Sept 2011: The Map of Love (Soueif)

Post date: Sep 30, 2011 5:38:0 PM

I (Sherrill) was not able to attend the September 15 discussion of Ahdaf Soueif's The Map of Love. Catherine was pressed into service to take notes. "It was on my iPad so it was as quick as I could type w two fingers." Thanks to both Catherine and Betsey, who hosted the meeting!

Betsey's house: gathering from '09 to '43?

Maggie Karen Nancy Jane Helena Patricia MaryAnn Kathy Catherine Janet

Betsey wanted the book to be edited. Everyone liked the relevancy of today n the background of where we are. Wish we had known about the glossary in the back when we began.

Ottoman series?

Frustrated with death of husband n end of the book. Favorite character Anna because she was most developed story. Good device to keep her in touch w her father in law so they have the letters. Janet thought it was appropriate where it ended so she ended in England where she began.

Betsey thought the turning point was when Anna chose to live in his mother's house. She then created a picture of what it was like for women in Egypt. And when the cultural clash happened when Anna went to the bank gave great insight. Or when his mother said he could never be mad at Anna because she'd have no one to go to. Janet called it a romantic novel, historic.

Isabel Eberhardt born around 1870. A journalist traveling thru Algeria or Morocco disguised as a man traveling by horse. Kathy wondered if she was an inspiration for the characters.

Shift in her character to go on a pilgrimage from a meek house wife and widow. Was it really plausible? Though there was British Occupation so the English felt fine traveling to an occupied country. The results of occupation were great to read in detail. Much more aware of the ethnic divisions and political clashes. No one realized how old the clash w Israel was or the involvement of Turkey.

Egyptians have been under a foreign occupier for hundreds of years. How does a country recover itself and plan it's own future? The book was very revealing about the country's growth and ability to create themselves (Betsy) when occupied.

The modern story was less developed. Karen wanted to know why people were still sleeping w their cousins. DNA testing? Was this falling into Jerry Springer? He dated her mother Jasmine? Come ON!

The writing in other time periods was very confusing at first. Most women liked the device even as they were confused. Egyptian language n phrases were quite frustrating. Helena liked that it was confusing at first and it filtered out ... Probably very like Anna's experience. Everyone loved the discussion of language and the sense in the roots.

The title didn't seem appropriate to Betsey. The Genogram of Love would have been more appropriate. Mary Ann asked why we are so creeped out by the marrying in the family when the rest of the world is so accepting? There was much talk of genetics and the weakening of the lineage. Karen spoke about genetically being not attracted to family members. Janet said within a smaller community and keeping money in the family...you would be more open to it.

Architecture also encouraged families to live close quarters. So there's not a lot of meeting of people outside the family. The older father and much younger bride with more like second cousins. The discussion broke down into extra men in India and China. In India sonograms are illegal so women can't abort a female fetus. Women in China are demanding equality because they're the only one child supporting their generation.

The descriptions about being behind the screen was painted so beautifully. There was no sadness about not being involved in conversations with her husband. She painted herself into the book is what Karen said.

Very odd culturally in many places to want to be alone. Anna wanting to go off and explore by herself would not be accepted. Betsey wondered what the author was trying to write. Was the love story incidental to the occupation story and the politics of that? Did she want to show how not much has changed? Janet thought it was an unabashed love story. Nancy thought she wrote it for the political parallels with today.

Position of women currently in Egypt is slipping. (Kathy, recent NY Times article). Saudi Arabia - the women want to know how to drive. In Russia, it's legal for women to drive but Russian men don't think women can drive so they run them off the road when they see them.