The Caliph’s House: A Year in Casablanca
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Product Description
In the tradition of A Year in Provence and Under the Tuscan Sun, acclaimed English travel writer Tahir Shah shares a highly entertaining account of building an exotic dream come right. By turns hilarious and upsetting, here is the tale of his family tree’s go from the gray skies of London to the sun-drenched city of Casablanca, where Islamic tradition and African folklore converge–and nothing is as simple as it seems….
Inspired by the Moroccan vacations of his childhood, Tahir Shah dreamed of building a home in that astonishing country. At age thirty-six he got his chance. Investing what money he and his wife, Rachana, had, Tahir packed up his growing family tree and bought Dar Khalifa, a crumbling ruin of a mansion by the sea in Casablanca that once belonged to the city’s caliph, or spiritual leader.
With its lush grounds, cool, secluded courtyards, and relaxed pace, life at Dar Khalifa seems sure to fulfill Tahir’s fantasy–until he discovers that in many ways he is farther from home than he imagined. For in Morocco an empty house is thought to attract jinns, invisible spirits unique to the Islamic world. The ardent belief in their presence momentously hampers sleep and renovation plans, but that is just the beginning. From elaborate exorcism rituals involving sacrificial goats to dealing with gangster neighbors intent on stealing their property, the Shahs must cope with a new culture and all that comes with it.
Endlessly enchanting, The Caliph’s House charts a year in the life of one family tree who takes a tremendous gamble. As we follow Tahir on his travels throughout the kingdom, from Tangier to Marrakech to the Sahara, we learn a world of fierce contrasts that any right adventurer would be tickled to call home.
From the Hardcover edition.
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I really wanted to like this book; I’m interested in Morocco, architecture and historic home renovation. This book should have been a shoo-in for me, right? Well, sorry to say, though the premise of the book is advertized as being a memoir about renovating an ancient Moroccan house, the leader has no interest in architecture or renovation, and does not write about it. He does not write about what the building looks like, what materials are used, what his dreams are for the place – all that is in the background. As a replacement for, the book is a character study about two-dimensional, but colorful, Moroccan locals. Disappointingly, the anecdotes simply don’t ring right. It seems as though the book was based on the leader’s experiences in Morocco, but to make the tales more appealing he has fictionalized the characters and made several far-fetched, dopey scenarios. I can know why some people would like this book – many people are amused by accounts of ignorant foreigners (for that is how they are described here) – but if you are looking for a work about renovating a Morrocan house, this book will surely disappoint you.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
Enjoyable enough read, but a small repetitive with the superstitious natives and their djinns alternating with the menace of a mysterious gangster who wishes the leader to fail in his endeavor to fix up a glorious ancient house in Casablanca. IN the end it is to some extent unclear why he would want to live there as the local culture is not described in a very appealing light additional than its ancient world craftsmanship and the usual plotline about the locals decidedly unbritish approach to schedules. The proverbs that subtitle the chapters are the most appealing things you get along the culture line.
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5
Fantastic for a summer read, this is a fun book that had me laughing out loud as Shah shares the trials and tribulations of living abroad, in a country that is both charming and mysterious. His characters are lively and memorable, and he has a wonderful sense of humor that never stops or sags. It’s the best of the “remodel a house in a foreign country and live to write a book about it” genre I’ve read so far.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
A very amusing account of his experience living in Morocco. I painstakingly loved reading this book and it brought about some appealing conversations between me and my Moroccan spouse. But, much of what makes this book so amusing is the extreme scenery of the events he expereinces. My time in Morocco was much more tame and I wouldn’t want people to reflect that this is how it is for everyone. Regardless, this book made me laugh out loud many times; the sequel is a bit more serious. Also, I like his drawings sprinkled throughout the book.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
Having travelled extensively throughout Morocco, I was initially apprehensive about a book on Casablanca, which is arguably the least appealing city in that country. But, Tahir Shah’s writing brings it to life in a really unexpected way, and his pokerface british approach to the local superstitions renders it a hilarious read. At times the household as he describes it really does get on one’s nerves, what with the never ending jinn irritability etc., which by the way I have never encountered in any of my own travels in that country (admittedly I stayed in more modern accommodations, uninhabited by the denizens of the underworld). Also, his inability to place his foot down and deal with things seems exaggerated, not to mention his saintly wife who hardly complains, despite the unimaginable living conditions: in a single room and sleeping on a smelly mattress on the floor together with 2 toddlers for a seemingly interminable period of time, the entire place crawling with creepy fauna, illiterate domestic help and shady characters… His description of life in Casa is plain and lively, with appealing past reference, and the narrative nicely paced. This is a painstakingly enjoyable book which I would highly recommend to anyone, travelling to Morocco or not!
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5