Nabil Suleiman Publishes His 23rd Novel

Nabil Suleiman Publishes His 23rd Novel
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Nabil Suleiman Publishes His 23rd Novel

Nabil Suleiman Publishes His 23rd Novel

Syrian critic and author Nabil Suleiman has completed his 23rd novel, "Transformations of the Golden Human", published by Dar Khotot in Amman.

The book’s back cover includes excerpts from a review written by Moroccan critic Dr. Said Yaqtin: "I would not exaggerate much if I said: There is no Arabic novel that Nabil Suleiman has not read. I am also not wrong in saying that he is one of the few Arab novelists whose lives are limited to writing novels."

"His long, rich and varied repertoire of fictional work, his extensive critical reviews, and his 50 years of constant reading testify to all of this. This latest novel is the ultimate testament to that."

The title reminds Arab readers of the Metamorphoses of Apuleius. The donkey’s replacement, here, with the human being now repudiating everything that has been written about donkeys. The protagonist transforms from a donkey into a human, and since he is a writer, he puts all his energy into pursuing one conscious obsession: “Writing a novel about donkeys,” and another that is subconscious: writing a novel different from others written by donkeys.

The richness and depth of the story and its symbolism is paralleled by its use of novelistic techniques, which the writer carefully employs as he shifts from transparent storytelling to cutting scenes, breaking the linear timeline with a multiplicity of languages and voices, as well using footnotes, sub-headings, and a variety of narratives from different eras and cultures.

Suleiman’s latest novel is his latest work contemplating man’s multiple transformations in time and place. With its insistence on the "golden man," the novel seeks to explore the essence of humanity concealed by conflicts and contradictions, pushing it to look into feasible and past transforms. These transformations could turn a donkey into a human or boomerang to turn the human into a donkey.



Chinese Travel More during Dragon Boat Holiday but Spending Lags

Spectators watch as participants take part in a dragon boat tug-of-war competition in the waters of Xujiachong harbour to mark the Dragon Boat festival, in Yichang, Hubei province, China May 31, 2025. China Daily via REUTERS
Spectators watch as participants take part in a dragon boat tug-of-war competition in the waters of Xujiachong harbour to mark the Dragon Boat festival, in Yichang, Hubei province, China May 31, 2025. China Daily via REUTERS
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Chinese Travel More during Dragon Boat Holiday but Spending Lags

Spectators watch as participants take part in a dragon boat tug-of-war competition in the waters of Xujiachong harbour to mark the Dragon Boat festival, in Yichang, Hubei province, China May 31, 2025. China Daily via REUTERS
Spectators watch as participants take part in a dragon boat tug-of-war competition in the waters of Xujiachong harbour to mark the Dragon Boat festival, in Yichang, Hubei province, China May 31, 2025. China Daily via REUTERS

Chinese people travelled more over the three-day Dragon Boat holiday this year, but spending remained below pre-pandemic levels, government data showed on Tuesday - indicators that are closely watched as barometers of consumer confidence.

Consumption in the world's second-largest economy has suffered amid sputtering growth and a prolonged property crisis, with uncertainty from the US-China trade war also weighing on consumer confidence.

The latest data painted a mixed picture for China's consumer economy. Travelers took an estimated 119 million domestic journeys from Friday to Monday, up 5.7% from the same holiday period last year, according to the Ministry for Tourism and Culture.

Overall spending over the period rose to 42.73 billion yuan ($5.94 billion, a year-on-year increase of 5.9%, but the average amount spent per traveler was a little under 360 yuan ($50), according to Reuters calculations, remaining stubbornly below 2019 levels of around 410 yuan per trip.

The Dragon Boat Festival took place from May 31 to June 2 - and is celebrated throughout the country with local dragon boat races. Many people take the opportunity to have short holidays, crowding train stations and airports around the country.

Cross-border journeys rose 2.7% to 5.9 million, with 231,000 foreign nationals entering the country visa-free during the holiday, broadcaster CCTV said late on Monday.

China has been expanding its visa policy, with citizens of 43 countries granted visa-free access, while visa-free transit for up to 240 hours in China is available for 54 countries.

Rail lines saw the peak of return passenger flow on June 2, with authorities adding 1,279 trains to more than 11,000 passenger trains overall across the country, while road travel was up 3% year-on-year, with 600 million car journeys recorded, mostly travelling short distances.

Chinese also boosted spending on entertainment over the holiday, with cinema box office revenue reaching 460 million yuan ($63.9 million), surpassing last year’s 384 million yuan, according to data from online ticketing platform Maoyan.

Tom Cruise’s latest movie "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" topped charts, and generated 228 million yuan, half of the total revenue during the holiday period, which was seen as a positive indicator for the upcoming summer season.