Lyrics Alley

Leila Aboulela's third novel, inspired by the life of her uncle, the poet Hassan Awad Aboulela, offers a delightfully quixotic view of northern Sudan in the 1950s on the brink of its independence from Britain and Egypt. 

"Rich in detail and generous in spirit toward its complex characters, [Lyrics Alley] showcases Aboulela's talent for connecting political and personal upheaval. [An] elegantly written family epic."  -  Kirkus Reviews

Their fortune threatened by shifting powers in Sudan and their heir's debilitating accident, a powerful family under the leadership of Mahmoud Bey is torn between the traditional and modern values of Mahmoud's two wives and his son's efforts to break with cultural limits.  Moving from Sudanese alleys to cosmopolitan Cairo and a decimated postcolonial Britain, this sweeping tale of desire, loss, despair, and reconciliation is one of the most accomplished portraits ever written about Sudanese society at the time of independence.

"A tale of powerful feelings and potent words...this visceral, epic novel...gives fascinating insights into Sudanese society, with different characters embodying the dramatic clash between tradition and modernity..."  -  The Telegraph (UK)

Lyrics Alley is the evocative story of an affluent Sudanese family shaken by the shifting powers in their country and the near-tragedy that threatens the legacy they've built for decades.