About this item
From the #1 internationally bestselling author of The Sand Fish, Maha Gargash's second novel is set in mid-1990s Dubai and Cairo and tells the story of how secrets and betrayals consume three members - an authoritarian father, a rebellious abandoned daughter, and a vulnerable niece - of a prominent Emirati family.Majed, the head of the eminent Naseemy family, is proud to have risen into the upper echelons of Emirati society. As one of the richest businessmen in Dubai, he's used to being catered to and respected - never mind that he acquired his wealth by cheating his brother out of his own company and depriving his niece, Mariam, of her rights.Not one to dwell on the past - he sent Mariam to school in Egypt, what more could she want from him? - Majed spends his days berating his wife and staff and cavorting with friends at a private apartment.
About the Author
Maha Gargash was born in Dubai. She has a Bachelors degree in Radio/Television from the George Washington University in Washington D.C. and a Masters from Goldsmiths' College in London. In 1985, she joined Dubai Television to pursue her interest in documentaries. It was a field that provided extensive travel opportunities and opened many doors. Through her programmes, which focus mainly on traditional Arab societies, she became involved in research and scriptwriting, which evolved into her first novel, The Sand Fish (Oct/Nov 2009) .((( Maha Gargash: In Conversation ) ) ) Maha Gargash is a woman of many talents. As well as researching, scripting, directing and fronting Arabesque, the cultural series on Dubai TV, she rides horses, plays the piano, has a black belt in karate and has just had her first novel, The Sand Fish, published by HarperCollins, a leading American publisher. Born in Dubai, she was educated in the UK and America but always knew that she would return to her homeland. She began her career at Dubai Television, working mainly on documentaries about traditional Arab societies and has now set up her own TV company. The Sand Fish: A Novel From Dubai tells the story of a rebellious girl's passage into womanhood in a country moving from a traditional way of life in 1950s Dubai to the modern society of today. Will Noora finally choose the freedom that love offers or the security of her traditional married life? Written in spare, poetic language that captures both the landscape of the Emirates and the intimacy of domestic life, the book is both a fascinating snapshot of a very different Dubai fifty years ago and an engrossing read. It has already received excellent review coverage and publication in English by a publisher with worldwide reach should ensure the widest possible readership for this Emirati author. Maha will be talking about how she has broken away from the traditional role of women in the UAE to fulfil her ambitions - first in television and now as a writer - and reading from The Sand Fish. Maha Gargash on her novel The Sand FishGoldsmiths, University of LondonLondon, United KingdomGW AlumniWashington, District of Columbia
