In the company of books - Ali Hussein

In "In the Company of Books," the Iraqi writer and journalist Ali Hussein continues his well-known project: writing about books as living beings, not just titles arranged on shelves. Ali Hussein, known for his encyclopedic reading and long engagement with Arab and global culture, does not offer a traditional reading guide here, nor school summaries, but writes his own reading biography, his adventures among libraries, and the books that changed his intellectual and human path. The book moves between multiple stations: stories about great writers, reflections on intellectual experiences, personal moments from shocking or astonishing books, and recalling memories of early reading. His smooth style makes the text closer to a long session with a passionate reader who knows how to transform the book from a subject of critique into a partner in life. He does not treat texts as sacred, but as open worlds for discussion, approaching them with love and boldness at the same time. What distinguishes "In the Company of Books" is that it does not celebrate reading as a cultural luxury, but as an ethical and existential necessity. Reading here is an act of resistance to forgetfulness, mediocrity, and ease. Through recalling global and Arab experiences, Ali Hussein rephrases a simple but profound question: Why do we read? To become more knowledgeable only, or to become more human? This is a book that reaffirms the relationship between the reader and his books, and reminds us that the book is not just a decoration for the library, but a companion of solitude, a mirror, and sometimes a temporary salvation from the chaos of the world. After finishing it, you may find yourself looking at your library differently… So, which book in your life was truly a companion, not just a title you passed by? And do we really choose our books… or do they choose us at the moment we are in most need of them?