Passage of tears - Abdourahman A. Waberi

Djibouti, a hot, impoverished little country on the Horn of Africa,
is a place of great strategic importance, for off its coast lies a
crucial passage for the world's oil. In this novel by Abdourahman A.
Waberi, Djibril, a young Djiboutian voluntarily exiled in Montreal,
returns to his native land to prepare a report for an American economic
intelligence firm. Meanwhile, a shadowy, threatening figure imprisoned
in an island cell seems to know Djibril's every move. He takes dictation
from his preaching cellmate known as his "Venerable Master," but as the
words are put on the page, a completely different text appears-the life
of Walter Benjamin, Djibril's favorite author.

Passage of Tears cleverly mixes many genres and forms of
writing-spy novel, political thriller, diary (replete with childhood
memories), travel notebook, legends, parables, incantations, and
prayers. Djibril's reminiscences provide a sense of Djibouti's past and
its people, while a satire of Muslim fundamentalism is unwittingly
delivered through the other Djiboutian voice. Waberi's inventive parody
is a lesson in tolerance, while his poetic observations reveal his love
and concern for his homeland.

"Disguised as a political thriller, Passage of Tears is above all a great novel of childhood, murderous identities, and exile."-Le Monde des Livres

"A gripping book, burning with urgency and tension."-Tlrama.