The Calligrapher's Secret
Rafik Schami author Anthea Bell translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Arabia Books Ltd
Published:31st Mar '11
£12.99
Available to order, but very limited on stock - if we have issues obtaining a copy, we will let you know.
Even as a young man, Hamid Farsi is acclaimed as a master of the art of calligraphy. But as time goes by, he sees that weaknesses in the Arabic language and its script limit its uses in the modern world. In a secret society, he works out schemes for radical reform, never guessing what risks he is running.
His beautiful wife, Noura, is ignorant of the great plans on her husband's mind. She knows only his cold, avaricious side and so it is no wonder she feels flattered by the attentions of his amusing, lively young apprentice. And so begins a passionate love story of a Muslim woman and a Christian man.
‘Finely rendered into English by Anthea Bell,The Calligrapher's Secret is a celebration of diversity’
‘Suspenseful, spectacular, and searing are not adjectives one would use to describe The Calligrapher’s Secret. Intriguing, intelligent, and multifaceted are far more accurate to convey what readers can expect from this well written story about love, art, family and Syrian culture.’
‘Warmly observed, richly detailed, and often bold and exciting, Schami’s fine portrait of life in Damascus, Syria, in the middle of the 20th century is filled with a compelling set of characters … Schami, born in Damascus, is one of Germany’s most respected writers, bridging Arab and Western culture with his exquisite storytelling. A novel to be savoured.’
ISBN: 9781906697280
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 30mm
Weight: 375g
450 pages