Map Reading: The Nobel Lecture and Other Writings

by Abdulrazak Gurnah

'One of the world's most prominent postcolonial writers … He has consistently and with great compassion penetrated the effects of colonialism and its effects on the lives of uprooted and migrating individuals' Anders Olsson, chairman of the Nobel Committee

Delivered in London on 7 December 2021, 'Writing' is the lecture of the Nobel Laureate in Literature, Abdulrazak Gurnah. Collected here with three further essays, it explores his coming-of-age, his early experiences in 1960s Britain, the narratives of oceans, his lifelong love affair with reading, and the power of writing to subvert the stories that have been handed to us.

Generous, funny and wise, this collection is the perfect introduction to the storyteller described as 'one of Africa's most important living writers'; whose work, now spanning four decades, continues to spin wonder and magic while offering penetrating insight into exile, migration and homecoming.

'In book after book, he guides us through seismic historic moments and devastating societal ruptures while gently outlining what it is that keeps those families, friendships and loving spaces intact' Maaza Mengiste

'A wondrous writer' Philippe Sands

Genres: Nonfiction

64 pages, Paperback

First published November 24, 2022

About the author

Abdulrazak Gurnah was born in 1948 in Zanzibar and lives in England, where he teaches at the University of Kent. The most famous of his novels are Paradise, shortlisted for both the Booker and the Whitbread Prize; By the Sea, longlisted for the Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; and Desertion, shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2021 "for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents".

Reviews

[Atri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe that writers come to writing through reading, that it is out of the process of accumulation and accretion, of echoes and repetition, that they fashion a register which enables them to write.

[Bhavna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The essays touched some pertinent aspects of the connections between reading and writing. More importantly for me, the contradictions faced by readers of English for whom it is the colonizer's language, resonated deeply. The essays have provoked many thoughts about the fascinating connections and interrealtions between Arab, Asia and Africa oustide of the context of the Europeans colonizers.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

A succinct short book of three essays, part childhood memoir, partly about his reading experiences, the affects of colonialism on himself and his country of origin, and comments on Indian Ocean journeys where prior to colonialism, African and Indian traders travelled and traded with respect and in harmony.

A thought provoking book and must read for readers interested in 2021 Nobel Prize for Literature winner, Abdulrazak Gurnah.

[Tyler Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost immensely understated. At my first reading I felt like this wee collection was more commemorative than substantial, but spending a bit more time with the essays reveals a lot of further depth. So, when he says that writers to come to write through reading, from the "process of accumulation and accretion, of echoes and repetition," he is pointing to beyond the surface consideration of learning literature. It is also about how we find and echo narratives that need to be challenged. I imagine these are especially rewarding to read alongside his novels (which I plan to do!).

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second essay was the most impactful for me. Titled 'learning to read' it explored the removal and understanding of bias that exists in everything we do. In this essay specifically, it was a look at removing the long lasting effect of European colonialism.'

Understanding and exploring the nuances of the world emphasises the lens we possess. The curiosity and criticism evoked within will be fostered to grow.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of 4 essays including the speech after receiving the Nobel Prize. The essays deal with various aspects of the author and his reading and writing over a period of time.

[Ying Hui · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the essays truly insightful. Stepping out of my own comfort zones to try different topics in essays and the words are truly well-written and said!

[Michael Pennington · Rating 1 out of 5]

Inconsequential