Blutender Stein / Goldstaub

Ibrahim al-Koni's novels and stories take you into the Libyan desert, to the region where the Arab-Islamic and Sub-Saharan African worlds intersect. Al-Koni does not depict an idyllic life of the nomads; rather, he engages with a way of life and a world that are on the verge of disappearing. In this book, one can experience the Sahara, its unfathomable beauty, its purifying power, and also its threats. Archaic symbols, Quranic motifs, and allusions to ancient traditions of Arabic literature transform and vividly present the poignant fate of this Bedouin in his eternally human conflicts.