Admiring Silence by Abdulrazak Gurnah in Paperback

Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature 2021, this unnamed narrator's voice has a remarkable blend of sardonic wit and eloquence, as noted by the Financial Times. In the novel, he reflects on his escape from Zanzibar and laments the likelihood of never returning home. Despite his dreams of studying in England, things do not go quite as he imagined - from the cramped and violent school where he teaches, to his struggle to find a sense of belonging. But there is Emma, who defies her privileged upbringing to offer him love and have his child. For twenty years, he keeps Emma a secret from his family, while spinning stories of his home. When he finally returns to Zanzibar, he finds truths that transform his entire perspective on life.