Dar Al Mada publishing house, Iraq, will soon release an Arabic translation of "Génie la Folle," a novel by Inès Cagnati, winner of the Prix des Deux Magots. The novel was translated by Nabil al-Debes.
An extract from the novel:
"She went to farms to help. In the fall, she worked in cutting and arranging wood. I used to accompany her on Thursday to catch and pile small branches. We were lonely. At noon, she used to light a small fire. I often recall fall memories in forests: the fire, the cold, her picture when I accompanied her to freezing forests. In the spring, she worked in vineyards, and fields of peas and beans. I still remember wild lavenders…they were red and yellow.
She also gathered lettuce and wild leeks so we eat them in the evening. She picked up peas and beans, and put the share they gave her in her purse. We ate some of it, and she packed and preserved the rest. During harvest seasons, the fields diffused a special scent.
When she came back home, her hair was covered with dust and hay. She was also covered with corn, beans, and tomatoes. She brought fruits; we ate some, and made jams and more canned goods. During the grape harvest season, she came back home smelling like sugar. They used to give her some virgin wine that made me a little dizzy.
She went to prepare feasts for baptism, communions, and weddings. Sometimes she took me with her. I stayed in humid kitchens and watched her all the time."
