Gazelle Tracks A Modern Arabic Novel from Egypt

by Al-Tahawy, Miral

• ISBN13: 9781859642047
• ISBN10: 1859642047
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-06-01
• Publisher: Garnet Publishing

Summary

Past mingles with present and myth and folklore blend with reality, as the narrative voice records Muhra's quest as she seeks to discover the truth about her mother through the old family photographs that adorn the walls of her grandfather's house and other documents hidden away in cupboards and drawers. At once both narrator and narrated, Muhra's tale of self discovery is set against the dwindling fortunes of her own people as they struggle to preserve their identity and culture amid the larger Egyptian community that encroaches upon them. At the same time her father's wanderings and ultimate demise reflect the waning star of the Arab tribes who once controlled large swathes of Egyptian territory and enjoyed the patronage of Kings and Princes. Unwilling to give up despite premonitions of doom, Muhra's search leads her inexorably to the bitter truth about her mother's poignant life and the tragic and untimely end of her and the young foreigner she loved.

Author Biography

Miral al-Tahawy was born in the Nile Delta province of El Sharqiyya, the daughter of a tribe known as al-Hanadi. Al-Tahawy has written several critically acclaimed works, including The Tent and Blue Aubergine (both published in English by the American University in Cairo Press). Her novels provide rare insight into the lives of Bedouin women in Egypt.