The Calligrapher's Secret

Even as a young man, Hamid Farsi is acclaimed as a master of the art of calligraphy. But as time goes by, he sees that weaknesses in the Arabic language and its script limit its uses in the modern world. In a secret society, he works out schemes for radical reform, never guessing what risks he is running. His beautiful wife, Nura, is ignorant of the great plans on her husbands mind. She knows only his cold, avaricious side and so it is no wonder she feels flattered by the attentions of his amusing, lively young apprentice. And so begins a passionate love story the love of a Muslim woman and a Christian man.

Born in Damascus in 1946 and has lived in political exile in Germany since 1970. Today he is one of the most successful Arab writers in Europe and writes in his adopted language of German. His novels have been translated into 21 languages and received numerous international awards. Anthea Bell, OBE, is a freelance translator from German and French, specialising in fiction. She has translated, amongst others, W.G. Sebald abd Stefan Zweig, and has won a number of translation awards in the UK, USA and Europe. Anthea Bell was also the translator of Schami's previous novel, the highly acclaimed 'The Dark Side of Love' (Arabia Books, 2009) which was shortlisted for the 2010 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize.