Lyrics Alley is the evocative story of an affluent Sudanese family
shaken by the shifting powers in their country and the near-tragedy that
threatens the legacy they've built for decades.
In 1950's Sudan, the powerful Abuzeid dynasty has amassed a fortune
through their trading firm. With Mahmoud Bey at its helm, they can do no
wrong. But when Mahmoud's son, Nur, the brilliant, handsome heir to the
business empire, suffers a debilitating accident, the family stands
divided in the face of an uncertain future. As British rule nears its
end, the country is torn between modernizing influences and the call of
traditions past--a conflict reflected in the growing tensions between
Mahmoud's two wives: the younger, Nabilah, longs to return to Egypt and
escape backward-looking Sudan; while Waheeba lives traditionally behind
veils and closed doors. It's not until Nur asserts himself outside the
cultural limits of his parents that his own spirit and the frayed bonds
of his family begin to mend.
Moving from Sudanese alleys to cosmopolitan Cairo and a decimated
postcolonial Britain, this sweeping tale of desire, loss, despair, and
reconciliation is one of the most accomplished portraits ever written
about Sudanese society at the time of independence.
