The Tremor of Freedom

Description

“Flying from Geneva to New York is like flying from serenity to delirium, like strolling through a rose garden by a lake and suddenly finding yourself in a cell in a violent mental asylum. So, as you walk the streets of Manhattan, you experience moments of sudden, terrified suffocation. You feel the surrounding skyscrapers shifting and tilting slowly to fall on your head, and black steam rises from the cracks in the asphalt like a hellish crocodile lurking beneath, exhaling its poisonous breath like the infernal rhythm of New York’s anthem: the wail of police cars and ambulances. Pedestrians rushing by like a machine bump into you, not noticing you as if you were invisible. In New York, one becomes invisible except to pickpockets and sadists! In one of these moments of distress on the famous Fifth Avenue, I withdrew from the rat race and entered the luxurious hotel, seeking an oasis of tranquility in one of its bars. The bar was empty, and the redemption had not yet arrived. He welcomed me The waiter gave me a look as if he were about to throw me out. The television in the corner was broadcasting some sporting event, which he was probably watching. As was my habit, I spoke to him in French while ordering my coffee. His face lit up, and I discovered he was French, missing his country and language like any other immigrant… And what a display of affection he showered me with in exchange for chatting with me in French! When he learned I lived near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, by the Seine, where his childhood haunts lay, he began questioning me about the street and the bridges—a questioning I would have done the same to a Damascene living behind the Umayyad Mosque, in Nejmeh Square, or on Salhiyeh Street, where my youthful haunts resided.

The pleasure of reading Ghada al-Samman’s work is effortless, compelling you to continue reading her; to delve into her thoughts, reflections, and philosophy, which never fade, and to explore her inexhaustible feelings and emotions. The sheer joy of reading overwhelms you, drawing you in with Ghada al-Samman, the lover of freedom, as she recounts the thrill of that freedom. You turn the pages of her book as you turn the pages of her travelogues, filled with accounts of cities on the other side of the world. Her deceptively simple style captivates you, suggesting that words hold keys, and whoever possesses them holds the keys to hearts and minds.

You will not find Ghada al-Samman’s language difficult to understand, for it leans towards simplicity. Nor will you be shocked by its superficiality, for its meanings are as profound as her life experience. Just as her philosophy transports you to realms your mind craves, Ghada al-Samman guides you to serene, contemplative moments your soul longs for. And after all this, “The Tremor of Freedom” comes to declare that Ghada al-Samman’s creative output remains rich and vibrant, and that life still holds ample room for experiences that will enrich her with exquisite, humanistic literary contributions.