House of Wisdom (HoW) recently concluded its latest “Book Club” session, highlighting insightful discussions on three notable and influential works in resilience literature and human struggle: Mural, The Sympathizer, and Granada. Running from April to the end of June, this round aimed to promote cultural awareness within the community and encourage thoughtful reading, literary criticism, and analysis.

This book club round embodied HoW’s vision to cement Sharjah’s role in supporting the book industry and fostering a knowledge-based society led by avid readers. The activities integrated prose, poetry and music in HoW’s immersive and futuristic space to allow readers in-depth discussions and learnings. Participants also had the opportunity to attend creative writing workshops led by Dr. Nezar Andary.

Resilience poetry: Defying oblivion

The Book Club’s debut discussion touched on themes of resilience and the defence of legitimate rights through ‘Mural,’ an epic poem by the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. The discussion offered a rich tapestry of perspectives from global poets, providing participants with deep insights into resilience, struggle, and the shared human experience. In an inventive workshop led by Palestinian poet Farah Chamma, attendees explored creative ways to merge poetry and music, crafting a unique artistic expression of resilience.

Two minds, one body, each at odds with the other!

In the second month, the Book Club delved into ‘The Sympathizer,’ the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen. This gripping narrative explores the protagonist’s inner struggle as he navigates his Vietnamese identity and adapts to American culture. Inspired by the novel, HoW’s creative workshop delved into the fundamentals of translating literature to film, focusing on the art of film adaptation across various genres.

Literature: The beacon of Arab civilisation

The final pursuit took a deep dive into Islamic heritage and the spirit of resilience that define Granada’s history, through the lens of Radwa Ashour’s ‘Granada.’ Discussions featured an analysis of the defeats during the Andalusian era, the cultural loss, and wider consequences of these defeats. A creative workshop inspired by the book underscored the role of storytelling in shaping a nuanced understanding of history and techniques for reimagining historical narratives. Participants were invited to select a historical event from the Andalusian era and reimagine its narrative.

HoW is set to reveal the next Book Club round towards the final quarter of this year, featuring fresh literary works aimed at enriching community intellect and nurturing the knowledge and creativity of readers of all ages.