Turki al-Hamad is a Saudi Arabian novelist known for his incisive explorations of societal taboos. His work delves into themes of sexuality, political dissent, and the clash between faith and reason, often set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Saudi Arabia. Through compelling narratives, al-Hamad seeks to challenge established norms and stimulate critical thinking. He writes with a directness that aims to provoke dialogue and encourage a more rational engagement with complex issues.
The year is 1970, a period of crisis in the Arab world. Twenty-year-old Hisham has enrolled at university in Riyadh to study politics and economics. But this city has more than academic qualifications to offer a man of Hisham's mettle, and he soon discovers a strange underworld of alcohol and prostitution where fear, pleasure and politics merge.
In his tranquil middle-class neighbourhood, eighteen-year-old Hisham doesn't quite fit in. He's a philosopher who spends days reading banned books and developing political ideals. His Saudi Arabia is embroiled in conflict, torn between ancient tradition and newfound prosperity. This work offers a look at the roots of dissent in the Arab world. schovat popis