Syrian writer Hani al-Raheb dies of cancer
Syria, People, 2/7/2000

The Syrian Ministry of Culture and the Arab Writers Union has eulogized Hani al-Raheb (doctorate in English literature) who died on Sunday of cancer. Al-Raheb, who was born in Lattakia, joined the Arab novel in 1961 in a prize awarded by al-Adab magazine for his novel al-Mahzomoun, a novel which he wrote within less than one month, in his quest to win this prize. Then Hani was under 22.

Al-Mahzomoun was not the only novel by al-Raheb which was very controversial. His literature was always under heated debate. The same happened to his novel al-Wabaa and another novel he wrote while teaching at Kuwait's universities, "I draw a line on the sand," a novel which deals with situations in Kuwait in a very frank symbolic way. This novel received diverse reactions from critics and readers alike.

Al-Raheb undersigned his last novel at the recent international book fair in Beirut just two months ago when he seemed in a very good health, squeezed by cancer in a very short period of time. The writer, who was born in Mashqeita village (a coastal village near Lattakia) in 1939, died at the age of 61.

His successive novels were an evidence of a great novelist who always tackled in his work themes and issues connected to Arab identity, the future, and Arab culture. He used extreme symbols in his writings in an attempt to deal with issues, al-Raheb was expelled from Damascus University as member of the teaching staff and from the Arab Writers Union twice.

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