A love that won’t let go. The Orishas Gods: Intro to Yoruba Spirituality, Celts and the Mad Goddess (The Deathless Chronicle). Amarna The Complete Series: Books I - III: Ida, Hawara & Raia: A fictional interpre... Exile's Redemption: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (The Chronicles of Shadow, Book 1). Over the weeks that followed I saw him regularly, and he seemed to welcome my attention. “The nurse said—” I began, then switched tack. Great story! . .”   “I will return,” I assured him, kindly. It was a sad moment to watch, but the parent and the kids had had a talk and apparently come to an understanding. Giller Prize--winner M. G. Vassanji gives us a powerfully emotional novel of love and loss, of an African/Indian man who returns to the town of his birth in search of the girl he once loved--and the sense of self that has always eluded him. Die Lieferung erfolgte zügig und das Buch befand sich in einem super Zustand! There was a problem loading your book clubs. Did you go on a holiday?”   He didn’t reply. As far as I am concerned Vassanji can do no wrong! It is a timeless story—and a story … Who was she?” He kept quiet, turned away, and went back to sleep. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. I turned to go, and as I reached the door, he said, “Martin . “Kinjikitilé. I have read a number of books by this author which I enjoyed, but this one is, frankly, a bore. Readers familiar with his six novels, two collections of short stories, and two books of nonfiction will recognize the contours of his tale of colonial history, racial hybridity, migration, love, longing, and guilt (see WLT, Sept. 2005, 84). Please add your card again, or add a different card. A man trying to find his childhood love. “How do you feel now, Doctor?” I asked with concern. . An African with a very Indian name, a look of utter desolation on his face, making obscure historical references in his ravings while admitting to a drugged state. A pure quest, it seems. plant extracts . “Woozy,” he answered, and twitched an arm in an attempt to raise it. I need to find out . Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. “Abandon us and everything . You see, I’ve been poisoned by a mixture of hallucinogenic drugs . Grab it today. How much was true, how much, simply, hallucination? They nodded. Her actual name was Saida, he informed me. I told you I would return, and I came. . Unleash a plague or spend eternity in a rat’s skin? Can two outcasts end the carnage before they fall to the flames of hatred? If you're still having trouble, follow these steps to sign in. Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2014. It is a timeless story—and a story very much of our own time. Get the entire Harmonic Magic series now instantly. Kamal's journey is motivated by a combination of guilt, hope, and the desire to unravel the mysteries of his childhood--mysteries compounded by the fact that Kamal is the son of an absent … He wouldn’t have heard me, for he had drifted off. He was a big man, lying on his back, his hair partly grey. Wearing round his neck a tawiz, a Quranic charm given him by her when they first parted, he took a flight to Dar es Salaam. . At this time I also had the feeling that he seemed familiar, and I’d seen that face in perhaps its younger days. Not up to Vassanji's usual standard. Giller Prize--winner M. G. Vassanji gives us a powerfully emotional novel of love and loss, of an African/Indian man who returns to the town of his birth in search of the girl he once loved--and the sense of self that has always eluded him. Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2013, Just not as readable as expected...too confusing in switching from past to present , never sure who is narrating and story is just not compelling enough, Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2012. The girl’s name was Saida, and she was the granddaughter of a local poet of renown, Mzee Omari Tamim, who highly revered Kamal’s Indian grandfather. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. He lives in Toronto. Please sign in again so you can continue to borrow titles and access your Loans, Wish list, and Holds pages. I had already been apprised by the nurse that he was a medical doctor from Canada, and had been flown in from Kilwa in an emergency. “What happened?” I asked. He knew her until age eleven, when his mother sent him away to become an Indian. Boring and tedious. . . Some instinct drew me back to the hospital late that night on my way home from a party, to discover that the patient’s condition had worsened. The uneven narration by the two different "voices" is irritating and pointless, and adds nothing to the story. A deathly quiet descended upon us, in that bleak, spare cubicle. Fearful for her life, Lilly is on the run with her two children. Ancient Spellbooks! Your session has expired. . You seem to have had a wild experience.”   Having pulled up the chair vacated by his son, I watched him somewhat warily. Giller Prize--winner M. G. Vassanji gives us a powerfully emotional novel of love and loss, of an African/Indian man who returns to the town of his birth in search of the girl he once loved--and the sense of self that has always eluded him. The Magic of Saida (Vintage Contemporaries), Previous page of related Sponsored Products. Men are dying. Inside, there was some commotion, which seemed the louder for the utter stillness all around, against the background of a cricket chorus in the garden before us and the gentle wash of the ocean tide coming in across the road from the hospital. Giller Prize--winner M. G. Vassanji gives us a powerfully emotional novel of love and loss, of an African/Indian man who returns to the town of his birth in search of the girl he once loved--and the sense of self that has always eluded him. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. a disappointment. “It’s not commonly used, that name. I really enjoyed reading The Magic of Saida, it made me feel like visiting the places I have not seen, it is amazing to learn of other cultures and customs. . “Yes, I find it hard too.”   “Did he often talk about his childhood?” I asked. Are you tired of waiting for the next book in a series? His son and daughter had been called and were waiting outside his room in the open corridor, sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, looking lost and dejected and half asleep. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Great style! It was the reference to the poet that had caught my breath. However, the story is not very interesting. . . This is a fantastic novel, deeply enchanting and moving. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. We still offer contactless pickup and return with Books on the Go!. Description-Giller Prize-winner M. G. Vassanji gives us a powerfully emotional novel of love and loss, of an African/Indian man who returns to the town of hi I assumed it was they who had brought the expensive roses by the window. It's up to Judge Preston, Marshal Savage, Zeke Conley and Ben, a hundred and fifty pound monster of a dog to find out why. “Who are you?” The voice fragile, the look tired. At once dramatic, searching, and intelligent, The Magic of Saida moves deftly between the past and present, painting both an intimate picture of passion and betrayal and a broad canvas of political promise and failure in contemporary … . . He thought he would marry her. But once when I sat alone with him, he startled me by suddenly turning on his side and looking straight at me with wide-open eyes. He was a lonely man, and not only in this city, where he knew no one besides me and an old schoolteacher; a lonely man anywhere, who had after three and a half decades come back in search of someone he had loved once. and a great selection of similar New, Used and Collectible Books available now at great prices. has been added to your Cart. The Magic of Saida tells the haunting story of Kamal, a successful Canadian doctor who, in middle age and after decades in North America, decides to return to his homeland of East Africa to find his childhood sweetheart, Saida. “It’s hard to imagine him here,” said Hanif. AbeBooks.com: The Magic of Saida (9780307961501) by Vassanji, M.G. It was burning hot in December, and despite some talk of bandits on the way, this is what he preferred, travelling over land—the sight of each bush, each blade of grass, each tree so loaded with sentiment as to grip the heart of the returning native. Many people do, to this day. Can good and evil dance together?Enter the darkness and find the light. For me, a sensation; a financial failure nevertheless. The Magic of Saida tells the haunting story of Kamal, a successful Canadian doctor who, in middle age and after decades in North America, decides to return to his homeland of East Africa to find his childhood sweetheart, Saida. The Mark of Chaos (The Mark of Chaos Series) Book One. A different world wonderfully constructed, Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2013. At once dramatic, searching, and intelligent, The Magic of Saida moves deftly between the past and present, painting both an intimate picture of passion and betrayal and a broad canvas of political promise and failure in contemporary Africa. The library card you previously added can't be used to complete this action. Read our FAQ about this issue. . . The Magic of Saida tells the haunting story of Kamal, a successful Canadian doctor who, in middle age and after decades in North America, decides to return to his homeland of East Africa to find his childhood sweetheart, Saida. His head had fallen back and his eyes were shut, and it seemed that in his struggle with himself he had lost consciousness; but after some minutes as I prepared to leave he suddenly spoke, as though in his sleep. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. :). “Confused. .”   It took him a week to recover. I came on a mission, to find her . It would be easy to say that The Magic of Saida is the novel that M.G. EMBED. . There we left him, and I drove the boy and girl to their hotel, not far away, where we all had some tea in the bar. . Despite his material wealth, Kamal finds himself longing for the place … If you receive an error message, please contact your library for help. Add a library card to your account to borrow titles, place holds, and add titles to your wish list. Two-time Giller Prize winner Vassanji returns to the rich and haunting world of his most acclaimed, prize-winning novels, the East African coast. An army fills its ranks with the damned. The nurse, with a knowing look at me, also departed, closing the door behind her, and I was alone with the patient, who had turned his head and was staring at me. I don’t know if I’ve seen her . to keep my promise. This is a fantastic novel, deeply enchanting and moving. “How could he leave, just like that?” the boy responded, slowly and bitterly. A nurse stood by the bed working with an IV drip. . You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges, Or get 4-5 business-day shipping on this item for $5.99 Demonic realms and mystical creatures! .” High laughter rippled merrily down the hallway on this otherwise depleted Sunday afternoon. Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2015, Fascinating. He said this as casually as if it were the most normal thing to do. M. G. Vassanji is the author of six previous novels: The Gunny Sack, which won a regional Commonwealth Writers’ Prize; No New Land; The Book of Secrets, which won the very first Giller Prize; Amriika; The In-Between World of Vikram Lall, which also received the Giller Prize; and, most recently, The Assassin’s Song. Add it now to start borrowing from the collection. Kamal Punja lay on his bed breathing deeply and looking ghastly, the dim overhead lamp having rendered his sweat-drenched face weirdly electric, like that of a lit-up zombie. “Don’t you want to return home?” I asked him once we were alone. His deliriums had become rarer and then gone away altogether. I always enjoy books that make me feel I am there because of very well written descriptions. And this bit of hospital gossip awoke some nerve in me—and not because Kinjikitilé, as every child in school learns, was the name of a man, the prophet who inspired the great War of the Waters against the Germans in this country a century ago. Both the kids had now stood up. Important Notice about Copyrighted Materials. The girl was as thin as a reed, the boy big boned and muscular; in their North American accents they were attempting to convince Dad that he was not well and should return home to Edmonton to be looked after. EMBED (for wordpress.com hosted blogs and archive.org item tags) Want more? THE MAGIC OF SAIDA. do you believe in magic?”   I don’t know, I would have told him; yes and no, but probably no . Please try again. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. I put my hand on his arm and asked him, “Shall I come to see you again?”   “Do,” he said, turning ever so slightly towards me now. I left the hospital deeply affected. I felt sorry for them. I lived many years in E. Africa so many names, places, events filled me with nostalgia. I am a publisher by profession, and in my field discoveries are what one lives for. The Magic of Saida tells the haunting story of Kamal, a successful Canadian doctor who, in middle age and after decades in North America, decides to return to his homeland of East Africa to find his childhood sweetheart, Saida. . As I drove along Ocean Road in my old jalopy, the beach to my left crowded with visitors this bright late afternoon, expensive leisure vehicles parked to either side of me, I wondered at the nightmares of the man I had just left in his sickbed. It’s not too late . Ich kann euch das Buch aber nur ans Herz legen. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! The Magic of Saida tells the haunting story of Kamal, a successful Canadian doctor who, in middle age and after decades in North America, decides to return to his homeland of East Africa to find his childhood sweetheart, Saida. That Indian name belied his appearance when I saw him, which was very evidently that of an African. What exactly had he seen and heard during that bizarre ordeal? And to my great surprise, added, “Please. . Ich musste es für ein Seminar in der Uni kaufen und war erst skeptisch, da ich noch nie von diesem Roman gehört hatte. The magic of Saida Item Preview > remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. From Giller Prize–winner M. G. Vassanji comes the story of Kamal Punja, son of an African mother and an Indian father, who has been living in Canada for forty years. A young man and woman sat beside him, the one towards the middle, the other at the head, and turned out to be his son and daughter. He wanted to talk, I was there to listen. Vassanji has always had in him and that it will come to define him, but that would be short-sighted. Before they could answer, the medical resident and a nurse emerged, and I repeated my question. He had been pumped for an overdose, based on the diagnosis that accompanied him. He was treated for malaria, finally, the two attending physicians disregarding the previous diagnosis of a drug overdose. But removed from this personal angle the book was poorly written and trite. Author- Vassanji M.G. He is also the author of two short-story collections, a travel memoir about India, and a biography of Mordecai Richler. The Magic of Saida is as ambitious and sprawling as it is compelling, opening with a Tanzanian publisher, Martin Kigoma, who meets Kamal as he lies in a hospital in Dar es Salaam recovering from a mysterious case of poisoning and hallucinations. The book gives a good discription of the places where the story is set. “He has high fever,” the doctor said. The Magic of Saida tells the haunting story of Kamal, a successful Canadian doctor who, in middle age and after decades in North America, decides to return to his homeland of East Africa to find his childhood sweetheart, Saida. This happens sometimes, with people showing up on our streets after long absences abroad. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. One wants to immediately read [. . 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