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More copies of this ISBN:Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuitsby Laila Lalami
Powells.com Staff PickAs Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits begins, thirty men, women, and children crowd onto an inflatable boat to embark on the dangerous fourteen-kilometer crossing from Morocco to Spain. Laila Lalami navigates their desperate attempt as prologue to a novel whose characters restlessly chart the rough going between landlocked extremes: old world and new, faith and despair, hope and surrender. Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:In her exciting debut, Laila Lalami evokes the grit and enduring grace that is modern Morocco and offers an authentic look at the Muslim immigrant experience today.
The book begins as four Moroccans illegally cross the Strait of Gibraltar in an inflatable boat headed for Spain. There's Murad, a gentle, educated man who's been reduced to hustling tourists around Tangier; Halima, who's fleeing her drunken husband and the slums of Casablanca; Aziz, who must leave behind his devoted wife to find work in Spain; and Faten, a student and religious fanatic whose faith is at odds with an influential man determined to destroy her future. What has driven these men and women to risk their lives? And will the rewards prove to be worth the danger? Sensitively written with beauty and boldness, this is a gripping book about people in search of a better future. Review:"The four main characters of this linked series of fictional profiles are connected by a single goal: the desire to emigrate from Morocco to Spain, where there are jobs. Lalami, author of the literary blog moorishgirl.com, opens her book with the four (along with several others) illegally crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in a tiny inflatable raft; when it capsizes near shore, it is everyone for themselves. The next four chapters flash back to their varying lives in Morocco: Faten, a lower-class, college-aged woman appears only through the eyes of middle-class friend Noura's parents, who are horror-stricken as Noura falls under Faten's influence and begins wearing the hijab; Halima, a financially struggling mother who, with her children, is escaping an abusive marriage; Aziz Ammor, who hopes to support his wife by finding work in Spain; and Murad, a college graduate who makes pocket money by taking Paul Bowles fans on informal tours. The four following chapters detail, with sensitivity and journalistic clarity, their lives after the trip across the Strait. Less a novel than a set of finely detailed portraits, this book gives outsiders a glimpse of some of Moroccan society's strata and the desperation that underlies many ordinary lives. Agent, Stephanie Abou at the Joy Harris Agency." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
Review:"With spare prose and superb characterization, these tales of determined struggle command fierce credibility and irresistible empathy....This is an unexpected and enthralling read from a promising new voice." Boldtype
Review:"Lalami's characters are believable, sympathetic, and quite ordinary, nurturing hopes and dreams of a better life in the face of harsh conditions. An eloquent, fascinating glimpse into Moroccan culture and traditions, this debut is highly recommended." Library Journal
Review:"With subtlety and grace the author explores the emotional complexities of the culture they're trying to escape — one that bears more resemblance to ours than we may imagine." People
Review:"Lalami's debut novel is an absolute treasure. With realistic, clear, wonderful writing, she fully explores her characters — flaws, strengths, and all." Elizabeth Quinn, BUST
Review:"Lalami's story lines are evocative, her characters arresting, the settings vivid, and her voice pure and penetrating, ensuring that these striking tales of unsanctioned journeys and urgently improvised lives are at once timely and timeless." Booklist
Review:"This intense portrait of a gorgeous, once-powerful civilization stands in stark relief to the modern society Lalami skillfully depicts with gritty realism...impressive: This could well be the preamble to an important body of work." Kirkus Reviews
Review:"Lalami writes in a style both pragmatic and poetic, with romance and the human condition coiled together.
An excellent book." Whitney Otto, author of How to Make an American Quilt
Review:"A dream of a debut, by turns troubling and glorious, angry and wise. With her spare elegant prose Lalami has constructed a world remarkable for its resilience, its vibrancy, its motion, and yes, its hope." Junot Diaz, author of Drown
Review:"Laila Lalami's compelling work of fiction provides an anatomy of hope and struggle. Building with quiet urgency, these tales gradually transform into the story of a nation and a profound moment in history." Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Crescent and The Language of Baklava About the AuthorLaila Lalami was born and raised in Morocco. Her work has appeared in the Baltimore Review, the Los Angeles Times, the Independent, Moby, and elsewhere. She is the creator and editor of the literary blog www.moorishgirl.com, which has been the subject of articles in USA Today and the Washington Post. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter. Table of ContentsContents the trip Part I: Before the fanatic bus rides acceptance better luck tomorrow Part II: After the saint the odalisque homecoming the storyteller Acknowledgments What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
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