São Paulo – Brazilian publishing house Tabla will launch the book A Vizinha Tunisiana, the Portuguese edition of Al-Ishtiyaq ila al-Jarah [Longing for the Woman Next Door, in its English edition], a work that addresses migration, belonging, class issues, and masculinity in modern times. Tunisian Habib Selmi wrote the novel. In 2021, he won the Katara Prize for Arabic Novel and was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. The translation from Arabic to Portuguese is by Felipe Benjamin Francisco.
The book portrays the story of Tunisian mathematics professor Kamal Achur – well-established in Paris, he lives with his French wife in an upscale neighborhood, teaches at a university, and feels wholly adapted to the French way of life and society, distancing himself from his Arab roots. However, the protagonist’s life begins to change when he meets Zuhra, a Tunisian housemaid who lives in the same building as him. The closeness of the two, their common origin, and their social disparity leads Achur to dive into several questions about his life in France.
They lead the character to contest his relationship with his Arab roots, to recover his memories far from France and even the fragility of masculinity in today’s world. Everything is portrayed humorously in a first-person point of view.
Born in Al-Ala, Tunisia, Habib Selmi is 72 years old. He is the author of, among other books, The Woman of al-Basatin (2010), The Scents of Marie-Claire (2008), and The Night of the Foreigner (2008). The book launch event will take place this Friday (8), at 7:00 pm BRT, at Livraria Aigo, at Rua Ribeiro de Lima, 453, 73, Bom Retiro, in São Paulo – SP.
Quick facts:
A Vizinha Tunisiana
Habib Selmi
Translation by Felipe Benjamin Francisco
Editora Tabla, 184 pages.
BRL 67
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
