Hala's Diaries — Salma al-Haffar

Dar al-Ilm lil-Malayin

Mrs. Salma al-Haffar is a gifted woman of letters, known to women's literary circles through her articles and short stories, which appear from time to time in this magazine and in other magazines of the Arab world.

Mrs. Salma has lately brought out her first book, "Hala's Diaries."

"Hala" is the beautiful, musical name by which Salma was known as a young girl; as for "Hala's Diaries," they are the musings of the young girl "Hala" in the days when she was a student in Damascus.

Musings on life and society, on politics and the events through which the Syrian country was passing, when Hala was still at the beginning of her life.

And what do we find in these diaries?

There is a rebellious, defiant spirit that collides with many barriers and traditions, refuses to accept them, and tries to overstep them with boldness and sincerity.

And there is the perplexed spirit that keeps asking: why? why? why?

Why does society impose its systems the way it does? Why do people live in a cage of worn-out traditions? Why?

And there is the ardent patriotic spirit, representing a generation of youth in those grim periods in the life of the Syrian nation, appalled to see its nation trampled under the feet of the foreigner, and to see its glorious history disfigured under the pens of foreign writers...

"Hala" is very nearly carried into violent revolt when she clashes with her foreign teacher in history class...

And when we reach the last part of the book, there takes shape before the reader the burning devotion of a daughter, as the author recounts, in a delightful, limpid style, the assassination of the Syrian leader Dr. Shahbandar and the arraignment of her father, His Excellency Lutfi al-Haffar, together with the men of the National Bloc, whom the French authorities accused of plotting the assassination of the leader-doctor.

"Hala's Diaries" are the musings of the rebellious Syrian girl, the musings of a sincere patriot, and the musings of a devoted daughter...