Abdulrazak Gurnah

Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Abdulrazak Gurnah reveals what drives him as an author, discusses universality, examines what "home" means, reflects on his decision to leave his native Zanzibar as an 18 year-old, and talks about his eleventh novel, Theft.

Prior to meeting Nobel Prize winning author Abdulrazak Gurnah a few weeks ago, the only thing I knew about his home country of Zanzibar was that Freddie Mercury was born there and Billy Joel wrote a song by that name, though I’m pretty sure it was about a nightclub in New York City. I was unaware of the Zanzibar Revolution and the dangerous living conditions that caused Abdulrazak to flee his home country and seek asylum in the UK. Meet Abdulrazak Gurnah: Abdulrazak Gurnah is the 2021 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Among his many novels are Paradise, By the Sea, and Desertion. Born and raised in Zanzibar, he is Professor Emeritus of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the University of Kent. He recently joined me on Uncorking a Story me today to talk about his new novel, Afterlives. Key Topics: His decision to leave Zanzibar in the 1960s to seek asylum in the UK. How he was treated living as a refugee in the UK. Why, after studying engineering, Abdulrazak decided to start writing. How he weaves his life’s experiences into the story lines of his novels. Important words of advice he would share with aspiring authors looking to write their first book. “What I write about is what I see. And if what I see is unjust, then I will write about it.” — Abdulrazak Gurnah. Buy After Lives Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KjQRy6 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9780593541883 Connect with Abdulrazak Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/44089.Abdulrazak_Gurnah Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/addulrazak_gurnah/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , or wherever you get yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob and Anna interview Joanna Potts from MCLS Instructional Technology, as well as Abdulrazak Gurnah, the 2021 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Intro and Welcome 2:14 Interview with Joanna Potts 12:58 Programs and Services @ MCLS 16:53 Interview with Abdulrazak Gurnah 30:08 Summary and Closing You can learn more about Abdulrazak Gurnah at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abdulrazak-Gurnah Explore MCLS computer instruction classes and Northstar Digital Literacy Certificate opportunities at https://mcl.org/services/computer-instruction Apply for an MCLS library card at your local branch, or you can apply online via https://mcl.org/catalog/library-card-application MCLS' Events Calendar is located at www.eventkeeper.com/mars/xpages/M/MCL/EKP.cfm . Check out the MCLS Banned Books Week spotlight at https://mcl.org/banned-books-week-2022 [not published until actual BBW] Introduction and closing music provided by Skilsel from Pixabay ; music between segments is provided by ZakharValaha from Pixabay .

On Wednesday, September 14, 2022, the Lannan Center presented a special evening featuring Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah. Hosted by Lannan Center Director Aminatta Forna. Introduction by Lahra Smith, Director of the African Studies Program. Abdulrazak Gurnah is the 2021 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. His most recent novel, AFTERLIVES is forthcoming from Riverhead Books in August 2022. He is the author of nine previous novels, including Paradise (shortlisted for the Booker Prize), By the Sea (longlisted for the Booker Prize and a finalist for the LA Times Book Award), and Desertion . Born and raised in Zanzibar, he is Professor Emeritus of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the University of Kent; he lives in Canterbury, England. Music : Quantum Jazz — "Orbiting A Distant Planet" — Provided by Jamendo.