Author Spotlight
Dr. Amr Moneib
Requiem is a book about the fight between modernization and backwardness, the fight between us who wish for their own country to live as a part of a modern-world and those who want to pull it back to a medieval era.
I wrote this book while suffering each day trying to cope with those who resist all kinds of changes and trying to convince the people with the thickest heads there are that there is still some hope for a bright future.
While living and working as a doctor in Egypt, I met different types of people but nothing has separated us into two camps before like what the 2011 revolution has done. We defeated tyranny to find out that almost half of the people are pro a different kind of tyranny. They simply see the future of this country tied to nothing but medieval ideas that they invented and sanctified. They abused religion, human rights and democracy to let their greed take control of the whole country.
We saw nothing but women abuse, medieval constitution, abuse of religion, banning of websites, banning of English language teaching and trying to block the young minds that started the whole thing.
Through these days, Requiem was written. I wrote every part of that book venting against those who wanted to silence us and those who wanted to force us to live in a way our great grand fathers have ceased to live like hundreds of years ago. I try to tell my friends and readers that there is hope when we keep our country away from fanatics and crooks. I wish people would know that corruption will not cease until we try to work on basis of science and research, not on basis of hocus pocus.
Requiem is a set of everything; ideas, articles and short stories. I like to think that the book is a shout out from a young revolutionary against those who killed dreams and nurtured hatred in a country that endured for thousands of years what no other place could ever match.
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Y. Correa's Review of "Requiem" by Dr. Amr Moneib
When I first picked up this book and began to read it, I was at a bit of a loss. It seemed to have been written like a screen play, and though fairly well written, it almost seemed lacking somehow. I realize now, that I felt this way because I was not fully understanding it.
Oh how quickly did I change my mind. Once I realized that this was a complication of several entries which created the final product, my entire manner of reading it changed. I was aware of every change of emotion in each individual entry.
* Some, short stories.
* Some, thoughts.
* Some, journal entries.
All however, revolving around one main subject--the desire for freedom. The hope for a better future and the current suffering of a people blinded by unfair and unreasonable laws.
I was reminded of the Pharisees. So many people that viewed themselves as holy and righteous, whom in turn delegated laws bordering on perverse to a people striving to abide by them lest they lose their life.
A few entries stuck with me and made a profound impact.
1) "Requiem for Rokaya" A little girl born into a world which dubbed her as misfortune and punishment to her parents, simply because she was a female. Forced to endure torments the likes of which no child should have to bear.
2) "The Pursuit of Sadness" A person chased by the inescapable. Destiny. And what was this individuals destiny according to the laws that surrounded them? Hardship and suffering.
3) "Sleeping with Nightmares On" To any sane person, within his/her rational mind, this conversation between a doctor and his patient would make absolutely no sense whatsoever. Yet, THAT was exactly the point.
All in all, this book was well put together, the prose well expressed, the point and aim well developed and achieved. If you are a person that is looking into wanting to learn more about a culture you know nothing about, I honestly recommend this book. It's a journey in which you delve into the mind of the author and see his culture through his own eyes.
Great book! 4 stars!
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