Arabi/Englisiarabienglizi.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Arabi...Arabi/Englisi by Faisal J. Abbas THE AUTHOR With a career in journalism spanning over 15 years, Faisal J. Abbas has

Arabi/Englisi by Faisal J. Abbas

Arabi/Englisi

A story about London through Arab eyes

__________________________________________________________

By: Faisal J. Abbas

Published in Arabic in the United Arab Emirates via Kuttab (April 2017)


Contents:

i- About the author

ii- About the book

iii- Chapter breakdown

iv- The characters

v- Sample artwork

vi- Unique selling points

vii- Samples of media coverage

viii- Publishing/Media inquiries and contact details


THE AUTHOR

With a career in journalism

spanning over 15 years, Faisal J.

Abbas has dedicated most of his

life to writing. Currently the

Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, the

leading English-language

international Arab daily, he has

previously with the regional Al

Arabiya News Channel, and

reported for both leading London-

based pan-Arab dailies: Asharq Al

Awsat and al-Hayat.

He has appeared regularly to comment on Arab affairs for Sky News, BBC and CNN and is a recipient of numerous media awards, including the London-based Next Century Foundation’s Cutting Edge Award (2009) for extraordinary efforts in nurturing understanding between the West and the Arab World.

Born in 1982, Abbas grew up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the Lebanese American University (LAU) and his masters from the University of Westminster in London.

Described by Arab reviewers familiar with modern British literature as the Bill Bryson of the Middle East, Faisal J. Abbas obtained a valuable endorsement for the Arabic edition of his book by non-other than legendary Londoner/veteran Saudi journalist Othman al-Omair who, in a rare occasion, agreed to pen the introduction for Arabi-Englisi.

More details available on:

www.faisaljabbas.com

http://www.faisaljabbas.com/


THE BOOK

The first announcement of the book 2016 was made the Emirates Literature Festival and a publishing deadline of 2017 was set. The above image is from the preview trailer which was shown at the event back then https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7yt41qMlTI

In his new book Arabi-Englisi, Faisal J Abbas reflects on his own experience as an Arab person who lived in a foreign country, and describes the culture differences he went through when he moved from Saudi Arabia to the United Kingdom upon receiving a job offer to work with the leading pan-Arab London-based daily, Asharq Al Awsat. He explores how his experiences have changed him and challenged his preconceived ideas and outlook on life. And if he can undermine negative stereotypes held by both east and west, so much the better! Having lived through and reported on events such the 7-7 bombings as well gone through the usual social, emotional, romantic and professional ups and downs of a foreigner arriving to a new country; Arabi-Englisi is a collection of observations of the British capital, mixing journalistic reporting with anthropology and personal experiences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7yt41qMlTI


THE CHAPTERS

1- “Charlie and the chocolate factory”

What are the preconceived ideas that an Arab has prior to relocating to “The

West”; how the excitement of winning a “Golden Ticket” to go live and work in

London can be overshadowed by the negativity of a culture which sometimes

only sees the worst in any opportunity.

2- “Great Expectations”

How our preconceived ideas compare to the reality on the grounds? Is London

made up of streets of gold and rivers of chocolate? Or is it a miserable, grey and

cold place where people simply don’t have the time to talk to you.

3- “Pride and Prejudice”

This is a chapter about being Arab in England. Do you play by the rules or do you

seek to outsmart the system (well, because we are genetically smarter than

everyone else, right?). a look at how different Arabs choose to integrate in their

new society

4- “Alice in Wonderland”

Now that you have accepted to integrate in the British society… good luck trying

to understand it! Does “tea” mean tea or does it mean dinner? Oh and by the

way, what is the difference between having dinner and having supper? How

could a “public school” be a private school? “Alice in Wonderland” is about the

fascinating journey of figuring out what it means to be British.

5- “The God Delusion”

Coming from Saudi Arabia where religion plays a vital part in people’s lives, one

expects upon arriving to the United Kingdom, where the Queen is the Head of

the Church and the Defender of Faith, that the British society would be

somewhat religious. Yet, when places of worship are turned into pubs and

nightclubs, people go jogging at cemeteries and atheism is on the rise; one has

to stop and ask, what role does religion play in British society today?


6- “Captain Hook”

As an Arab-Muslim journalist living in London, covering the aftermath of 7-7 was

a truly remarkable experience. Yet, as fascinating as discovering how the British

can indeed “Keep calm and carry on”; it was shocking to see how several radical

Muslim hate-preachers (some of which have been sentenced to death in their

own countries) behaved in a society which not only took them in, but has given

them nearly everything they need to survive and thrive.

7- “Belle Du Jour”

Yes, this chapter is about sex…and the city! But keep your shirt on, this book is

still an Arabic one so don’t expect “Fifty Shades of Grey” just yet!

8- “Romeo and Juliette”

So, how did the British change from being the people associated with most

romantic piece of literature ever-written to the de facto choice when Hollywood

directors want to cast a heartless, ice-cold evil villain? Furthermore, would an

Arab-English romantic relationship ever work… or would that be forbidden love?

9- “A Study in Scarlet”

It all becomes about going “back to school” when the author decides to take on

a part-time Masters in Marketing Communication course at the University of

Westminster. However, coming from an educational background which mostly

relies on spoon-feeding; the study experience was an eye-opener in terms of

critical thinking and lecturers who tell you that they might be wrong.

10- “The Office”

What is it like moving from being a journalist Arab newspaper to working as an

advertising salesman at a massive British publishing house? Well, this chapters

seeks to compare the work-ethic, transparency levels, diversity and last but not

least: gossip and office politics at - what turns out to be - two VERY different

working environments!


11- “Absent in the Spring”

It is 2011 and the Arab Spring is at full-throttle. Suddenly, it became exotic to

be an Arab in London, from people congratulating you on the tube (Simply

because you look Middle Eastern) the day after Egypt’s Mubarak stepped down

to suddenly being invited – as a pundit – to comment on the BBC and debate

at the Cambridge Union Society. However, as the author finds out, you can take

the man out of journalism, but you simply can’t take journalism out of the man;

alas, a return to reporting was definite… but what the author didn’t realize was

that meant it is also back to the Arab World.

12- “Bye-Bye London”

Named after the famous Kuwaiti 1980’s play about the British capital, this

chapter concludes a journey which lasted nearly a decade. So what does that

much time in London do to a man? Well, you certainly start talking much more

about the weather, getting flabbergasted when you see people attempting to

jump a queue but more importantly, you simply become much more tolerant

and accepting of others. Will this change after Brexit? Is the United Kingdom

become less open and more intolerant? The authors gives the last word.


THE CHARACTERS (well… some of them, anyway!)

Faisal:

The narrator and

main character… an

aspiring Arab

journalist who at 23

wins a “golden-

ticket” to become a

section editor with

a leading regional

newspaper based in

London. After

relocating from his

hometown of

Jeddah - Saudi Arabia to the British capital, he realizes that there is much more

complexity to life in Britain than he might have imagined!

Kate:

Author of “Watching the English” an

anthropology book which tries to

decipher the cultural codes of life in

England. The book serves as a crucial

survival tools for Faisal in the UK and

most importantly, cracks the mystery

of the everlasting British obsession

with talking about the weather. Not

actually a character, but receives

credit in the book for saving – through

her work - the author from so many

embarrassing situations.


Chebaro:

Provides Faisal with

his first London A-Z,

another survival tool

which introduces our

hero to the art of

reading a map and

saves him from the

awful embracement

of continuously

arriving late to

appointments. (Note

to all millennials: an

“A-Z” booklet is what

Londoners used for navigation long before Google Maps and GPS came to be)

“The Dodgy Edgware Road-

ian”:

A British-Yemeni “wheeler-

dealer” who Faisal meets on

Edgware Road and ultimately

tricks him into illegally renting a

council flat at a reduced price.

When he failed to present

paperwork and the authorities

came knocking on the door, the

scam was revealed and the lesson

was learned to always rent from a

reputable estate agent.


“Good girl gone bad”:

A conservative British-Egyptian young lady who the author tries to date but then

breaks up with after she tells him that she longs for a “real man” from the days of the

Islamic Caliphate. Years later, he finds out that she was secretly dating an English

photographer who took pictures of her as a Page-3 model!


Abu Hamza:

A nasty villain and the focus of much of the

author’s journalistic work following the 7-7

terrorist attacks which he also covered for his

newspaper.

Professor Pike:

Course leader and director of post-

graduate studies at a London university

whom the author meets and befriends

upon deciding to do his master’s degree

on part-time basis. Professor Pike

proves to possess progressive points-of-

view, particularly on politics and has

great influence over Faisal.

Simon:

Upon leaving his job in journalism, Simon takes in

Faisal, offers him a job at a renowned British

publishing house and introduces him to the

fascinating world of advertising sales, with all odds

against him given the 2009 financial crisis and lack

of experience, the author finds out why Simon’s

motto is “success is driven by belief.”


SAMPLE ART WORK

The logo of Arabi/Englisi, pictured above in two colors, is the main visual

representation of the book. The aim of creating such visual is to concretize the author’s

life, a Saudi national, in London. The colors represent Saudi (red) and London (blue).

The English translation of the said logo is “Arabic/English”.




UNIQUE SELLING POINTS

A fascinating modern collection of observations of the British capital, mixing

journalistic reporting with anthropology and personal experiences.

Arabi-Englisi: London Through Arab Eyes chronicles the author’s time in London and

delves deeply into what it means to live as an immigrant in a Western metropolis.

The crux of the book is to combat the misconceptions and stereotypes that Arabs hold

of the West, and vice versa. The reader experiences firsthand how the author takes on

these stereotypes, and how he tries to dismantle them. It celebrates the unifying

characteristic of all humanity: that we all make errors in judgment and can learn from

each other’s past mistakes.

The book aims to target:

Brits/English speakers interested in understanding an informed Arab perception

of life in the UK

Fellow journalists who would enjoy the reporting-style and citations of actual

news stories (either covered by the author himself or of fellow reporters) which

occurred while the author lived in the UK

Visiting Arabs or Arabs who have lived in the UK for a long time as while many

may have different experiences, the themes described in the book apply to all.


MEDIA COVERAGE


PUBLISHING/MEDIA INQUIRIES AND CONTACT DETAILS

Rights contact: Faisal J. Abbas via [email protected] ; Noelle Manalastas via [email protected] (+97152 915 5090) Important note: Author, Faisal J. Abbas, owns the rights to English and other languages; as well as digital For more details please log on to http://arabienglisi.com

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://arabienglisi.com/

Documents

Arabi/Englisiarabienglizi.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Arabi...Arabi/Englisi by Faisal J. Abbas THE AUTHOR With a career in journalism spanning over 15 years, Faisal J. Abbas has