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Fiction Short Stories (single Author)

The Private Apartments

by (author) Idman Nur Omar

Publisher
House of Anansi Press Inc
Initial publish date
May 2023
Category
Short Stories (single author), Cultural Heritage, Literary
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781487011390
    Publish Date
    May 2023
    List Price
    $11.99
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781487011383
    Publish Date
    May 2023
    List Price
    $22.99

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

Finalist, 2023 Writers' Union of Canada Danuta Gleed Literary Award
Finalist, 2024 Alberta Literary Awards
Brittle Paper 100 Notable African Books of 2023

Moving, insightful, linked stories about the determination of Somali immigrants — despite duty, discrimination, and an ever-dissolving link to a war-torn homeland.

In the insular rooms of The Private Apartments, a cleaning lady marries her employer’s nephew and then abandons him, a depressed young mother finds unlikely support in her community housing complex, a new bride attends weddings to escape her abusive marriage, and a failed nurse is sent to relatives in Dubai after a nervous breakdown. These captivating and compassionate stories eloquently showcase the intricate linkages of human experience and the ways in which Somalis, even as a diaspora, are indelibly connected.

About the author

IDMAN NUR OMAR was born in Rome and immigrated to Canada in 1991. She has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Guelph and an MA in English Literature from Concordia University. She lives in Calgary, where she teaches at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in the Communication and Liberal Arts Studies Department.

Idman Nur Omar's profile page

Awards

  • Short-listed, Alberta Literary Award
  • Short-listed, Writers' Union of Canada Danuta Gleed Literary Award
  • Commended, Brittle Paper 100 Notable African Books of 2023

Editorial Reviews

Much to both marvel at and puzzle over. … Idman Nur Omar presents a vibrant diasporic culture of resilient individuals whose significance isn’t premised on their interactions with those in their adoptive place, whether that’s Rome, London, Amsterdam, Dubai or Toronto.

Winnipeg Free Press

Idman Nur Omar’s new subtle short story collection … begins in 1991 and features multi-layered stories of Somali women dispersed to Europe and Canada by [civil war]. … Fans of Elena Ferrante would do well to seek out this collection.

Miramichi Reader

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