Rabih Alameddine
Rabih Alameddine
Rabih Alameddineis a Lebanese-American painter and writer. He was born in Amman, Jordan to Lebanese Druze parents. He grew up in Kuwait and Lebanon, which he left at age 17 to live first in England and then in California. A lover of mathematics, he earned a degree in engineering from the University of California at Los Angelesand a Master of Business in San Francisco. He began his career as an engineer, then moved to writing and painting. The author of...
NationalityLebanese
ProfessionArtist
CountryLebanon
game soccer
A game of soccer induces more than enjoyment, more than entertainment.
develops meanings
Language, after all, is organic. You can't force words into existence. You can't force new meanings into words. And some words can't or won't or shouldn't be laundered or neutered. Language develops naturally.
pick
I was about 11 or 12 when I began to pick up my mother's books.
great taken upset
I get upset about what is taken as great literature and what is cute and exotic.
bad
I always say show me a storyteller who doesn't embellish, and I'll show you a bad one.
fact fit good outsider perspective somebody state time
I allegedly am an outsider writer, so I write from the perspective of somebody who doesn't completely fit in. But at the same time, I can state the fact that I don't know of any good writer who is not an outsider writer.
assumed awarded country knew
I always assumed that everyone knew no country would ever be awarded a World Cup without pricey gifts exchanging hands under the tables.
shakespeare
I read Shakespeare when I was 14 because it's what we were taught.
sports widely
Soccer is the most widely played sport in the U.S.
argument enjoy fans sports
I know many sports fans that don't enjoy soccer. The argument is that there's no action, not enough of it.
I have to admit, I'm not patriotic. It has partly to do with principle, but it is also a phobia/neurosis.
god
If I were to pray in Arabic, I'd pray to Allah. If I were to pray in English, I'd pray to God.
regular shocks until
I oscillate between being cynical and being naive on a regular basis. I always think that not much shocks me until something much too obvious does.
amazing bomb both distract hear necessary ourselves
If you go through any culture that has had wars, go to the bomb shelters, and you'll hear some amazing stories. Yes, it's a necessary thing that we actually both distract ourselves and it's a way to bond.