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Fiction Literary

Baby Khaki's Wings

by (author) Anar Ali

Publisher
Penguin Group Canada
Initial publish date
Jul 2009
Category
Literary, Short Stories (single author), Magical Realism
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780143052456
    Publish Date
    Jul 2009
    List Price
    $21.00

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Description

These richly imagined tales, by turns playful and dark, and shot through with magic, depict the lives of East African Ismailis, a Muslim community with origins in India and a history of upheaval and dislocation. Set variously in Canada and East Africa, these stories portray characters caught between home and exile, between what is real and what is imagined, what is lost and what is found. A baby with wings, a disappeared life savings, a pearl diver's magical secrets—in each story, what is cursed is also blessed, and redemption, when it comes, will take your breath away.

Reminiscent of the stories of Singer and O. Henry, Baby Khaki's Wings is an unforgettable reading experience and the mark of a singularly new and luminous literary talent.

About the author

Contributor Notes

Anar Ali’s first book, Baby Khaki’s Wings, was a finalist for the Commonwealth Writer's Prize (Best First Book), Ontario’s Trillium Book Award, and the Danuta Gleed Literary Prize. She is also a screenwriter and has a TV drama series in development with the CBC. Anar currently splits her time between Toronto and Mexico.

Editorial Reviews

"Ali is a storyteller in the true sense of the word: in spare, unflowery prose she tells tales about people, tales in which events are set in motion, actions have consequences, and conclusions are drawn...Ultimately, what all the tales share is a bittersweet poignancy that grippingly serves to contrast the strength of a culture with the fragility of displaced individuals." Quill & Quire
"What do you get when you mix gorgeously wrought magic realism with stark desperation and loss? Something so imaginative it hurts." NOW