Al Sheithuman

Book excerpt: Al Sheithuman explores the creation of the world in a broad and imaginative way and is clearly distinguished by the level of environmental diversity, culture, and history. It recounts what the defenseless hero suffers in front of the dictatorial authorities and the wars they ignite, turning human life in Iraq into a continuous holocaust that burns people and values, making the place and life itself unsafe. Escaping danger and death are pure coincidences caused by unseen preordained forces. It protects those it wants to protect and kills those who do not have the ability to survive. Critic Jennifer Bacani commented, “The psychological elements combined with the more humane themes that revolve around war, identity, fighting harsh conditions, imperialism, and the complexities of the Arab world, made for thought-provoking and entertaining reading. The main character is described in a way that enables the reader to learn about his motivations, backstory, and feelings.” She added, “However, I did not find any filler parts or narrations, nor did I feel like I was being dragged along. Overall, an interesting story, about the cruelty, beauty and fragility of human nature.” About the Author Dheyab Shahin is an Iraqi poet, novelist, and literature critic. Born in Babylon, he has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in journalism. He has published thirty-five books including poetry, novels, and criticism. He has worked as a self-employed writer as well as a literary reviewer for poetry and narrative texts in the Ministry of Culture and Youth in the UAE, and published many articles in Iraqi and Arab newspapers and magazines, such Al-Ittihad, Azzaman, Al Khaleej, and others. He was honored twice by the Sharjah Department of Culture and Media in UAE, where he was awarded two certificates in recognition in 2012 and 2014 for his books Aesthetics of Poetry and Image Semiotic in the UAE Cultural Press. Shahin was selected by the UAE Ministry of Culture to represent UAE in the field of criticism at the International Assilah Festival in Morocco in 2010. He participated in the Arab Indian Festival in Abu Dhabi in 2009, and he participated in the thirteenth and fourteenth round of the Marbed, which is a famous International Iraqi Poetic Festival in Basra in 2017 and 2018, respectively.