Warda A Novel Sonallah Ibrahim, Hosam Aboul-Ela

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Series:: The Margellos World Republic of Letters
Format:: Hardback
Publication date:: 13 Jul 2021
ISBN:: 9780300228656
Imprint:: Yale University Press
Dimensions:: 352 pages: 229 x 152mm

Categories:

Fiction »
Modern & Contemporary Fiction »

1950s Cairo. At a leftist meeting, idealistic journalist Rushdy encounters the enchanting Warda, along with her older brother Yaarib. Years later, after Warda goes mysteriously missing, Rushdy immerses himself in her diaries in a quest to uncover her whereabouts. The quest takes him to the bucolic, remote region of Dhofar, Oman, where he discovers Warda’s guerrilla role in a regional revolt and secret involvement in revolutions with echoes around the globe, from the march against the Vietnam War in Washington, D.C., to the trial of Angela Davis and the actions of George H. W. Bush. Piece by revelatory piece, Rushdy uncovers the truth about Warda—and the fiery commitment that drove her to choose the life she lived.

Widely acknowledged as a masterpiece by one of Egypt’s most important novelists, this is an unforgettable story of intrigue, passion, and revolution.

Sonallah Ibrahim is the Egyptian author of over thirteen novels and short stories, most of which have been translated into English. Trained in law at Cairo University, he worked as a journalist until he was arrested and imprisoned in 1959 for his political associations. Hosam Aboul-Ela, a writer, translator, and literary critic, lives in Houston, TX.

"Haunted by the ghosts of Arab revolution, Sonallah Ibrahim’s Warda is an archive of left-wing hopes and an unsparing view of the present. From the wasteland of Mubarak-era Egypt, Ibrahim conjures a history of eros and upheaval—a timely reminder of what was and what might have been."—Robyn Creswell, Yale University

“An outstanding novel about beauty, friendship, and love.”—Sonja Mejcher-Atassi, American University of Beirut

"In this time of global uprising, this novel acquires additional relevance and importance in the intricate ways it narrates revolution, desire, and nostalgia."—Sinan Antoon, New York University