An ambitious Australian couple renovates a crumbling Moroccan
house.Tired of what they saw as the soulless homogeneity of their
native Brisbane, Australian newspaper editor Clarke and her husband
Sandy became entranced by the exotic prospect of securing a
spacious home with a garden in Fez. Early in their spiritual search
for domestic nirvana, they encountered the ominous Arabic term
inshallah, "God willing," the true implications of which manifested
themselves only later. Everything in Morocco, the couple
discovered, proceeded at a tortoise-like pace, as though everyone
was waiting for the hand of God to intervene in even the smallest
transaction. In a city barely grazed by Western-style development -
many Fez residents lived without running water - Clarke and her
husband pursued the uphill task of hiring dependable, efficient
local contractors to rebuild the long-neglected ancient abode they
purchased. Professional obligations in Australia led them to set a
time limit of five months on the process, a deadline that adds a
mild "race against time" element to a narrative unsurprisingly
short on drama - though the microscopic detailing of the
home-rebuilding process will undoubtedly appeal to participants in
the current renovation craze. The Australians' demanding Western
conception of efficient work standards rubbed against the ingrained
deliberateness of Moroccan contractors and laborers, some of them
decidedly shifty. The constant haggling over material costs and
workers' hourly pay occasionally brought the normally patient
author to the brink of scrapping the whole project in frustration.
Continent-hopping Clarke had neighborly intentions, but she and her
husband remained slightly aloof from a hyper-religious Muslim
society still skeptical of encroaching westernization. Nonetheless,
she offers some incidental but valuable cultural insights into
Morocco's social history and post-millennial life.Offers rueful
proof that successfully joining an authentic Middle Eastern culture
requires more than writing checks and giving orders. (Kirkus
Reviews)
When Suzanna Clarke and her husband bought a dilapidated house in
the Moroccan town of Fez, their friends thought they were mad.
Located in a maze of donkey-trod alleyways, the house - a
traditional riad - was beautiful but in desperate need of repair.
Walls were in danger of collapse, the plumbing non-existent. While
neither Suzanna nor her husband spoke Arabic, and had only a
smattering of French, they were determined to restore the building
to its original splendour, using only traditional craftsmen and
handmade materials. But they soon found that trying to do business
in Fez was like being transported back several centuries in time
and so began the remarkable experience that veered between
frustration, hilarity and moments of pure exhilaration. But
restoring the riad was only part of their immersion in the rich and
colourful life of this ancient city. A House in Fez is a journey
into Moroccan culture, revealing its day-to-day rhythms, its
customs and festivals; its history, Islam, and Sufi rituals; the
lore of djinns and spirits; the vibrant life-filled market places
and the irresistible Moroccan cuisine. And above all, into the
lives of the people - warm, friendly, and hospitable. Beautifully
descriptive and infused with an extraordinary sense of place, this
is a compelling account of one couple's adventures in ancient
Morocco.
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