Probably more for the female reader with tissues handy on a long-haul flight who doesn't wish to chat with the person sitting beside them, the following books mostly combine feminine issues—romance, tear jerkers, sisterhood, tragedy, families, and food. However, The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca will appeal to the male who can't change a light bulb, let alone renovate a home in a foreign country.
1. The Caliph’s House: A Year in Casablanca by Tahir Shah
An exhilarating book that will have you questioning the author's sanity when relocating his family from England to Casablanca and refurbishing a house he bought in a village where the local bureaucracy is rife with corruption, jinns (invisible creatures) haunt the home, thieves and gangsters roam the streets unchecked, and artisans have their own timetable and way of working. A hilarious and intriguing take on readjusting family life in a distant land, The Caliph’s House overflows with comical characters, from the three men he inherits with the house and their quirky beliefs in the supernatural to the personal assistant with more than a touch of lunacy that he hires to help him navigate his way around daily tasks. A humorous read that won't have you running to Casablanca to renovate a house.
2. The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez
At times a bit fluffy soap-opera-ish, The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul does, however, entertain—makes you cry and laugh—with its tale of five women from totally different backgrounds whose lives intersect in a café in Kabul that is run by an American woman, Sunny. She followed a lover to this politically charged city that was recaptured by the Taliban. Various plots between the main characters are woven throughout this story of sisterhood and survival involving the mind, the heart, and the physical aspects of living in a war zone. Struggles, unexpected twists, and friendships complement the descriptive prose of colorful marketplaces, villages, and the daily lives of the local people. Overall, it is an uplifting tale putting a face to life in Kabul for the women who live there and the basic human need for friendships to be forged, especially where women are concerned.
Inspiration for the book came from the author’s time living in Kabul as an American expat. Since writing The Little Coffee Shop (2011), she has written a further book following the characters’ subsequent lives, Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul (2017). The final book in this trilogy, Farewell to the Little Coffee Shop, is set against the fall of Kabul in 2021.
3. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
A massive saga—not for those looking for a quick read—The Covenant of Water is an epic tale following three generations of a family living in the Kerala state of India from 1900 to 1977. Kerala is a water-saturated land, and one person drowns in each generation of this family. With beautiful descriptions of an India long gone, the story is intensely emotional, with incredible humorous moments amidst life's hardships endured. Despite being a hefty tome, you will be swept along a humble journey of life from India's years of colonization by the British to India's struggle for independence. Masterfully written, this novel has won the Viking Fiction with a Sense of Place award for 2024.
4. Looking for Transwonderland by Noo Saro-Wiwa
You rarely come across a book on Nigeria, especially a non-fiction memoir overflowing with vivid descriptions and awareness of Nigeria's authentic culture and diversity. Written by Noo Saro-Wiwa, a travel writer born in Nigeria but who grew up in England. It's a tale of her return to her homeland to discover her heritage and to learn about the life of her father, who was executed in 1995 for being a political protestor. Written from the heart, she eloquently tells of her travels around Nigeria that are punctuated with quirky, funny notes and the somewhat craziness of the country mingled with the sights and sounds, whether it be of something beautiful or the dirty underbelly. You will walk in her footsteps from Abuja to Kano, Calabar to Cross Rivers State, Lagos to Ibadan, Benin to Port Harcourt, and finish up back in Lagos while touching on the Nigerian's obsession with religion, the history of slavery, and the country's politics.
5. From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily and Finding Home by Tembi Locke
New York Times bestseller and now a Netflix series, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily and Finding Home, is a romance story featuring the healing vibes of food and family.
Its theme is that life is full of surprises. In Florence, an American girl (Tembi) falls for a Sicilian chef (Saro). A long-distance relationship ends in a marriage not approved by his strict family. What follows are the ingredients for a soap opera, but it has the right tone to hoist it out of the sappy slop genre. Saro is diagnosed with cancer, and they also have to face the drama of infertility. Their love story continues with the adoption of a baby girl, Zoela. After Saro's passing, Tembi reconnects with her estranged mother-in-law in Sicily. A stirring tale follows of grandmother, mother, and adopted daughter forming a strong bond over their love for Saro, food, and family. Yes, it will probably make you shed a tear or two, so have tissue wads handy.
Gail Palethorpe, a self proclaimed Australian gypsy, is a freelance writer, photographer and eternal traveller. Check out her website Gail Palethorpe Photography and her Shutterstock profile.
