The Puppet

by Ibrahim al-Koni, William M. Hutchins (Translator)

Overview

The Puppet, a mythic tale of greed and political corruption, traces the rise, flourishing, and demise of a Saharan oasis community. Aghulli, a noble if obtuse man who has been chosen leader of the oasis, hankers after the traditional nomadic pastoralist life of the Tuareg. He sees commerce (understood as including trade in gold, marriage, agriculture, and even recreation) as the prime culprit in the loss of the nomadic ethos. Thus he is devastated to learn that his supporters are hoarding gold.

The novel's title notwithstanding, the author has stressed repeatedly that he is not a political author. He says that The Puppet portrays a good man who has been asked to lead a corrupt society. The subplot about star-crossed young lovers introduces a Sufi theme of the possibility of transforming carnal into mystical love. The Puppet, though, is first and foremost a gripping, expertly crafted tale of bloody betrayal and revenge inspired by gold lust and an ancient love affair.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780292723351
Publisher:	Ctr for Middle Eastern Studies UT-Austin
Publication date:	11/01/2010
Series:	CMES Modern Middle East Literatures in Translation
Pages:	129
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Ibrahim al-Koni, who was born in 1948, is an award-winning Arabic-language novelist, who has already published more than sixty volumes, and a Russian-educated visionary who sees an inevitable interface between myth and contemporary life. A Tuareg, whose mother tongue is Tamasheq, he has been a resident of Switzerland since 1993.

William M. Hutchins, Professor in the Philosophy and Religion Department at Appalachian State University, has translated numerous works of Arabic literature into English, including those by the Nobel Prize laureate Naguib Mahfouz.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

The Puppet

The She-Jinni 1

The Puppet 10

The Judgment 29

The Purse 47

The Campaign 57

The Punishment 66

The Wretch 76

The Conspiracy 89

The Game 98