The Deaf-Mute Boy

by Joseph Geraci

The Deaf-Mute Boy —equal parts travel story, love story, and a resonant confrontation with the Muslim world—is the tale of a gay American professor immersed in a North African society. Maurice Burke, an archaeologist, is invited to speak at a conference in the bustling port town of Sousse, Tunisia. At first disillusioned by its rampant tourism and squalid commercialism, Maurice becomes intrigued by his surroundings after meeting a local deaf-mute boy. While exploring a vibrant souk, Maurice encounters a religious leader who guides him on a fateful introduction to the boy’s family. As Maurice’s involvement with the deaf-mute boy intensifies, he finds himself drawn into a maze of Tunisian politics, culture, and religion.

189 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Djrmel · Rating 2 out of 5]

A college professor attends a seminar in Tunisia and while he's dismissive of how the country is changing to take advantage of tourism, he finds once he meets a young deaf-mute boy, he doesn't want to leave. The characters in this book are terribly under-developed, and this has to be one of the best example of how not to write journal entries for your fictional characters. The descriptions of the location are the one truly good part of this book.

[Steve Castley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The travel and sense of place in Tunisia is presented well, but the story line is thin, characters poorly developed and the plot quite unbelievable. The book could also have done with a good edit as it is littered with errors. I had hopes for the book but it disappointed me on most levels.

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, though the ending was (very) abrupt and left me with a lot of unanswered questions.