🔝 Best books by Gurnah of 2023: our choice

By the Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that offers an insightful look into the lives of two people living in a small coastal town in Tanzania. The story follows the lives of Mwanza and Salim, two childhood friends from different social classes who have been reunited after many years apart. Through their interactions, we get to see the power of friendship and how it can bridge the gap between two people of different backgrounds. The novel is beautifully written, and Gurnah’s use of language is masterful. He paints a vivid picture of the small Tanzanian town and its inhabitants, and his descriptions bring the setting to life. The characters of Mwanza and Salim are complex and well-developed, and their relationship is believable and engaging. The novel also explores themes of identity, class, and colonialism, and Gurnah does a great job of exploring these themes without making the novel feel preachy or didactic. Overall, By the Sea is an excellent novel that offers an insightful and thought-provoking look into the lives of two people living in a small coastal town in Tanzania. Gurnah’s writing is masterful, and the characters and themes are engaging and well-developed. Highly recommended.

The Last Gift is the latest novel by Abdulrazak Gurnah, winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature. This novel is a powerful and moving story about a family's struggle to survive and thrive in a world of poverty, violence, and injustice. The story follows the life of a young boy, Ali, and his family as they face the harsh realities of life in a small village in Tanzania. The narrative is beautifully written, with powerful imagery and vivid descriptions of the characters' lives. Gurnah's use of language is masterful, and his ability to capture the nuances of life in a small village is remarkable. The story is told from Ali's perspective, and his voice is strong and engaging. He is a complex and sympathetic character, and his journey of self-discovery is both heartbreaking and inspiring. The Last Gift is a powerful and poignant story about the resilience of the human spirit. Gurnah's writing is both beautiful and heartbreaking, and his portrayal of poverty and injustice is heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting. This is an important and timely novel that will stay with readers long after they finish it. Highly recommended.