Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Aboulela always impresses me

Leila Aboulela, a British/Sudanese author who was born and raised in Khartoum and moved to Scotland in the late 1980's .
She published three books:
1-Minaret
2-Coloured Lights- a collection of short stories
3-The Translator

I read her first two books last December. Two weeks ago, I found The Translator at Barnes and Nobles and I just had to get it. I did. I read it in two days. I loved it and I want to read it again.

What happens when a Scottish professor man falls in love with a Sudanese widow. Interracial relationships are unusual. Inter-religious relationships are even more difficult. Let me ask this again. What happens when a Scottish man who believes in God but is not necessarily religious falls in love with a Sudanese woman who is a strong believer in god,religious and also veiled?
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Sammar, a Sudanese widow is living and working in Scotland. She works as a translator for Rai, a scottish middle-eastern studies professor and middle-east issues specialist. Sammar falls in love with Rai and she is sure he feels the same way but not only is he white, he is not Muslim. Is Rai going to embrace Sammar's religion or are they going to go their separate ways?
This book is deep. It discusses topics I always thought about but never found answers.
It's a great read.So.... Hit the nearest bookstore and get it!

ps:- Aboulela includes his Muslim and Sudanese identity in every book. Most of her stories are set in the UK, where she lives and works.


Sudaniya

4 comments:

James Higham said...

Kizzie - photos, photos, photos of the Sudan please.

Reem said...

gotcha!
check ur email and my blog:)

Beaman said...

It does sound a fascinating book. Thanks for the tip. :)

Anonymous said...

I looooved the Translator.