The Somali Pirate Review & Ratings

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The Somali Pirate Review

Piracy news fills the daily headlines. Is the "call to arms" warranted?
In an unusual collaboration, historical writer Quinn Haber partnered with Somali Noor Haji Fayrus to compose this controversial novel.
Written from a Somali native's viewpoint by a pair of ocean-savvy authors, this book paves an inroad to an inscrutable culture. It chronicles the colorful lives of Haji and his family, each a whimsical thread woven into the greater tapestry of historical civil events. The Somali Pirate is rife with nautical jargon; however, the meaning is clear in the context. It is "easy reading" suitable for those age 17 and up.
Mr. Haber is American-born. His bio reveals that he has traveled extensively and has lived among other cultures. His point of view characteristically deviates far from the mainstream and his imagination is relentlessly driven. The book rapidly accelerates to a breathless pace, rising to a climax, then another and another. I've experienced "flashbacks" of its graphic images.
At the same time, The Somali Pirate is a unique compendium of knowledge about Somali language and culture. This is a definitive statement, well-documented with research notes, about the origins of contemporary Somali piracy, a subject that the media has obscured.
I enjoyed the intimate first-person narrative. The dialog between Somalis is American English interspersed with Somali phrases. It seems this was meant to encourage the reader to identify with the characters. Ironically, Mr. Haber portrays Haji as an introspective main character in a culture characterized by "Islamic machismo," where men must not reveal their sensitive side.
There are numerous ironies throughout the book. In Somalia, Islamic leaders declared that piracy is a crime against Islam and punishable by death. The majority of Somalis are devout followers of Islam and adherents to strict codes of behavior. So how is it that Somalis, in committing piracy, can remain true to Islam?
Despite modern technology and influences, Somalis' traditional practices remain largely intact. The majority of Somalis stand in fierce defense of age-old traditions such as female genital mutilation, which is performed on 95-98 percent of Somali girls.
The characters make a living off goat-herding in the desert and fishing. How did these tribal people acquire modern weapons and boats to penetrate the high-tech security of huge freighters and tankers? The book delves into this and other mysteries.
Africans are just a click away on the computer. In recent years, I've learned the Yoruba language and visited Nigerians living in Atlanta. In meeting them, I've become aware of how American culture has permeated the daily lives of Africans. Most of all, in meeting Africans, I discovered that all people share similar thoughts and concerns, no matter what part of the world they are from.
The book describes how Somalis have assimilated modern technology into their everyday lives...using satellite dishes, they often watch the same news, movies and TV shows we Americans do.
The Somali Pirate, at 406 pages, is a cohesive work which assembles thousands of incongruous details into a logical succession of events...starting from the political upheaval in 1990 to present day. It methodically dismantles the xenophobic view of piracy in Somalia. The problem is not pirates sabotaging ships from civilized nations; it is lustful civilized nations violating laws, using vulnerable Somalia for its fishing bounty and as a place to dump nuclear and other toxic waste in a heinous way, which results in thousands of Somali lives being lost to poisoning, wanton murder by coast guards, military and crews of the large ships. Somalia itself leads a fragile existence as one of the least populous African nations with one of the lowest gross national products.
Other books on piracy are several years old and less voluminous, in the order of 200+ or 300+ pages. Dangerous Waters - Modern Piracy and Terror on the High Seas by John S. Burnett, was published in 2002, before Somali pirates became a significant threat. At 368 pages, it contains descriptive accounts of piracy in Indonesia and other areas of the world. Other books on this topic: Terrorism and the Maritime Transportation System by Anthony M. Davis, 232 pages. Maritime Terror - Protecting Your Vessel and Your Crew Against Piracy by Jim Gray, 72 pages. The Outlaw Sea: A World of Freedom, Chaos and Crime by William Langewiesche, 239 pages.
I looked up Somali phrases on the Internet to discover that the smoothly-flowing Somali language has a Middle Eastern sound. It's riveting to hear the inflections of spoken Somali on YouTube, to hear Somali singers and speakers and experience their personalities. Spoken Somali with a "hardcore flavor" is proffered by Somali rap artists Aar Maanta and Tuug1. There are numerous Somalis seeking English-speaking pen pals.
Somali poetry is a centuries-old tradition. Arising from that tradition is the provocative poetry of Professor Mohamud Siad Togane, born and raised in Somalia but now residing in Canada. A number of his poems, such as, "The Darod Fire Back," describe the dynamics of clan rivalry. The Darod are a clan featured in The Somali Pirate. Professor Togane's poetry can be found at the website SomaliaWatch.

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