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Gravel Heart cover art

Gravel Heart

By: Abdulrazak Gurnah
Narrated by: Damian Lynch
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Summary

Bloomsbury presents Gravel Heart by Abdulrazak Gurnah, read by Damian Lynch.

By the winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature.

For seven-year-old Salim, the pillars upholding his small universe—his indifferent father, his adored uncle, his treasured books, the daily routines of government school and Koran lessons—seem unshakeable.

But it is the 1970s, and the winds of change are blowing through Zanzibar: suddenly Salim’s father is gone, and the island convulses with violence and corruption the wake of a revolution. It will only be years later, making his way through an alien and hostile London, that Salim will begin to understand the shame and exploitation festering at the heart of his family’s history.

©2017 Abdulrazak Gurnah ‘Ramblin’ Rose’ Words and Music by Joe Sherman and Noel Sherman © 1962. Reproduced by permission of Erasmus Music Inc / Sony / ATV Tunes LLC,London W1F 9LD. (P)2022 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Critic reviews

"Gurnah is a master storyteller." (Aminatta Forna, Financial Times)

"The elegance and control of Gurnah's writing, and his understanding of how quietly and slowly and repeatedly a heart can break, make this a deeply rewarding novel." (Kamila Shamsie, Guardian)

"Gurnah writes with wonderful insight about family relationships and he folds in the layers of history with elegance and warmth." (The Times)

What listeners say about Gravel Heart

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Pedestrian

I didn't share other reader's enthusiasm for this story. I found some opinions and attitudes expressed by the main character a little troubling. The first half of the book is an almost documentary account of the main character's life in London. It was rather dull. The second half was more interesting, however the main character's lack of emotion towards his mother's plight was quite unusual I thought. Won't rush to read another book by this author.

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Another magnificent story by Abdulrazak Gurnah

I loved this novel by Abdulrazak Gurnah, who is becoming one of my favourite authors. His descriptions of life in Zanzibar and his perceptions of the British and people from elsewhere living in Britain are so relatable. The family secret revealed in the book is heartbreaking and leads one into numerous hypothetical discussions.

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Heartbreaking

Very poignant and heartbreaking. Full of loneliness and regret. How one action can create a ripple effect. Written beautifully.

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