After returning from his recent appearance at the Mogadishu Book Fair, Ahmed Ismail Yusuf (The Lion’s Binding Oath) shared some of his thoughts about what this literary event means for a region in transition for Literary Hub. The event marked Ahmed’s first visit back to Mogadishu since leaving in the 1990s.
Three decades or so ago, I left Somalia for the USA. In my young and somewhat innocent mind, I was heading to Heaven on Earth, but I was not sure whether I was going to make it. I was paralyzed with fear that I was going to get lost through the international flight connections before I ever got there. And for the grace of God, if I made it to the gates of Heaven on Earth, was I going to be lucky enough to be let in? I knew that my paperwork was in order, but my inability to speak English had me laden with a herculean fear that harassed me to no end. I was fearful that I was not going to be able to respond to any question addressed to me, and who was I going to blame but myself?
Read the rest at Literary Hub: At the Mogadishu Book Fair, Literature Is Hope
