Syria
Antoun Saadeh, A Biography. Vol III: Years of Exile.
Antoun Saadeh, Near East History, Syrian Nationalism, Syrian Nation, Arab biography, Lebanon, middle east politics,Syrian society, Mount Lebanon
367pp., Hardback in dust wrappers, b/w photographs, appendix, biblio. index. Copy in mint condition
Saadeh left Syria in 1938 as the leader of an organized political movement, an embodiment of Syria's salvation and future. His trip to the Syrian communities overseas had clear strategic and tactical goals: to secure the implements, financial and political, for the national liberation movement. He was bringing to his fellows Syrians in the Diaspora the opportunity to join the ranks of a transformative political-social-cultural movement that would restore their dignity and hope. This mission will court disaster and triumphs, hardship and achievements, and will become an obligatory dark exile dotted with one luminous exceptions: Juliette al-Mir. Saadeh will describe his stay in South America as the most odious prison sentence he had ever experienced.
The period of exile was a period of great personal loss and great personal triumph. He suffered deprivation, insult and injury: he endured calumny, betrayal and deceit. Nonetheless, within his great heart triumphed a great love- Juliette al-Mir a luminous presence whose affection, devotion and steadfastness, whose sacrifice, caring and companionship soothed his heart and spirit and presaged her own greatness in the years to come. In these years of exile, he endured with great dignity, he built an intellectual edifice of depth and novelty, and, aside from his love for Syria, he had found the great love of his life.
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