I Think of You - Stories

Zusatztext “Soueif is a political analyst and commentator of the best kind.” —London Review of Books “Highly unusual and richly impressive. . . . The author weaves a circle round us thrice with the touch of a born sorceress.” — The Guardian “There is lively! lucid writing here! vivid description and sharply observed dialogue.” — The Times (London) “A fetching and original talent.” —Hermione Lee! The Observer “Ahdaf Soueif is one of the most extraordinary chroniclers of sexual politics now writing.” —Edward Said “A convincing and skilful writer.” — The Sunday Times (London) Informationen zum Autor Ahdaf Soueif Klappentext Ahdaf Soueif, the bestselling author of The Map of Love, writes poignantly and beautifully about love, and about finding one's place in the world. Achingly lyrical, resonant and richly woven, and with a spark of defiance, these stories explore areas of tension-where women and men are ensnared by cultural and social mores and prescribed notions of "love,” where the place you are is not the place you want to be. Soueif draws her characters with infinite tenderness and compassion as they inhabit a world of lost opportunities, unfulfilled love, and remembrance of times past.Knowing I remember a time of happy, dappled sunlight. French windows open onto a flowering garden. From the garden gate to the open windows runs a paved and sloping pathway, and at the top of the pathway stands a bright blue tricycle poised for the dizzying, exhilarating glide down the path. All you had to do was get it to the beginning of the incline and lift your feet off the ground and whoo--away you went. You had to pull up smartly or you ended up inside the living room. The living room has huge, faded armchairs and colored rugs and lots and lots of books. The walls are covered with them. Some have pictures, some you are allowed to pick up and look at, some are not to be touched. All are to be treated with great respect and never torn or folded or scribbled in or put face downward or looked at while eating in case you drop food on them. In the middle of the books sit the grown-ups. The grown-ups are wonderful. They drink tea and smoke and laugh and talk all the time. The women are beautiful with red lips and fingernails. The men are tall and handsome. They all do clever things. They write books and make music and paint pictures. Their pictures blaze on the walls of our apartment. Looking back, I see a pool of sunlight, and in it, a child. She is dressed in a blue-and-white-spotted frock with a white lace bodice. She holds on to her mother's skirt. Seized by a sudden fit of shyness outside the door of the living room, she sucks slowly at her thumb. But then, coaxed and encouraged, she ventures in and is immediately picked up and cuddled and kissed to a chorus of "Darling." "I've got to paint her. I've simply got to paint her," cries Uncle Sameer, as he does every time and, reassured, she tosses her hair back and smiles up at him. Yes. The grown-ups are wonderful. And clever. And wise. They can do anything, explain everything. The child is lying in her bed. Every time her mother puts out the light a horrible creature with long curving arms appears on the ceiling of her room and she screams. Her mother comes back in and switches on the light, but she can see nothing. After a bit she calls the father. He too can see nothing, but he lies down beside her. Her mother switches off the light and closes the door. He sees the creature on the ceiling. "It's the shadow of the chandelier, little goose." He comforts her and shows her how it moves when the chandelier moves and explains about light and shadow. She is safe. Yes. The world is safe and pleasant and the worst grief I know is to be beaten at Snakes and Ladders by Uncle Murad. He moves my counter slowly down every curve of the final fatal snake and I wat...

Product details

• Authors: Ahdaf Soueif
• Publisher: Anchor Books USA
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 13.03.2007
• EAN: 9780307277213
• ISBN: 978-0-307-27721-3
• No. of pages: 192
• Dimensions: 133 mm x 203 mm x 13 mm
• Subject: Fiction > Narrative literature