{"product_id":"umm-kulthum-the-star-of-the-east-9781623716608","title":"Umm Kulthum: The Star of the East","description":"\u003cb\u003eA picture book about the life and career of an unforgettable Arab icon, Umm Kulthum, the most powerful voice in the Arab world.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eUmm Kulthum was an Arab icon, whose powerful voice defined an entire region for more than five decades. The famous Soprano Maria Callas praised her voice as \"incomparable.\" Bob Dylan, Robert Plant and Bono are said to be among her many fans. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe daughter of a poor Egyptian village sheikh, Umm Kulthum rose to fame at a time when young girls didn't go to school and when \"respectable\" girls did not perform on stages. But Umm Kulthum was no ordinary girl. As a little girl, she convinced her parents to send her to school so that she could learn to read and recite the Qur'an. When her father discovered her powerful voice, he dressed her as a boy and toured the Egyptian countryside, performing at religious ceremonies to make extra money for the family. When she could no longer hide the fact that she was a girl, Umm Kulthum shed her costume and became known throughout the Nile Delta as the little girl with the powerful voice. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAs she grew older, Umm Kulthum knew her future awaited her in Cairo. But her father still worried about her reputation. City theaters were definitely no place for a sheikh's daughter. Stubborn and persistent, Umm Kulthum convinced her father to move Cairo. But life in the big city wasn't easy. The city elite mocked the village girl and her religious folk songs. Umm Kulthum, nonetheless, persisted and worked harder than she had ever worked before. With help from famous singers, she learned to control her powerful voice and taught herself how to play musical instruments. The most important poets and musicians in Egypt and the Arab world wrote lyrics and composed music for her. Soon, record companies competed for her contracts. She held sold-out concerts that ran late into the night, and she sang songs that often lasted more than an hour. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eUmm Kulthum was more than a singer. She helped reclaim the story and voice of an entire region. People took pride in her perfect pronunciation of the Arabic language, which they attributed to her knowledge of the Qur'an. More than a century after her birth, Umm Kulthum's music can still be heard in taxis, cafes, and homes from Rabat to Baghdad and Damascus to Sana'a, giving her the nicknames The Lady (\u003ci\u003eAl-Sit\u003c\/i\u003e), Egypt's Fourth Pyramid (\u003ci\u003eAl Haram al-Rabe\u003c\/i\u003e'), the Mother of the Arabs (\u003ci\u003eUmm al-Arab\u003c\/i\u003e)--and, unequivocally, The Star of the East (\u003ci\u003eKawkab al Sharq\u003c\/i\u003e). \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWith stunning illustrations by renowned Egyptian artist Ahmed Abdelmohsen, Umm Kulthum is brought to life with each spread that sings in honor of the voice of this unforgettable icon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Crocodile Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/26\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781623716608\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 48","brand":"Rhonda Roumani","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44683507663029,"sku":"9781623716608","price":16.96,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_94d4b76d-7050-42ad-90dc-741919101520.jpg?v=1727796144","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/umm-kulthum-the-star-of-the-east-9781623716608","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}