The Writing Game – A New Publication from Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation
Wednesday 02 November, 2011
The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation has issued a new book in Dubai, entitled: The Writing Game, by the late thinker Dr. Mustafa Abdo Nassif, who was the winner of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Prize for Criticism and Literature Studies in its eighth edition. The book is published as part of the Foundation's "Winners Series" project, which selects one of the best books written by the winners of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Award to be reprinted. However, The Writing Game is different from other publications issued by Al Owais Foundation because its first edition is printed by the Foundation upon the recommendation and request of its author, the late Mustafa Abdo Nassif, who passed away in 2008. Nassif left the manuscript of the book with his heirs, and advised them that the book should only be printed and published by the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
In his book, Nassif explains his concept of writing saying that "The writing phenomenon in the Modern Arab World means giving up obvious sternness, accepting differences and doubt, and expanding conventions and customs." Moreover, Nassif gives an explanatory definition of writing declaring that "Writing involves variables that are not always true. Writing is a set of different considerations that are sometimes eager to be affiliated with social class, and sometimes eager to overlook this matter."
The author divides his book into 11 chapters that carry the following titles: "A Changing Culture", "The Power of Writing", "Writing is Skepticism", "A New Neurosis", "A Knowledge of Words", "The Difficulty of Interaction", "Publicity", "Text Categories", " The Developing World in Search of its Writing", "Figuratism and Positivism" and "The Struggle of Writing".
Moreover, the book discusses some of the problems faced by writers and their relationship to the authority of institutions, which often tend to steep the writer in the past. According to Nassif, it is often difficult for a writer to resist the authority of such institutions, and it is easier for him/her to avoid conflict and hardship, and to translate all the issues into something humorous, digressive, and indolent. Nassif argues that a writer cannot ignore the authorities or their strong presence and dominance, but the image of the writer is being converted into a symbol of adulation, indirect support and toying with the idea of freedom. Furthermore, Nassif calls for a new approach to studying contemporary writing, which begins with standing up to the tyranny of ritualistic literary culture; and the exaggerated emotional reactions it entails, and controlling the hardheartedness involved in the readiness to refute others, and in the excessive use of figurative language. Nassif recommends that language analysis be studied by critics, in the aim of giving better attention to writing and general culture.
According to the statement of Al Owais Cultural Foundation, the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Prize for Criticism and Literature Studies was awarded to critic Mustafa Abdo Nassif for dedicating nearly half a century of his life to modern literary criticism, literary heritage, critical heritage, and rhetorical heritage. Nassif wrote a large number of critical, theoretical and applied studies that have contributed to establishing a modern Arab literary trend that is inspired by our heritage and yet opens up to modern international literary trends at the same time. He also revised many prevailing critical concepts and judgements and reread important aspects of our heritage using new methodologies. In addition, Nassif's studies revealed the aesthetics of literary texts, hence reinforcing our faith in our ability to better our present. He applied his vision and approach to various modern and classical works of prose and poetry, leaving a lasting influence on many scholars who study contemporary Arabic criticism.