For fans of The Kite Runner comes this remarkable debut, the number one bestselling title in Iraq, Dubai and the UAE
Shahad al Rawi was born in Baghdad in 1986. She describes herself as a writer and novelist (this is her first attempt). She is currently completing a PhD in Anthropology in Dubai. Her novel went through three printings in the first months of publication. She appeared in a literary festival in Baghdad where she was described as the best new talent of her generation. Luke Leafgren received his PhD in Comparative Literature from Harvard University in 2012, after taking BA degrees in English and theology from Columbia University and the University of Oxford. He has translated several Arabic novels into English and teaches Arabic at the University of Harvard.
‘Vivid, at times surreal… the novel confronts the reality of
Baghdad in the final decade of the twentieth century through the
vision of a girl who often imbues it with wonder and beauty.’
*TLS*
"The Baghdad Clock is not just a popular winner with Edinburgh
International Book Festival readers this year - it's also a
brilliant winner that will live long in the memory and it
established Shahad Al Rawi as a force to be reckoned with, in
Arabic and English alike."
*Nick Barley, director of the Edinburgh International Book
Festival*
‘With tremendous talent and a sharp intelligence, Al Rawi delivers
an outstanding debut. Highly recommended.’
*Library Journal (starred review)*
‘Shahad Al Rawi brings us into the city of Baghdad in the middle of
the Gulf War, where people continue to go about their lives despite
the war that is eroding their homes. The story centres on two girls
in an air raid shelter and the friendship that blossoms around the
stories they tell each other in this book filled with resilience
and life.’
*World Literature Today*
‘This stirring debut follows two girls and their lives as they grow
up in the war-torn city of Iraq. A poignant portrayal of the
enduring bond of friendship, infused with a touch of magical
realism.’
*Book Riot*
‘Marked with a wild inventiveness and emotional depth… The Baghdad
Clock is a stirring, and at times moving, portrait of two
young women sticking together while everything around them falls
apart…[which] provides compelling depictions of each stage of the
girls’ journey to adulthood.’
*The National*
‘Al Rawi’s debut presents the so-called enemy imbued with
childhood whimsy and human longing, their quotidian stories
embellished with touches of magic realism. Rendered into
English by Harvard professor Leafgren, who was inspired by 9/11 to
learn Arabic, this international bestseller is both
condemnation against politics and war and testimony to resilient
humanity.’
*Booklist*
‘Extraordinary... The author does an incredible job of
painting a portrait of a neighborhood in Baghdad [and] writes
beautifully of characters who immediately captivate you —
characters who are relatable, but also imbued with a sense of
magic. The life she writes of has an ethereal overlay, as if
life is about much more than just living through war. In a country
so often dehumanized by politics, Al-Rawi reminds us of the stories
and people that make Iraq what it is.’
*Arab News*
‘Through a child's perspective and using elements of magical
realism, Al Rawi explores her protagonist's internal turbulence at
a time in which uncertainty is a way of life and stability a
myth.’
*The Tempest*
‘Al Rawi writes with such enthusiasm for her subject matter, she
injects her characters with beautiful quirks and
personalities.’
*The Bookbag*
‘Amazing...I am in awe of [Al Rawi's] ability to share profound
thoughts from the point of view of such a young woman.’
*Sandra Yeaman, blog review*
‘The Baghdad Clock is a wonderful human book... It's a brilliant
and imaginative work that will capture both your heart and your
mind.’
*Blogcritics*
‘[Shahad Al Rawi] has skilfully interwoven fantasy and reality with
a fine thread. She draws you through the story, leading you from
one maze into another, as you stagger along in a state of
perplexity, amazement and sheer delight.’
*al-Watan*
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