Land for Fatimah

By (author): Veena Gokhale

Four strong women: Anjali, an Indo-Canadian single mother who eagerly accepts an African posting with her non-profit organization; Grace, her dedicated but dominating colleague, who opposes her; Fatimah, a farmer ousted from her home and fertile farmland, whom Anjali befriends; and Mary, Anjali’s kindly maid, who must secure the future of her son, Gabriel. In Land for Fatimah, Anjali involves herself in Fatimah’s quest to find new land for her scattered community, and is thrown into a web of intrigue that upturns her safe, orderly world. Capturing the warmth and vitality of Africa, illuminating everyday heroism, the novel explores expat life, the forced displacement of the poor and the complexities of development.

AUTHOR

Veena Gokhale

Veena Gokhale, an immigrant shape shifter, started her career as a journalist in Bombay. This “tough, tantalizing” city inspired Bombay Wali and other stories (Guernica 2013). After immigrating to Canada, she worked for non-profits. Land for Fatimah is partly inspired by the two years she spent working in Tanzania. Veena has published fiction and poetry in anthologies and literary magazines. She continues to write freelance, and is currently marketing her book, The Artichoke, Sensuous Stories. She lives in Montreal.


Reviews

Erudite and engaging. The characters are drawn with empathy and compassion. The tension between the exigencies of justice and the demands of bureaucracy is aptly depicted. The protagonist, Anjali, is a complex, multidimensional character, admirable for her attempts to put principle ahead of pragmatism.


The story hit many of those bitter sweet moments you have when trying to make a difference against all odds. I know anybody who has worked in a developing country or with an NGO will love the book.


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Four strong women: Anjali, an Indo-Canadian single mother who eagerly accepts an African posting with her non-profit organization; Grace, her dedicated but dominating colleague, who opposes her; Fatimah, a farmer ousted from her home and fertile farmland, whom Anjali befriends; and Mary, Anjali’s kindly maid, who must secure the future of her son, Gabriel. In Land for Fatimah, Anjali involves herself in Fatimah’s quest to find new land for her scattered community, and is thrown into a web of intrigue that upturns her safe, orderly world. Capturing the warmth and vitality of Africa, illuminating everyday heroism, the novel explores expat life, the forced displacement of the poor and the complexities of development.

Reader Reviews

Details

Dimensions:

304 Pages
8in * 5in * 0.5in
300gr

Published:

March 01, 2018

City of Publication:

Hamilton

Country of Publication:

CA

Publisher:

Guernica Editions

ISBN:

9781771832694

Book Subjects:

FICTION / Literary

Featured In:

All Books

Language:

eng

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