Morning in Serra Mattu: A Nubian Ode
by Arif Gamal
Buy on AmazonA mosaic of interrelated stories exploding with personality, myth, and geohistorical weight, Morning in Serra Mattu is a profound, joyful meditation on life in modern Sudan. Arif Gamal seamlessly blends large-scale political realities with the local and the traditional: “old villages/whose ancient way is so composed/each single blade of grass is known/and in its place.” Epic in scope, spellbinding in its intimacy, generosity, and wisdom, Morning in Serra Mattu is the book we didn’t know we needed.…
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"A few years ago a poet named Arif Gamal gave me his book, “Morning in Serra Mattu: A Nubian Ode,” and after reading and loving the first few pages, I lost it. I found it the other day while cleaning my office, and now am about halfway through it. It’s an epic poem about growing up in northern Sudan, and it’s really beautiful, unlike anything I can remember."
By the Book: Dave Eggers · nytimes.com