Kairouan (Tunisia) in the late 1920s, 6 Mar. 2016

This review is from: Among the Faithful (Paperback)
When the winter in the S of France turns cold, and when her cheque doesn't come through, American author Dahris Martin (accompanied for part of the time by artist Beatrice (Cuming)) sets off for the warmer, cheaper option of Tunisia.
This is a beautifully written description of their life in the holy city of Kairouan. Taken up by a local man, Kalipha, the author gets to know his family, and experiences birth and death, marriage, Islam and the simultaneous belief in djinns, the oppression of women and the life of the desert Bedouin.

I loved the vivid descriptions, such as this one of nightfall during Ramadan as everyone awaits their meal:

"Kairouan had shaken off its torpor. Everything was alive and exciting, waiting for the signal from the minarets that the day's penance was done. Coffee-houses were ready for business, the fry-shops were piling up mountains of honey-coils...little girls darted home from the public ovens with covered bowls on their heads, the beggars under the Great Gate had never been so importunate, vendors wearing trays of cakes or carrying pitchers of coloured syrups praised the Prophet and their merchandise in the same breath...Every man had an unlit cigarette between his fingers. The sun had set. The muezzin was already on the balcony of the little mosque next door...."

Very enjoyable read that transports you to another time and place. ( )