It is in a warm and exotic ambiance that Leila Amad Bissat is launching her second book, Of Whispers and Winds - Memorabilia of a Traveller, over a cocktail reception at the Yacht Club in Zaytouna Bay.
Of Whispers and Wind is a travel journal, the story of an avid collector of objects of all kinds who believes that objects have a soul, that they embody the craftsmanship and authenticity of the skilled people who make them.
This is the second travel book by travel writer Leila Amad Bissat where she recounts her adventures in the Far East and South East Asia. She tells the stories behind souvenirs she collected on her trips and describes the regions through her own eyes. In this very personal account of her travels, the vivid description of objects, places, people and rituals, bring to life the people she met, the cultures she encountered and the places she visited. In this book, the author tells us the story behind some of the items she brought along the way.
Starting at the heart of China still under tight Communist control, the book takes us through hope-filled Vietnam, nostalgic Cambodia, charming Thailand, secretive Bhutan, the peaks of Nepal, beautiful Bali, modernist Singapore, serene Malaysia and ends in serendipitous Sri Lanka with a very personal visit. Ten different countries and many more adventures are relayed to us in an engaging and entertaining narrative, beautifully illustrated with photographs that provide a backdrop for armchair travelers setting sail to these faraway places.
The book discusses some interesting issues that affect changing societies. It shows clearly that the era of closed borders is now a thing of the past. But it also highlights the issues and challenges facing humanity when the world becomes a «global village. » The author questions the effects of these changes on indigenous populations and wonders if all of what she sees will survive the transformations of the 21st century.
The Arab World is not very familiar with this genre of writing, and the author Leila Amad Bissat, is one of the few Arab woman travel writers. The book is edited by Dr Laila Othman Asser, a historian, translator and editor who graduated from SOAS, London University and the art direction and design of the book is by Studio Safar, a Beirut-based design agency founded in 2012. Not to forget that professional photography is by Mrs Tanya Trabulsi.
