Tomorrow I will have people to meet and there will be a good deal to do. However, the writing is superb, in the way that it describes the oppressive heat and stultifying boredom of life for an ex-patriot wife in a regime that she just cannot begin to comprehend. It had been raining, earlier that day, and there was a heavy, animal scent of drenched earth and crushed flowers. It concerns a British couple in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Pollard says hes a millionaire. Left alone, she closed her eyes. The loss of autonomy, the loss of independence, the loss of self. A map would be out of date as soon as it was made. This is a book in which literally nothing happens. Not the stuff that appears on the BBC as a drama on a Sunday evening but actually reading the books. And on that dayalways described by Andrew as the day I ran slap-bang into Pollardthe relevant phone number was handed over, and their future was set in train. I can hardly believe Im finished in Africa, he said. Obviously Frances the wife is going to go along too right? But in the dim, airless flat, Frances spends lonely days writing in her diary, hearing the sounds of sobs through the pipes from the floor above, and seeing the flitting shadows of men on the stairwell. It took me some time to read this horrifying novel by Hilary Mantel, not because it isn't well-written or compelling, but because often it's simply so painful to read. The only reason I can see for this book's existence is an agenda to bash Saudi Arabia and reinforce Western stereotypes. Another brandy?, Keep the young lady sober, the businessman advised. I take sugar, in coffee., Its true, there were a lot of shortages.. Hilary Mantel Eight Months on Ghazzah Street (Paperback) AU $22.21 3.7 (57 ratings) Try for $0.00. We have to get something behind us.. A part of her, now, thought the persistence of the image sinister; a part of her said, things happen everywhere, and after all, she said, comforting herself, theres only the world. 3.5 stars. Why, really, should she share his vision of their future? Ive not been out that way for a while. The conclusion to The Wolf Hall Trilogy, The Mirror & the Light, was published in 2020. Id have to go around with a headscarf on all day. They could have sent out for some., Look, Frances said, there are two kinds of cheese in Botswana, cheddar and sweetmilk. I thought "Eight Months on Gazzah Street" would have worked better as a novel or short story. Could the man be right, she wondered, had someone been bribed on her behalf? The regime is corrupt and harsh, the expatriates are hard-drinking money-grubbers, and her Muslim neighbours are secretive, watchful. , ISBN-13 I suppose the staff are having prayers. I was completely drawn in by her story and everything that happens to her as she attempts to adapt to life in Saudia Arabia. This is such a weird bookI don't know what to think about this, almost a month after I finished it. Having lived in Saudi Arabia, I was excited to read this book and 'compare notes' with Mantel. The only reason I can see for this book's existence is an agenda to bash Saudi Arabia and reinforce Western stereotypes. I can hardly believe Im finished in Africa, he said. . The biggest problem with this novel is that we slog thru the dialogue and activities of marginally interesting characters to the bitter endand there is no clear resolution to the mystery.IMO a much better book , involving modern Saudi Arabia and its rigid sexual polarization is the simple but well written "Finding Nouf." Id like to witness a large gin. I was completely drawn in by her story and everything that happens to her as she attempts to adapt to life in Saudia Arabia. 1 title per month from Audible's entire catalog of best sellers, and new releases. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Mantel authored over a dozen books, including. She has only rumours, no facts to hang on to, and no one with whom to share her creeping unease. It's written as a memoir of her 4 year stay in Saudi Arabia for her husband's work during her younger life. This book creeps up on you. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. 3.7 out of 5 stars. No Import Fees Deposit & $9.95 Shipping to Germany. Sure, he said. And I would suggest that the same can be applied to Arabs expats settled in UK. Given that this is the novel she was inspired to write, it was far from a pleasant sojourn. Audiobook 10 hours Eight Months on Ghazzah Street Show full title Written by Hilary Mantel Narrated by Sandra Duncan 3 / 5 ( 103 ratings ) How long now? he asked after a while. At home, at her widowed mothers house in York, she had been reading books about her destination. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. Eight Months on Ghazzah Street (1988) a serendipitous find at the library is in the same vein, with the added frisson of having been written in the aftermath of Mantel's own unhappy sojourn in . Pity, he said. It concerns a British couple in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. I thought we would, but its not worked out. No more to drink then? He prepared to abandon her, move away. The dogs and cats were coming in to be fed, wandering to the back door to wait around, like the Victorian poor. Eight Months in Ghazzah Street, originally published in 1988, came much recommended by visitors to this blog. Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Say what you will not be: an ice dancer, a cosmonaut, a mother of twelve. The story is modeled after "Turn of the Screw" by Henry James and, as such, leads to a suspenseful ending. Yes, it was definitely a spooky story, and it was no surprise that Mantel's characters were so repulsed by the environment that they were driven to flee its hidden dangers. He keeps a place in the Cotswolds though. And I would suggest that the same can be applied to Arabs expats settled in UK. Eight months on Ghazzah Street by Hilary Mantel. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime. The biggest problem with this novel is that we slog thru the dialogue and activities of marginally interesting c. Disappointing from such a talented writer,albeit penned much earlier in her career. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. This was written 25 years ago, so its really early. Andrews letters had been short, practical. EIGHT MONTHS ON GHAZZAH STREET "Would you like champagne?" This was the beginning; an hour or so out from Heathrow. Give old Eric a call, Jeff said. : It was quite common though. He passed them, one by one. , Paperback Shunning the expatriate housing compound, the Shores move into a grim four-flat building on Ghazzah Street. , ISBN-10 Andrew first poured himself a brandy; then he sat for some time and regarded the phone in their bungalow, like a man in a trance, or a man praying. Based on Mantel's own experiences in Saudi Arabia,[1] the novel explores different peoples' struggles with the contrast in cultures, including those of people of different Islamic cultures, and misunderstandings between the Saudis and Westerners, as well as between women and men. Two sons at medical school, showed me their photographs. Basically, the idea is that a British woman follows her husband to Saudi Arabia for a contracting job he gets, and then slowly goes crazy stuck in the apartment alone. Most shocking to her is the treatment of females who are are rendered invisible by more than just the ankle length veils they wear. Theyre thieves in Lusaka. This, in due course, Parsons did. Tense and unnerving, punctured with moments that seem blackly comic until you remember that this is a depiction of a real place and time and not a dystopian parody, this novel reads like a cross between travel writing and psychological thriller. I thought some of the plot was a bit far-fetched, but the story is so well written, I felt every hot, dusty baking day of this woman's life in The Kingdom. Well, I can't say this is the most enjoyable book I've ever read! There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Nothings what it says it is.. Just as you are ready to settle on your settee with a cup of coffee and enjoy the trials and tribulations of a Brit abroad, bam! There was no sensation of movement, no intimation that they were in flight. I want to.. Hes going to manage their Jeddah business; hes had experience out there, of course., So you mean youll be working with him?, I hope we dont end up living near him as well., They do pay for your housing, so its probably a case of taking what youre given., Thats fine, she said, but just try to ensure that what were given doesnt include Pollard. So now when you were off to Jeddah, people said, Dont fall off any balconies, will you? It became monotonous. What else will they be looking for?, Marks & Spencer, you see, they call them Zionists. The author herself lived in Jeddah for four years under not dissimilar circumstances and so the extremely unappealing depiction of the city, its inhabitants, both locals and expats, and Saudi society is, fair or not, based on intimate acquaintance. eight months on ghazzah street ending. Rubens or anything? Sit by the pool, play the fruit machines, bugger all else to do. He paused, the tirade halted by a scruple of politeness. Although this book is listed as a novel, it is a very authentic depiction of life of an expatriate wife in Saudi Arabia in the 1980s. Although this book is listed as a novel, it is a very authentic depiction of life of an expatriate wife in Saudi Arabia in the 1980s. Infrastructure was a word she had heard on Andrews lips; he had grown fond of it. AU $157.95 + AU $43.72 postage . It was at that point that I . To see our price, add these items to your cart. The author herself lived in Jeddah for four years under not dissimilar circumstances and so the extremely unappealing depiction of the city, its inhabi. We should think of it as a chance for us, to build up some security, Andrew was silent. When in the store with your husband the clerks will only speak with him, as you, the wife, don't exist. His patience was not like other peoples, a rather feeble virtue, which had, by its nature, to be its own reward; it was a virtue like a strong magnet, which drew solutions to problems. Are you sure that this is the right thing to do? she said. She straightened up and kissed his cheek. May 1st 2004 You cant lose by it., The details were fixed up, at the President Hotel this time (there being, in Gaborone, a choice of two) over a tough T-bone steak and a glass of Lion lager. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2017. He was a man of thirty-five, unmarried, with a loose and dusty appearance and shifting eyes; he had a gray-white skin, but the back of his neck was at all times mysteriously and painfully sunburned. Based on Mantel's own experiences in Saudi Arabia, it points out, prophetically and way ahead of it's time, the stark differences between Islamic and Western culture. This is a really excellent book, predominantly about culture, and cultures. Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app. And now the steward leaned over her, putting this question. Definit. GABORONELONDON. When he arrived home late that afternoon, Frances was on the porch packing a tea chest, wrapping up their dinner service in pieces of the. Gentlemen, dont leave any miniatures down the seat pockets, please, we dont want our ground staff flogged. He looked down at Frances. Long before Hilary Mantel became famous for her acclaimed Booker Prize historical novels, I knew her as an author of novels like Beyond Black (2006) with its dark humour and macabre undertones. Souvenir. As youve been a working woman., Well, if youre going to earn all that money, Im sure I can occupy myself. Well, did you do it? she said. Fancy a new palace? Give old Eric a call, Jeff said. : Is this what you want?. Please try again. So, this summer we turned to some of the top book Frances Shore is a cartographer by trade, a maker of maps, but when her husband's work takes her to Saudi Arabia she finds herself unable to map the Kingdom's areas of internal darkness. Listen, if anything goes wrong, if by some mischance hubbys not there, dont hang about, dont speak to anybody, get straight in our airline bus and come downtown with us to the Hyatt Regency. Much of the novel speaks about the treatment of women, using a variety of examples -- Frances . 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