The Other Americans

(Paperback)

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Finalist for the National Book Award 2019 An Observer, Literary Review and Time Book of the Year 'One of the most affecting novels I have read. Subtle, wise and full of humanity' The Times Late one spring night, Driss Guerraoui, a Moroccan immigrant in California, is walking across a darkened intersection when he is killed by a speeding car. The repercussions of his death bring together a diverse cast of characters, deeply divided by race, religion and class. As the characters tell their stories and the mystery unfolds, Drisss family is forced to confront its secrets, a town faces its hypocrisies, and love, in all its messy and unpredictable forms, is born. 'A state-of-America family saga told as a slow-burn detective story' Observer 'Exceptionally rich' Sunday Times 'Confirms Lalami's reputation as one of our most sensitive interrogators, probing at the faultlines in family and the wider world' Financial Times

Reviews

A rich and mysterious family saga by a Pulitzer Prizenominated author who always delivers magnificent prose. This story about the death of a Moroccan immigrant explodes into a compelling tale of love, family, race and heartache. Absolutely wonderful -- Elizabeth Gilbert
This deftly constructed account of a crime and its consequences shows up, in its quiet way, the pressures under which ordinary Americans have labored since the events of 9/11 -- J.M. Coetzee
A family saga with the suspense of a mystery and, finally, the satisfying resolution of a thriller * Spectator *
A writer of uncommon conviction and tremendous insight -- Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of 'The Sympathizer'
A provocative and gripping novel by a gifted writer -- John Boyne, author of 'A Ladder to the Sky' and 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas'
Confirms Lalamis reputation as one of the most sensitive interrogators, probing at the faultlines in family and the wider world * Financial Times *
A powerful novel of intolerance and compassion, resilience and weakness, love and loss, populated by flawed but sympathetic characters whose lives are rocked by actions and emotions beyond their control * Economist *
A moving and exceptionally rich portrait of a modern American community, one that is much more far-reaching than just a saga of immigration * Sunday Times *
Rich, polyphonic ... Accumulates a kind of revelatory power, setting aside top-down commentary in favour of side-by-side juxtaposition, a narrative style that ultimately functions as a plea for more listening * Observer *
In gentle and stylish prose, Lalami gives us a picture of life as a Muslim immigrant in the USA, a glimpse of the trauma suffered by veterans of war in the Middle East and an account of family stresses familiar in all cultures and countries. It is a most impressive novel * Literary Review *
A wonderfully constructed novel, like a musical piece made up of many voices -- Tim Pears
Im going to make a prediction, which is dangerous I know, but nonetheless I predict The Other Americans is going to create a literary storm. Near enough to faultless, this book is a poignant exploration of grief, love, racism and jealousy that will undoubtedly rank as one of the best books of 2019 * Good Reading Magazine *
Lalami packs sibling rivalry, a crime investigation, a love story and family secrets into her propulsive plotline A masterful and intimate polyphonic narrative -- Ten books to read in 2019 * BBC *
A strong successor to her Pulitzer-nominated The Moors Account, The Other Americans is a study of race in the wake of the War on Terror intertwined deftly with a love story and the dissection of a family dynamic, in which every character, like the young Moroccan acrobats, contributes an essential part of the whole * The Herald *
This may be even better than The Moors Account The Other Americans is a combination mystery, love story and literary exploration of immigrants in America -- Nicholas Kristoff * New York Times *
Lalami is in thrilling command of her narrative gifts, reminding readers why The Moor's Account was a Pulitzer finalist Lalami expertly mines an American penchant for rendering the other' * Kirkus Reviews *
Unforgettable -- Picks for 2019 * Bustle *
Tremendous and powerful, The Moors Account is one of the finest historical novels Ive encountered in a while. It rings with thunder! -- Praise for 'The Moor's Account' * Gary Shteyngart *
A story with extraordinary power. The Moor's Account is more than a good story, its a great one: rich, vivid and gripping; a thoughtful investigation into how we frame the narratives of our own lives -- Praise for 'The Moor's Account' * Guardian *
Lalami has once again shown why she is one of her generations most gifted writers -- Praise for 'The Moor's Account' * Reza Aslan *
Lalami has built a remarkable novel -- Praise for 'The Moor's Account' * Independent *
An exciting tale of wild hopes, divided loyalties and highly precarious fortunes -- Praise for 'The Moor's Account' * New Yorker *
Brilliantly imagined -- Praise for 'The Moor's Account' * Salman Rushdie *

Author Bio

Laila Lalami is the author of three novels including The Moors Account, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the American Book Award. She has written for publications including the Guardian and the New York Times, and is the recipient of a British Council Fellowship, a Fulbright Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship. She lives in Los Angeles. @LailaLalami