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ihashem's review
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
It's unfortunate that we have to read about the marsh Arab's through the eyes of an Etonian Oxford graduate who looked upon these people as "primitive and savages" that he was discovering and exploring. When it is clearly evident from Thesiger's writing that he was fascinated and came to escape the spread of European ideals across the world. The irony! But alas this is better than nothing; at least someone was able to document their lives.
What's quite striking is Theisger's own interpretation of traditions and customs, meaning it's not entirely accurate. But obviously reading this I must appreciate that Thesiger had his own interpretation and views regarding the historical facts he was told etc. But I wouldn't have questioned them had I not known better. Which does inherently make me wonder what I know and believe about other cultures and groups; based on western view point.
The main thing Thesiger's has is the ability to romantically describe the people he met and their history which is poetically beautiful!
What's quite striking is Theisger's own interpretation of traditions and customs, meaning it's not entirely accurate. But obviously reading this I must appreciate that Thesiger had his own interpretation and views regarding the historical facts he was told etc. But I wouldn't have questioned them had I not known better. Which does inherently make me wonder what I know and believe about other cultures and groups; based on western view point.
The main thing Thesiger's has is the ability to romantically describe the people he met and their history which is poetically beautiful!
cinhein's review
4.0
An interesting view into a distant and quite mysterious culture. Thesiger did not just travel through or with the Madan people but lived with them and frequently laments the modernisation of the world, which he views as destroying cultures and ways of life that are millennia old, in favour of a generic 'western' global culture.
mehul_dhikonia's review
adventurous
funny
informative
slow-paced
4.0
An endearing account of the lives of peculiar tribes living in the Mesopotamian marshes for thousands of years.
ellisknox's review
4.0
Thesiger was one of that odd breed of Englishmen, from Sir Richard Burton to T.E. Lawrence to ... well, to this fellow ... who would take it into their heads to go out into a primitive culture and just live there. Thesiger had previously lived for five years among the Berbers; in this book he relates his long visits to the marshlands of the lower Tigris-Euphrates valley in Iraq.
The writing is workmanlike, not at all poetic. He recounts incidents without a blink and only cursory personal reactions. The book is almost like a documentary camera taking us into the lives of these people (now largely vanished). The details, though, are fascinating and the ninety or so photos (all B&W) are nearly as interesting as the book itself.
I'm very glad I've read this. If you have an interest in the daily life and customs of people very different from yourself, I recommend this book.
The writing is workmanlike, not at all poetic. He recounts incidents without a blink and only cursory personal reactions. The book is almost like a documentary camera taking us into the lives of these people (now largely vanished). The details, though, are fascinating and the ninety or so photos (all B&W) are nearly as interesting as the book itself.
I'm very glad I've read this. If you have an interest in the daily life and customs of people very different from yourself, I recommend this book.
uroybd's review
5.0
মেসোপটেমিয়ার জলাভূমিতে থাকে মার্শ আরবেরা। তাদের মহিষ, ঘাসজাতীয় উদ্ভিদের বিশদ ব্যবহার ইত্যাদি নিয়ে তারা থাকত বিভিন্ন শেখের প্রজা হিসেবে। থাকত বলছি কেননা থেসিগার সাহেব যে সময়টা ধরে রেখেছেন এই বইয়ে তা বহুদিন হলো গত। তো তাদের জীবনে আসলে বেশ সাদামাটাই ছিল। অথচ, প্রচণ্ড অতিথিপরায়ণ তারা। প্রতিশোধপরায়ণও। অর্থাৎ কিনা, আদিমতার রেশ তখনো কাটেনি। থেসিগার সেখানে মনের আনন্দে ঘুরে বেরিয়েছেন। যেখানেই গিয়েছেন, সমাদৃত হয়েছেন। খানিকটা ডাক্তারির (হাতুড়ে) জোরে, মূলত সবার সাথে মিশে থাকার গুণে। সেইসব কথাই খুব সাদামাটা, বলতে গেলে নির্মোহভাবে বলে ফেলেছেন। কোনো রাখঢাক নেই, কোনো এজেন্ডা নেই, যা দেখেছেন তাই বলেছেন।
tashabye's review
5.0
I enjoyed Thesiger's book Arabian Sands better and debated about giving this one 4 stars. Once I finished this book though, I realized it deserved no less than 5 stars. Although I didn't find myself as absorbed in the stories of the Marsh Arabs as compared to the desert Arabians, I was nonetheless so impressed with Thesiger's ability to integrate himself fully into the lives of whatever culture he was living with, in this case the Marsh Arabs. He seemed to fully respect whichever culture he was embedded with, truly wanting to be with and understand them. This comes through completely in his writings. I love that. I have learned so much about these Arabs from Thesinger. He was a master at his craft both in writing and in humanity.