Overview
Co-published with Saqi Books, London
"A touching and exciting portrait of a young Saudi's struggle."-Maggie Gee, author of The White Family
Turki al-Hamad's explosive novel Adama became an unlikely bestseller in the Middle East, selling more than twenty thousand copies despite being officially banned in several countries. The book tells the story of a young man coming of age-but, more than that, it offers a rare and stunning inside look at the hidden roots of political dissent in the modern Arab world.
In his tranquil middle-class Riyadh neighborhood, eighteen-year-old Hisham doesn't quite fit in. He's a budding philosopher who spends his days reading banned books and developing his political ideals. His Saudi Arabia is a nation embroiled in internal conflict, torn between ancient tradition and newfound prosperity. And, like his increasingly turbulent country, Hisham finds himself caught up in the struggle for change, devoting more and more of his time to a clandestine group of dissenters even as he questions both their motives and methods.
The result is an intense showdown between Hisham's love for his family, his firmly held philosophies, and his yearning for social justice. As Hisham awakens to passions both private and political, his journey puts a complex human face on the world of underground political cells, proving that both obedience and resistance come with a price.
Adama is the first book in al-Hamad's best-selling trilogy about modern Saudi Arabia.
Turki Al-Hamad is the target of four outstanding fatwas (religious edicts) claiming his life; he currently lives and works as a political commentator inRiyadh.