The books in my life

The book "The Books in My Life," which is a translation accomplished by the translator Hussein Shoufi of a book titled The Books in My Life, was published by the late British writer and philosopher Colin Wilson in 1998. We would not be exaggerating if we said that Colin Wilson is one of the most problematic writers in the world, especially in the Arab world, for many reasons, including that he came as a contrary example to the Western cultural pattern that sought to establish a specific vision within strict frameworks for what can be called the influential intellectual in the public domain. Wilson did not come from the heart of the British academic institution; he did not seek to obtain an Oxford or Cambridge degree that would open for him the impenetrable gates in the labyrinths of the stubborn British intelligentsia, burdened with Victorian cultural traditions. Therefore, his first book "The Outsider" had a shocking impact on global cultural circles, gained wide readership, especially in our Arab world, and I believe that all true Arab intellectuals remember how this book contributed to shaping their initial culture in the 1950s when existentialism and youth revolutions launched their explosive rise. Colin Wilson is often paired with the book The Outsider as a condition, and I see in this a significant overreach of Wilson’s great intellectual and philosophical capacities. An example here is that I consider his book on "The Art of the Novel" to be the best book I have read on the theory of the novel, and many of his other books are absent from the Arab cultural space because they have not been translated into Arabic, including—for example—his book on "The New Existentialism." If we scrutinize these details, we will realize the importance of translating new works by Wilson beyond those that dominated the Arab cultural space and stereotyped Wilson within a specific framework. Based on this, the importance of translating the book "The Books in My Life" can be appreciated, as Wilson was known for his intertwined and overlapping cognitive interests, as well as his intense and diverse readings since he was a young boy. Naturally, his reading of some books that shaped his cultural life is an insight into his subsequent cultural achievements. Colin Wilson grew up in a family belonging to a working-class environment, and he had very little formal education; however, from a young age, he inclined toward the printed word, which he saw as a source that would not fail him in exploring the limitless problematic questions that life offers. Wilson’s library included about 20,000 volumes, including his own works.