The Bamboo Stalk

Daring and bold, The Bamboo Stalk takes an unflinching look at the universal struggles of identity, race, and class as they intersect between two disparate societies: Kuwait and the Philippines. Josephine comes to Kuwait from the Philippines to work as a maid, where she meets Rashid, a spoiled but kind-hearted only son. Josephine, with all the wide-eyed naivety of youth, believes she has found true love. But when she becomes pregnant, and with the rumble of the Gulf War growing ever louder, Rashid abandons her and sends her back home with their baby son José. Brought up struggling with his dual identity in the Philippines, José clings to the hope of returning to his father's country when he turns eighteen. But will Kuwait be any more welcoming to him? Will his Kuwaiti family live up to his expectations and alleviate his sense of alienation? Jose’s coming of age tale draws in readers as he explores his own questions about identity and estrangement. Masterfully written, The Bamboo Stalk is the winner of the 2013 International Prize for Arab Fiction, chosen both for its literary qualities and for “its social and humanitarian content.” Through his complex characters, Alsanousi crafts a captivating saga that boldly deals with issues of identity, alienation, and the phenomenon of foreign workers in Arab countries.