Rodaan al-Galidi Book order

This feast of Middle Eastern folklore from an Iraqi storyteller is paired with vibrant cut-paper art. The twenty fables and folktales in this illustrated storybook have taken a long journey. Many have roots that stretch across Europe, Asia, and Africa, but when writer and gatherer of tales Rodaan Al Galidi learned them in his homeland of Iraq, it was as Arabic folktales and as part of the Arabic storytelling tradition. When he migrated to the Netherlands, he shaped twenty of those tales into his debut book for children, which was translated to English by Laura Watkinson. Filled with wisdom about love and acceptance, and warnings against folly, these elegantly translated stories of donkeys and roosters, kings, sheikhs, and paupers are exquisitely illustrated by cut-paper artist Geertje Aalders. Beautifully packaged, Arabic Folktales is a rich and varied introduction to the world of Middle Eastern folklore.

After nine years in a Dutch asylum centre, Samir finally has the chance to start his new life as a European citizen. But it's a full-time occupation for him to discover that integration needs a dog leash and a rubber ball. Happily, this distracts him from what is happening in his native land, Iraq, and from Leda, who stole his heart in the first village he stayed in after being granted refugee status. In this hilarious adventure story, we follow the lovable and gritty Samir as he talks his way into every type of accommodation to be found in this new country full of incomprehensible rules.

Rooted in diverse cultural traditions from Europe, Asia, and Africa, this collection features twenty fables and folktales that reflect the Arabic storytelling heritage. Originally learned in Iraq, the tales were adapted by Rodaan Al Galidi after his migration to the Netherlands, showcasing themes of love, acceptance, and caution against folly. Enhanced by Geertje Aalders' cut-paper illustrations, these enchanting stories introduce American readers to unfamiliar characters like donkeys, roosters, kings, and paupers, offering timeless wisdom.

Based on the author's true story, this is the account of Iraqi refugee Samir, who spends nine years in an asylum center in the Netherlands. "Two Blankets, Three Sheets does for the beleaguered political asylum seeker stuck in legal limbo what Joseph Heller's Catch-22 did for the hapless soldier trapped in a military at war...Translated from the Dutch into nimble and conversational English by Jonathan Reeder...it is a tale for and of our time."--Rayyan Al-Shawaf, Los Angeles Review of Books Amsterdam Airport, 1998. Samir Karim steps off a plane from Vietnam, flushes his fake passport down the toilet, and requests asylum. Fleeing Iraq to avoid conscription into Saddam Hussein's army, he has spent seven years anonymously wandering through Asia. Now, safely in the heart of Europe, he is sent to an asylum center and assigned a bed in a shared dorm--where he will spend the next nine years. As he navigates his way around the absurdities of Dutch bureaucracy, Samir tries his best to get along with his 500 new housemates. Told with compassion and a unique sense of humor, this is an inspiring tale of survival, a close-up view of the hidden world of refugees and human smugglers, and a sobering reflection of our times.