Books
Oman hit the headlines recently after the passing of the country’s ruler of 49 years, Sultan Qaboos Al Said, in January 2020. These three books constitute an essential reading list for anyone with an interest in Oman – whether academic, professional or otherwise. They include both non-fiction and fiction books covering useful information about the country’s fascinating history, complex politics, and the ever-evolving cultural dynamics that make the Sultanate so special.
The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers tells the encapsulating story of Mokhtar Alkhanshali, a Yemeni-American who travels to Yemen to start a social enterprise to reignite the ancient art of Yemeni coffee. There’s only one problem – when Mokhtar set out in 2014, Yemen was on the brink of civil war.
Set in 1960s Damascus, Ghada Samman’s novel is an eminent celebration of life and female emancipation, but it also serves as a poignant reminder that the same rights and freedom of women are still being fought over both in the Syria and around the world.
On World Refugee Day, we think everyone should read An Unsafe Haven by Nada Awar…
The Last Optimist in Baghdad by Dr Brian Brivati is the true story of Ghassan…
If you read one book this year, it should be Peter Frankopan’s The Silk Roads:…