Can you imagine reading in a language that is vastly different from your native language? Can you imagine writing in a language that is vastly different from your native language? Can you imagine writing a book in a language that is not from your native tongue? And can you imagine the sense of accomplishment, pride and achievement when that book has been accepted by a publisher and better yet, available through Amazon.com?
This is what has happened with a dear family friend of ours, Hamad Al-Gubllan. Hamad is a Saudi national who studied and lived for about 6 years in the United States. He enjoyed his experiences in the USA so much that he wrote a book –in English- which he called “Citizen of a Global Village.” Hamad is from the small traditional Saudi town of Uneiza which is about a 4 hour drive from Riyadh. Uneiza is known for its scholars, farms and magnificent dates. Therefore when he was accepted as an international student at a University in California, life was quite different from what he had known. In “Citizen of a Global Village” Hamad candidly and with humor describes his experiences as a Saudi student in the United States. Anyone reading the book will feel Hamad’s compassion and sensitivity when he is adopted by a traditional Italian-American family who take him into their own family fold and further welcome him to life in the USA. He frankly shares his views and experiences in all aspects of American life as well as sharing how his experience made him into the man he is now today here in the Kingdom. This book is truly a must-read for any Saudi student who may be traveling outside of the Kingdom for studies as well as by anyone who wishes to better understand the Saudi culture, customs and traditions and how one young man learned how to adapt himself while preserving his values as a student in the US.
You can check out the link to Hamad’s book on amazon at:
Another author you will likely hear more and more about is Mohammed Babelli. An engineer by profession, his passion is photography and this is clearly evident in his tabletop photography books showcasing the treasures of Saudi Arabia. He has had several books published as well as other works presently in progress. His books are other “must reads” that one should add to their list for furthering insights and understanding of the Kingdom. And as we all know, a picture says a thousand words and each of his photos could be a novel unto themselves.
Mohammed is based out of Riyadh but his photos will provide a scenic tour by photograph of all regions of the Kingdom and clearly illustrate the differences in the culture, customs and traditions of Saudi Arabia.
His book which showcases Madain Saleh is available through Amazon at the following link:
http://www.amazon.com/Madain-Saleh-German-French-Spanish/dp/9960524205
Both Hamad and Mohammed’s books make excellent gifts to provide to anyone visiting the Kingdom and wishing to take back memories to their home country that will be cherished with fondness.
Filed under: America, culture, islam, politics, relationships, religion, Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture, Saudi customs, Saudi education, travel, Uncategorized
[...] Travel Blogs, Travel Journals, Travelogues, Travel Diaries – TravelPod since 1997 wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
I’ve often admired (and envied!) the ability of native Arabic speakers to master English and other languages. Having studied Arabic long enough to perceive, if not comprehend, its complexity, I like to compare the two languages in mathematical terms. While English is like a vast plane, extending in all directions, limited only by the ability of the speaker, Arabic is like a cube, multi-dimentional, whose size increases exponentially as its speakers increase fluency.
I must buy this book.
I’m not surprised that Hamad was successfully adopted by a “traditional Italian-American family.” Arabs ruled in southern Italy long enough to leave a permanent mark upon the genetic as well as cultural heritage of Italy.
Anyone interested in perceiving this link need only read the book “Cristo si e’ Fermato a Eboli”, (Christ Stopped at Eboli), widely available in English translation.
And I can also add that if you personally knew Hamad you’d further understand why an Italian-American (or any family) would adopt him! He is a wonderful representative of the Kingdom.
My friend came to Islam through some Saudi police officers. They stayed in her home as part of a police exchange program. Read my friend’s conversion story and a bit about her experience with the Saudi officers:
http://www.islamonline.net/english/journey/2004/03/jour02.shtml#t
[...] Saudi Men Whose Books Make a Difference [...]
Safiyyah, thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Carol
[...] written in the past about books that are written and published by Saudi authors. (http://americanbedu.com/2008/02/02/saudi-men-whose-books-make-a-difference/) Since those writings, I have discovered a few more books that are worth sharing and to my [...]