Abdulrazak Gurnah's 'Afterlives' Now in French Paperback
Abdulrazak Gurnah's novel 'Afterlives' (Les Vies d'après), first published in French two years ago, has been released in paperback by Folio. The Tanzanian-born British Nobel laureate (2021) explores colonial brutality, love, and resilience in German East Africa between 1884 and the Nazi era. The story follows four characters—Khalifa, Ilyas, Hamza, and Afiya—whose lives intersect amid the violence of German colonial rule and World War I. Gurnah emphasizes that his work is not solely about imperialism but also about human relationships, forgiveness, and the complexities of survival. The novel, translated by Sylvette Gleize, is priced at 10 euros and runs 448 pages.
Key facts
- Abdulrazak Gurnah won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2021.
- Les Vies d'après is his tenth novel and first published in French after the Nobel.
- The novel is set in German East Africa from 1884 to the Nazi period.
- Main characters include Khalifa, Ilyas, Hamza, and Afiya.
- Hamza is an askari who becomes the lover of a German officer and reads Schiller.
- The title 'Afterlives' refers to rebuilding life after loss and trauma.
- Translated by Sylvette Gleize, published by Folio at 10 euros, 448 pages.
- Gurnah participated in the Lahore Literary Festival on February 24, 2023.
Entities
Artists
- Abdulrazak Gurnah
Institutions
- Folio
- Lahore Literary Festival
- AFP
Locations
- Tanzania
- Zanzibar
- England
- Lahore
- Pakistan
- German East Africa
- Deutsch-Ostafrika