Robyn Creswell on Ahmad Faris Shidyaq: and the first Arab novel

This is a beautiful, informative and learned review of the new English translation of Ahmad Faris Shidyaq's As-Saq `Ala-s-Saq.  Not sure how the translation could be: that book is more difficult to translate than the Qur'an itself but I admire the courage of the translator.  I so enjoyed the review of Creswell but I only disagree with him about his determination that this book is the first Arab novel.  The book is not a novel at all, I think.  It is basically a hodgepodge of an autobiography the likes of which I have not read.  It contains the distinctive lexicographic prowess of Shidyaq and his joy in Arabic.  Furthermore, Qissat Zanyuab (1912) by Muhammad Husayn Haykal is considered the first Arab novel.  I have not read the translation but trust the judgement of Creswell.  (thanks Chathan)