Memoirs of a Dervish
Encyclopedia
Memoirs of a Dervish: Sufis, Mystics and the Sixties is an autobiography by Robert Irwin, a British historian, novelist, and writer on Arabic literature
.
" in England, a time when many were journeying to the East in search of spiritual enlightenment
. In the book, he contrasts that hippie
subculture
with the "bombs and guns and [Sufi
] mysticism
" which he encountered on his own travels in Algeria
.
, Rory MacLean
writes that the author "has given retrospective shape to his youth and formed a true story that will last forever, or at least until the pages of this wonderful, bittersweet memoir crumble into dust."
Steve Jelbert writes in The Independent
that "the sheer strangeness of Irwin's quest [...] impresses. He goes on to say that "Irwin's witty, casually erudite tribute to his clever, naïve youth shows that there are no short cuts to wisdom. But it often comes with age."
Mick Brown, writing in Literary Review
is of the opinion that "Irwin brilliantly conjures the mood of the late Sixties, with its blind innocence, fanciful enthusiasms and blissful music."
In the New Statesman
, John Gray writes that "Robert Irwin begins one of the most delightfully diverting explorations of the byways of memory to have appeared in many years - and one of the most profound" and finds "the core of the book [to be] a sincere spiritual search, recounted with rare candour and arresting insight."
Writing in The Spectator
, Anthony Sattin
finds the book "a more enlightening type of memoir" than what he sees as the current fad of the "misery memoir". Sattin describes the work as "haunting" and goes on to say that the book "conveys with power and eloquence the writer's gratitude for having nourished the spiritual side of life and his disapproval of the way that many Muslims today interpret the Qur'an."
Arabic literature
Arabic literature is the writing produced, both prose and poetry, by writers in the Arabic language. The Arabic word used for literature is adab which is derived from a meaning of etiquette, and implies politeness, culture and enrichment....
.
Synopsis
In the summer of 1964, the author left behind the popular culture of the "Swinging Sixties1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
" in England, a time when many were journeying to the East in search of spiritual enlightenment
Enlightenment (spiritual)
Enlightenment in a secular context often means the "full comprehension of a situation", but in spiritual terms the word alludes to a spiritual revelation or deep insight into the meaning and purpose of all things, communication with or understanding of the mind of God, profound spiritual...
. In the book, he contrasts that hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
subculture
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
with the "bombs and guns and [Sufi
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
] mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
" which he encountered on his own travels in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
.
Reception
In the Financial TimesFinancial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, Rory MacLean
Rory MacLean
Rory MacLean is a Canadian travel writer living in the UK and Berlin whose best known works are Stalin’s Nose, a black and surreal travelogue through eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Magic Bus, a history of the Asia Overland hippie trail.-Biography:MacLean was born in...
writes that the author "has given retrospective shape to his youth and formed a true story that will last forever, or at least until the pages of this wonderful, bittersweet memoir crumble into dust."
Steve Jelbert writes in The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
that "the sheer strangeness of Irwin's quest [...] impresses. He goes on to say that "Irwin's witty, casually erudite tribute to his clever, naïve youth shows that there are no short cuts to wisdom. But it often comes with age."
Mick Brown, writing in Literary Review
Literary Review
Literary Review is a British literary magazine founded in 1979 by Anne Smith, then head of the Department of English at Edinburgh University. Its offices are currently on Lexington Street in Soho, London, and it has a circulation of 44,750. Britain's principal literary monthly, the magazine was...
is of the opinion that "Irwin brilliantly conjures the mood of the late Sixties, with its blind innocence, fanciful enthusiasms and blissful music."
In the New Statesman
New Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
, John Gray writes that "Robert Irwin begins one of the most delightfully diverting explorations of the byways of memory to have appeared in many years - and one of the most profound" and finds "the core of the book [to be] a sincere spiritual search, recounted with rare candour and arresting insight."
Writing in The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
, Anthony Sattin
Anthony Sattin
Anthony Sattin is a British journalist and broadcaster and the author of several highly-acclaimed books of history and travel. He completed a literature degree at the University of Warwick and an MA in creative writing at the University of East Anglia...
finds the book "a more enlightening type of memoir" than what he sees as the current fad of the "misery memoir". Sattin describes the work as "haunting" and goes on to say that the book "conveys with power and eloquence the writer's gratitude for having nourished the spiritual side of life and his disapproval of the way that many Muslims today interpret the Qur'an."
External links
- Memoirs of a Dervish at Profile BooksProfile BooksProfile Books is a British independent publishing firm founded in 1996 to publish stimulating non-fiction. It publishes across a wide range of subjects including history, biography, memoir, politics, current affairs, travel and popular science. It also publishes all The Economist Books.In 2003 it...