And now I’ve just read your short story too, and could cry again, as nearing the end of my own book, I realise how colourless it seems comparatively. In some ways, your writing has made me feel mediocre, but in others it has inspired me to go over my own again and to add more Van Goghian (if there is such a word) tints.

you will sign my copies of your books.

I wrote to you a year ago telling you that I was going to present and discuss “Little Bee” in our book circle. Reasons beyond my control made me postpone the discussion from April to December.
I would like you to know that what attracted my attention to the book was its cover. Ada Vardi, a graphic artist, designed it and was, most probably, influence by JD Salinger’s instructions (no image on cover – just the book title and author’s name. He specifically asked that his name be in a font not greater than the book’s title).

I attached a picture and hope the picture got through.
I assume you are familiar with Ali Mazrui’s book “The Africa Condition: A Political Diagnosis”(The Reith Lectures. London, Heinemann 1980). Mazrui wrote in his book that towards the end of the century the diplomatic power triumvirate in Africa will be composed of Nigeria, Zaire and South Africa under black control. He also predicted Nigeria will become the largest country in Euro – Africa and perhaps even with some nuclear ability.
The United Nations Population Division projection for the year 2100 expects India, which is likely to surpass China as the world’s largest country by 2030, to reach more than 1.55 billion people in 2100. Here’s the list of the world’s largest countries in 2100…

India – 1,557,468,000
China – 944,380,000
Nigeria – 756,007,000

Little Bee’s self-sacrifice in Charley’s rescue on the Nigerian beach echoed Boaz’s words to Ruth:
And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
(Ruth 3,10)
I could not avoid comparing this Sarah’s self-sacrifice, the decision about which was made within minutes, with the heroism of the Righteous Gentiles who saved Jews during the Holocaust who placed themselves in danger and continuous ponderings every day over the months and years.
You may be interested to learn that there are several words in Hebrew with contrasting meanings (like cleave), for example: “mazor” means both a disease and a cure.

“Bee” in Hebrew is Dvorah or Devorah (Deborah in the Bible) and “Kolech”, a Jewish feminist organization, chose the name “Devorah” for its programme of girls’ empowerment in the religious education. I think Little Bee would like it.
I opened the evening with two short musical pieces:
Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumble Bee” in honour of Little Bee and Elgar & Benson’s “Land Of Hope And Glory” in honour (?) of England.
Some of our friends thought you endowed Little Bee with resourcefulness, psychological insight and linguistic ability far beyond what may be expected of a 16 year old who grew up in Africa. On the other hand a colleague who worked in a school of foreign workers’ children assured us that she found incredible level of intelligence among those children who really come from poor homes.

Thank you for the literary experience.

I wish you all the best for 2012

Avishai Lubitch