.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 125-129).

ISBN:

0815629362

0815629311

OCLC:

48013131