Leila aboulela was born in cairo, grew up in khartoum and moved in her midtwenties to aberdeen. The translator is one of the best novels ive ever read. This is coupled with the large lack of female voices in arguing a countercase of this generalization that has allowed this view to go fairly undiscussed. The translator is her first novel and was nominated for the orange prize and the impac dublin award, and shortlisted for the saltire prize. Leila aboulela was born in 1964 in cairo and grew up in khartoum. The theme of alienation is a characteristic feature of angloarab writers who lived in britain and wrote in english. Against the backdrop of multicultural london communities with its intricate class and religious tensions, the author builds a multifaceted story around najwa, the central figure and firstperson narrator, as she searches for her. In modern society there seems to be this overarching generalization that islam is this incredibly oppressive religion for women. This is a good book, not as good as the other two but still well written and engaging. The novel takes place in both khartoum and aberdeen and was inspired partially by aboulelas own experience moving between these two places. Translation, religion and identity in leila aboulelas the.
She brings east and west together in her novels and. Author leila aboulela writes using she works as an arabic translator at a university in aberdeen, scotland while her son stays with her aunt in khartoum. Feb 10, 2016 this is an anonymous studentwritten post. The past asserts its presence in every moment and every exchange. Leila aboulela won the caine prize for african writing in 2000 for the museum, published in heinemanns shortstory collection, opening spaces. Her most recent books are the novel bird summons 2019 and the shortstory collection elsewhere, home which was the winner of the 2018 saltire fiction book of the year award. These are a few things leila aboulela touches upon in her debut novel the translator.
There she meets rae, an islamic i was both absorbed by and ambivalent about this book which is an oddity, because i wouldnt have thought it was possible to be both at once. The translator 1999, coloured lights 2001 and minaret 2005. Aboulelas first novel, the translator, was also well received by critics. Since the sudden death of her husband, her young son has gone to live with family in khartoum. Away from her home town of khartoum, alone with the memories of her dead husband tarig and her estranged son whos living with her aunt and motherinlaw in sudan, sammar lives a. How did this historical change in the very definition of jihad come about.
Whether it is translation of language, religion or culture, as suggested by the. An argument, a thesis we might call it, emerges slowly over the course of leila aboulela s novel the kindness of enemies. In minaret, leila aboulela continues her exploration into the crosscultural topics that she embarked on in her awardwinning debut novel, the translator 1999. American readers were introduced to the awardwinning sudanese author leila aboulela with minaret, a delicate tale of a privileged young african muslim woman adjusting to her new life as a maid in london. Not much happens in leila aboulelas lyrical first novel because almost everything has already happened.
Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of leila aboulela s the translator. Sammar and rae, a kind secular middle eastern studies professor, form a close friendship which deepens into love. Sites like sparknotes with a the translator study guide or cliff notes. Her reputation as a pioneer of halal fiction and her classification as a multicultural and postcolonial writer are the main reasons for an investigation of her novel. Leila aboulela won the first caine prize for african writing and is the author of many novels. The translator inspiration leila aboulelas assured debut is about a widowed muslim mother living in aberdeen who falls in love with a scottish secular academic. There she meets rae, an islamic i was both absorbed by and ambivalent about this book which is an oddity, because i.
The protagonist of the translator is sammar, a sudanese widow living in aberdeen and working for a scottish academic. In the translator, leila aboulela builds on her own experience to create the very personal associations between place and character. The authors brief, yet rich, novel is not only a delicate moving love story, told primarily from the heroines perspective, it also touches, in a broader sense, on general human emotions such as longing and belonging, tradition and change, loss, faith and personal growth. She studied for a degree in economics at khartoum university, then moved to england to obtain a masters degree in statistics at the london school of economics. Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of leila aboulelas the translator. It took him years to learn the value of silence, the power of carefully chosen words. Although aboulelas novel the translator occasionally crops up on postcolonial syllabi, it is her unflinching approach to colonialism in the museum that captured my attention and caused me to question museum ethics and neutrality. Leila aboulelas first novel, first published in 1999, was longlisted for the orange prize for fiction and the impac dublin award, and was shortlisted for the saltire prize. The translator focuses on the life of summar, a young, sudanese widow in aberdeen, who translates arabic texts for a department at the local university.
Rae isles is a lecturer in middle eastern history and third world politics, and sammar is translating the work of an extremist group for him. In the kindness of enemies, leila aboulela s twentyfirst century protagonist natalie asks. Sammar, originally from khartoum, sudan has been living in aberdeen, scotland for the last four years mourning the loss of her husband, tarig. Leila aboulela is the first ever winner of the caine prize for african writing. Leila aboulela is a beautiful, honest writer who gave me a hundred precious, wise, funny insights into islam, sudanese family life and western culture as viewed by a nonwesterner. This paper investigates the way that leila aboulelas novel the translator depicts how islam and its rituals can strongly govern the life of muslims and organize their relationships with others. Leila aboulelas latest novel lyrics alley was fiction winner of the scottish book awards and shortlisted for the commonwealth writers prize. Oct 07, 2017 of the fifteen short stories in opening spaces, leila aboulelas the museum stuck with me. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the translator.
This paper studies the theme of alienation in leila aboulelas the translator, together with its different philosophical. Aboulelas lovely, brief story encompasses worlds of melancholy and gulfs between cultures in its depiction of sammar, a sudanese woman born in the uk, married in africa to her beloved cousin tarig and quickly widowed after a car. She is the author of minaret and coloured lights, and winner of the caine prize for african writing. Her work has been translated into fifteen languages. Leila aboulela, caine prize winner, is the author of the novels bird summons, the kindness of enemies, lyrics alley fiction winner of. Sammar, a young sudanese widow, is working as an arabic translator at the university of aberdeen.
Nov 12, 2006 not much happens in leila aboulelas lyrical first novel because almost everything has already happened. Aug 01, 2018 although aboulelas novel the translator occasionally crops up on postcolonial syllabi, it is her unflinching approach to colonialism in the museum that captured my attention and caused me to question museum ethics and neutrality. The translator is a story about a young muslim sudanese widow living in scotland and her blooming relationship with a secular scottish middle eastern scholar. Professor amal almalki april 17, 2009 aboulela is a sudanese novelist, who attracted attention and recognition worldwide through her work. She clutches a handbag patterned with a map of africa, where she was born, in khartoum in 1964, daughter of sudans firstever female demographer. Both okri and coetzee applaud the quiet anger and restraint which typifies the prose of aboulela s first three works. The 1997 short storys value has not gone unrecognised elsewhere.
Shmoop guide to how being a translator has shown up in popular culture and the media. The authors brief, yet rich, novel is not only a delicate moving love story, told primarily from the heroines perspective, it also touches, in a broader sense. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The mercy of allah is an ocean, our sins are a lump of clay clenched between the beak of a pigeon. The translator was one of the new york times 100 notable books of the year. Translation takes a number of different forms in leila aboulelas novel the translator. A prizewinning sudanese writer depicts the appeal of islam. Bookslut the kindness of enemies by leila aboulela. Jan 31, 2018 leila aboulela s views on i know two sudans duration. It was longlisted for the orange prize 2000 and also long listed for the impac dublin literary awards 2001. The translator summary and analysis like sparknotes. Aug 09, 2011 the two cities are intimately connected through the main character, sammar, as she experiences the stark contrasts of culture, history and climate.
The pigeon is perched on the branch of a tree at the edge of that ocean. Please see the supplementary resources provided below for other helpful content related to this book. Jun 10, 2005 minaret by leila aboulela 288pp, bloomsbury. This question is developed thematically though the historical storyline in aboulelas novel which features imam shamil, a midnineteenth century muslim leader of mountain tribes in the caucasus mountain region, battling for. The translator leila aboulelas assured debut is about a widowed muslim mother living in aberdeen who falls in love with a scottish secular academic. Leila aboulela was born in 1964 and grew up in khartoum, sudan. Translation, religion and identity in leila aboulela s the translator. Chimimanda ngozi adichie honorary degree acceptance speech duration. It was longlisted for the orange prize as were her previous novels the translator a new york times 100 notable books of the year and minaret.
Its interesting to note how much she has grown as an author. Here is leila aboulelas extraordinarily assured debut about a widowed muslim mother living in aberdeen who falls in love with a scottish secular academic. Lyrics alley won the scottish trust book award for fiction and was short listed for the commonwealth writers prize for best book south asia and europe, and longlisted for the. The translator was first published to critical acclaim in 1999. Set in scotland and sudan, leila aboulela s first novel is a sensitive portrayal of love and faith. Leila aboulelas views on i know two sudans duration. In the kindness of enemies, leila aboulelas twentyfirst century protagonist natalie asks. For more on the translator, see this post on challenging stereotypes of muslim women, and a second on islam and romantic love here.
The authors brief, yet rich, novel is not only a delicate. Strategic nostalgia, islam and cultural translation in. Chambers r an interview with leila aboulela two stories in the collection, days rotate and radia s carpet, are two allusive, but arguably unsuccessful, incursions into the realm. The translator by aboulela, leila, 1964publication date 2006 topics sudanese, women translators, widows publisher. She is the author of five novels, bird summons, the translator, a new york times 100 notable books of the year, the kindness of enemies, minaret and lyrics alley, fiction winner of the scottish book awards. The translator is a story about love, both human and divine. Coloured lights, her collection of short stories, gathers eleven stories, including the museum, and continues to address the state of flux experienced by characters whose lives are caught between eastern and western cultures. Sammar is a sudanese widow working as an arabic translator at a scottish university. Her novels include the kindness of enemies, the translator longlisted for the orange prize, minaret and lyrics alley, which was fiction winner of the scottish book awards. Of the fifteen short stories in opening spaces, leila aboulelas the museum stuck with me.
The the translator community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. This question is developed thematically though the historical storyline in aboulela s novel which features imam shamil, a midnineteenth century muslim leader of mountain tribes. Following her lyrical first novel the translator, 1999, aboulela narrates a sadder, starker story of one girls fall from privilege to a life of exile and menial work in london. Leila aboulela audio books, best sellers, author bio. But it is not a preachy book, instead making its argument through an engaging story that covers centuries and continents. The translator by aboulela, leila, 1964publication date 2006 topics sudanese, women translators, widows. The translator is a story about a young muslim sudanese widow living in scotland without her son, and her blooming relationship with a secular scottish middle eastern scholar.
Strategic nostalgia, islam and cultural translation in leila aboulelas the translator and coloured lights. Leila aboulelas the translator is a quiet book that has the gravity of a whisper in a silent crowd aboulelas prose is peppered with poignant observations and lifes lessons, no matter your faith. Leila aboulela the translator inspiration the kindness. Chimimanda ngozi adichie honorary degree acceptance speech. Leila aboulela the translator the kindness of enemies. I read it after reading her other more recent novels the translator and her latest the kindness of enemies. Against the backdrop of multicultural london communities with its intricate class and religious tensions, the author builds a multifaceted story around najwa, the central figure and firstperson narrator, as she searches for her place.
She worked as a parttime research assistant while starting to write. Leila aboulela s assured debut is about a widowed muslim mother living in aberdeen who falls in love with a scottish secular academic. Aboulelas lovely, brief story encompasses worlds of melancholy and gulfs between cultures in its depiction of sammar, a sudanese woman born in the uk, married in africa to her beloved cousin tarig and quickly widowed after a car accident in the gray, chilly scottish city of aberdeen. The translator is sudanese writer leila aboulela s first novel, published in 1999. Her story is about shadia a sudanese bridetobe who is studying for her masters degree in scotland, and is engaged to fareed back home. The translator summary and analysis like sparknotes free. Oct 01, 2006 a consideration of grief and love interrupted. Leila aboulea 1964 is a sudanese contemporary novelist. It has subsequently appeared in editions worldwide. Leila aboulela won the caine prize for african writing in 2000 for the museum, published in heinemanns short. During the past half dozen years, a new genre of contemporary english fiction seems to have emerged in the form of a series of novels by. In khartoum, najwa was an average sudanese girl, not too religious and not too unconventional who fasted at ramadan but also danced with her. Shmoop answers how translators have shown up in movies, literature and tv. Aug 09, 2011 in minaret, leila aboulela continues her exploration into the crosscultural topics that she embarked on in her awardwinning debut novel, the translator 1999.
1397 704 73 1384 1104 850 1139 206 1328 770 1195 420 52 1258 1412 762 804 19 184 1305 1041 282 659 1123 279 545 1028 889 682 1395 275 477