Amman — Palestinian short-story writer and novelist Mahmoud Shuqair offers a literary and intellectual account of his creative journey, which began in the 1960s, in his book Writing Is My Profession… Writing Is My Life: A Literary Memoir, published by Maktabat Kull Shay in Palestine. The book explores the evolution of his writing, his relationship with literature, art and politics, and his engagement with the Palestinian cause, Jerusalem, and human suffering under occupation and harsh social conditions.
اضافة اعلان
The book continues Shuqair’s journey through literary memoir, revisiting key moments in his experience of writing short stories, novels and biographies. It also examines his view of literature’s role in expressing society’s concerns, defending rights and rejecting aggression.
It traces how writing evolved in his life from a hobby pursued during his free time into a regular daily practice that became central to his creative and cultural activities, particularly in recent years, when he published numerous works across different literary genres.
The book goes beyond recounting personal experiences to include Shuqair’s views on his own work and that of other writers, his critical readings, cultural articles and contributions, as well as press interviews, literary correspondence and reflections on various creative experiences.
It also includes texts written by friends and colleagues following the Palestinian Ministry of Culture’s selection of Shuqair as its Cultural Personality of the Year. He expresses his gratitude to journalists and writers who helped introduce his work to readers, as well as those who contributed to editing the book and reviewing its manuscript.
Through these pages, Shuqair reveals his determination to continue writing and honour a promise he made to himself after returning to Jerusalem following 18 years of forced exile: that he would keep writing without interruption.
At the same time, he discusses his decision to stop attending seminars, editing manuscripts and writing articles introducing books to readers, in order to devote the time he has left to completing unfinished manuscripts. He outlined this decision in a post published on his Facebook account last May.
Shuqair chooses not to follow a chronological sequence of events in the book, moving instead between ideas, scenes and experiences in an effort to avoid monotony and keep the narrative open to a variety of experiences and questions.
He hopes readers, particularly young writers, will find both value and enjoyment in the literary memoir and gain insight into the experience of a writer who has made writing a profession, a way of life and a means of engaging with human and social concerns.
“Since I began writing in the 1960s, I have been concerned with portraying the misery experienced by the poor in society and indirectly criticising the exploitative forces responsible for that misery,” Shuqair said.
He added that as his writing developed, his interest in expressing Palestinian suffering under occupation and his particular focus on Jerusalem broadened his perspective on society and life. He became increasingly concerned with depicting people’s hardship and suffering from a wider, more inclusive perspective.
Shuqair recalls the promise he made to journalists who interviewed him upon his return to Jerusalem after 18 years of forced exile. When they asked what he intended to do after returning, he replied: “I will write, and write, and write.”
He confirmed that he had kept his promise, noting that the computer had greatly helped him continue writing and producing literary works.
In a section titled “Spotlight 1,” Shuqair explained that the new book continues his earlier work, Me and Writing… From the ABCs of Language to a Sea of Words, published in 2018. He noted that Maktabat Kull Shay, based in Haifa, reissued the first book in a new edition last year after Lusail Publishing House closed and ceased its activities.
The new book forms the second part of his literary memoir, documenting his continued creative writing and cultural engagement, as well as his ongoing involvement with the cultural community.
Shuqair said that he had published 29 books over eight years. These include three novels, three autobiographical works, six biographies, three short-story collections, one book of letters, two books of literary criticism and 11 books for children.
“In this book, I record my views on a number of my short-story and novel collections, as well as the memoirs and biographies I have written. I also discuss literature, art and their relationship with politics, which I understand as defending rights and rejecting aggression,” Shuqair said.
He explained that his writing underwent a transformation over the past 20 years, particularly after he left his job. What had once been a hobby pursued in his spare time became a daily commitment requiring discipline.
He pointed to the interviews he has given to newspapers, magazines and television stations; the books he has published; and the articles he has written about cultural figures, novels, short-story collections and poetry volumes. He also cited his contributions to various events, his writings on literary texts, and letters to writers in which he discussed their manuscripts and books.
He noted that the vast majority of these works were completed over the past eight years, bringing him a deep sense of joy and giving him an additional life within his own.
The book includes texts written by friends, colleagues and companions following the Palestinian Ministry of Culture’s selection of Shuqair as its Cultural Personality of the Year. He expresses his gratitude to everyone who shared in his happiness over the honour, while apologising to those whose contributions about the occasion he was unable to include.
Shuqair also extends his thanks to the journalists and writers who introduced him at cultural forums or interviewed him, some of which were published in the first and second parts of the book.
As in his previous books, Shuqair said he would not follow a chronological sequence of events in this volume. Instead, he moves from one idea to another and from one scene to the next in an effort to avoid monotony, expressing hope that readers, especially young writers, will find both useful insights and enjoyment in its pages.
Source: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Aziza Ali
