By the Sea

Book Details

• Author: Abdulrazak Gurnah

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

• Language: English

• ISBN: 9781526653253

• Pages: 256

• Cover: Paperback

• Package Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches

About The Book

Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah, winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature, is a gripping and poignant narrative that delves deep into the complexities of love, betrayal, and the human condition amidst the turbulent backdrop of historical and political upheaval. Longlisted for the Booker Prize, this novel tells the story of Saleh Omar, an asylum seeker from Zanzibar, who arrives in England carrying nothing but a small mahogany box containing incense, a remnant of his past life. Once a successful shop owner, husband, and father, Saleh is now stripped of everything, seeking refuge in a foreign land.

In parallel, Latif Mahmud, who shares a deep connection with Saleh, lives quietly in London. The two men’s paths cross in an English seaside town, unraveling a story filled with love, seduction, betrayal, and the desperate search for stability amidst chaos. Afterlives is a powerful exploration of the lives of individuals caught in the tides of history, seeking solace and a sense of belonging in a world that seems to have left them behind.

Gurnah's masterful storytelling invites readers into a world of profound emotional depth, as he explores the complexities of displacement and the pain of loss, while also offering moments of grace and quiet reflection. This novel is an evocative meditation on the consequences of colonialism, migration, and the long-lasting impact of personal and collective histories.