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American Dervish: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 3,244 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
From Pulitzer Prize winner Ayad Akhtar, a stirring and explosive debut novel about an American Muslim family in Wisconsin struggling with faith and belonging in the pre-9/11 world.
Hayat Shah is a young American in love for the first time. His normal life of school, baseball, and video games had previously been distinguished only by his Pakistani heritage and by the frequent chill between his parents, who fight over things he is too young to understand. Then Mina arrives, and everything changes.
American Dervish is a brilliantly written, nuanced, and emotionally forceful look inside the interplay of religion and modern life.
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"I definitely enjoyed it, it was very deep and had many layers to it. Parts of it were a bit crude for my liking, however, I do applaud Ayad for giving the reader a taste of sharply contrasting viewpoints in the portrayal of different characters as well as those same conflicts within the main characters themselves. Perhaps because of the writer's background as a playwright, at times there seemed to be a dearth of descriptions in terms of time and place. The characterization and dialogue is excellent, I just hope the readers will not generalize this as being a typical American-Pakistani family, which it truly is not. (The average American-Pakistani family is not dysfunctional and alcohol and adultery are the exception rather than the rule).The story is fascinating, and I liked the spiritual message it sends out about the importance of the big picture of religion as opposed to the more often focussed on small details. Overall, I would recommend it, and I look forward to reading more work by the author."
— Lara (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“What a pleasure to encounter a first novel as self-assured and effortlessly told as Ayad Akhtar’s American Dervish…An immensely entertaining coming-of-age story…What distinguishes Mr. Akhtar’s novel is its generosity and its willingness to embrace the contradictions of its memorably idiosyncratic characters and the society they inhabit…[A] charming debut.”
— New York Times -
“[A] quintessentially American coming-of-age story…Akhtar’s poignant and wise debut announces the arrival of a generous new voice in American fiction.”
— Washington Post
Awards
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Selected for the January 2012 Indie Next List
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Nominated for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award
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One of the 2012 Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books for Fiction
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A 2013 Audie Award Finalist for Best Narration by the Author
American Dervish Listener Reviews
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" I wasn't planning to like this book, but what a surprise, I really loved it! I think it will prove to be a great "book club" discussion...there are just so many topics to cover. Religion, love, and honesty are just some of the topics that come to mind in this coming-of-age story about a Muslim-American boy growing up in a dysfuctional family, in 1980's & 90's America. The author leads the reader through some very real and thought provoking situations, and lets us wonder what the "right" solution might be. "
— Jane, 2/7/2014 -
" Fantastic! Disturbing in parts, but a great read. "
— Kristel, 2/7/2014 -
" Started out very promising but not sure what it was all about by the end. "
— Mary, 2/1/2014 -
" A coming of age story of a young Pakistani boy living in the US whose life is changed when his mom's childhood friend moves in with his family to escape an oppresive life in Pakistan. This was a great book. It starts out kind of funny with the parents bickering but gets darker and more serious as the book goes on. It also gives some insight into Islam which was very interesting. "
— Marisa, 1/29/2014 -
" This coming of age story of a young Muslim growing up in the mid-west was hard to put down. It tells a compelling tale of faith, sorrow, tenderness, anger, betrayal, questioning, and love. "
— Lynne, 1/22/2014 -
" Enjoyed the learning experience the novel offered. "
— Mary, 1/18/2014 -
" Excellent book. Well written, provocative and thoughtful "
— Linda, 12/17/2013 -
" This book was a fast read, but I can't say that it was a very exciting read or a book I will remember down the road. "
— Jamie, 12/4/2013 -
" Really enjoyed - learned something about Muslims and Islam and the Koran in the process. "
— Jean-marie, 11/24/2013 -
" Thoroughly enjoyed this coming of age and immigrant novel. I listened to the audio version, and the author did a great job of putting nuance to the words which really helped to bring the story alive. I recommend it for telling the story of religion and what constitutes spirituality. "
— Shelley, 11/19/2013 -
" I received a copy of American Dervish through the First Reads program. The story is a coming of age for a young boy who is exploring the questions of faith and relationships. The story was heartbreaking, but was completely satisfying. "
— Julie, 7/26/2013 -
" I liked the beginning, I liked the end, and while certainly an interesting subject, it was a bit slow-paced in the middle for me. "
— Marissa, 12/19/2012 -
" First book my my Nook! "
— Mkb, 12/3/2012 -
" very good read. couldn't put it down "
— Kathryn, 6/1/2012
About Ayad Akhtar
Ayad Akhtar is a playwright and novelist. He was named the New York State Author by the New York State Writers Institute. He has won the Pulitzer Prize for drama and an Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His American Dervish was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2012. As a playwright, he has written numerous award-winning works.