Record Number: 33580
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'Then Yusuf, who is ten, read out the Gospel. He stood straight with the lighted candle in his hand, his face full of seriousness, an impressive little figure under the stars [...] In the childish Arabic, the old story came with a new and homely grace; and we listened, moved and silent, standing like living altars, holding our lighted candles.'
Century:1900-1945
Date:24 Dec 1929
Country:Iraq
Timeevening
night
city: Baghdad
location in dwelling: courtyard
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
passive in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Listener: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Female
Date of Birth:31 Jan 1893
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:Travel writer
Religion:Christian
Country of Origin:England
Country of Experience:Iraq
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:Bible
Genre:Bible, Read in Arabic, either the Gospel of Mark or Matthew
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceread in situ
in the courtyard of the house
Source Information:
Record ID:33580
Source:Freya Stark
Editor:n/a
Title:Baghdad Sketches: Journeys through Iraq
Place of Publication:London
Date of Publication:1937
Vol:n/a
Page:67
Additional Comments:
Pagination is from the 2011 IB Tauris edition. The book was first published by John Murray in London in 1937.
Citation:
Freya Stark, Baghdad Sketches: Journeys through Iraq, (London, 1937), p. 67, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=33580, accessed: 20 April 2024
Additional Comments:
Dame Freya Madeline Stark, Mrs Perowne, (31 January 1893 – 9 May 1993) was a British explorer and travel writer. Yusuf was the eldest son of the Syriac Christian family Stark was living with by late 1929; the Christmas Eve reading took place in the courtyard of the house, lit by candles, lanterns and a small bonfire.
