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 making an exotic dream come true. By turns
hilarious and harrowing, here is the story of his family's move
from the gray skies of London to the sun-drenched city of
Casablanca, where Islamic tradition and African folklore
converge-and nothing is as easy as it seems....
Inspired by the Moroccan vacations of his childhood, Tahir Shah
dreamed of making 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 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 greatly 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 enthralling, "The Caliph's House" charts a year in the
life of one family who takes a tremendous gamble. As we follow
Tahir on his travels throughout the kingdom, from Tangier to
Marrakech to the Sahara, we discover a world of fierce contrasts
that any true adventurer would be thrilled to call home.
"From the Hardcover edition."
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