| Author | Abdulrazak Gurnah |
|---|---|
| Subject | Identity, Belonging, Theft |
| Genre | Bildungsroman Literary Fiction |
| Set in | Tanzania |
| Publisher | Riverhead Books |
Publication date | March 2025 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom, United States |
| Pages | 296 |
| ISBN | 9780593852606 |
| OCLC | 1451508297 |
| Website | Official website |
Theft is the eleventh novel written by Abdulrazak Gurnah, who was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature. This book was published by Riverhead Books in March 2025. [1] [2] [3] [4]
The book chronicles the lives of Karim, Fauzia, and Badar in Tanzania, across the late 1980's, 1990s and 2000s. It opens with Karim's account, detailing his rise from an overlooked child to a significant government figure overseeing environmental initiatives in Zanzibar. His marriage to the academically successful Fauzia, whose own career as a teacher is also explored, serves as a testament to his achievements. [1] [2] [3]
At 13, Badar moves from his village to Dar es Salaam to work as a servant, aware of his low social standing. Then Badar becomes deeply connected to Karim and Fauzia. Later, he relocates to Zanzibar and employment at a hotel, at the behest of Karim. Then from Badar's point of view, his friendship with Karim and Fauzia makes him question his relationship with them, blurring the lines between servant and friend. [1] [2] [3]
A European Union funded program brings relief workers and European tourists show up. In the novel, these do more harm than good from the perspective of the characters in the novel. [1] [2]
Ron Charles writing for The Washington Post says. " 'Theft,” the first novel Gurnah has published since winning the Nobel, offers an example of such compassionate, revelatory seeing ...[and] There’s something almost disorienting about Gurnah’s narrative as he moves from one person to the next, willfully thwarting our desire to settle on a protagonist." [2]
Lauren Christensen of The New York Times says, "Gurnah’s stoic prose isn’t always well suited to the tragic, even operatic events that unfold as Karim, Fauzia and Badar make their way in 1980s Tanzania; the author’s genteel formality can feel anachronistic and awkward. [1]
Alexandra Alter and Alex Marshall (October 7, 2021). "Abdulrazak Gurnah Is Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature". The New York Times.