Black Foam

Longlisted for the 2019 International Prize for Arabic Fiction

Praise for Black Foam

“The Eritrean author Haji Jabir continues to dive into his favorite theme: the worlds of the marginalized on the African continent, transporting his reader this time from Asmara to Addis Ababa, taking him through different terrain, flying him to occupied Palestine, getting lost with him in the alleys of Jerusalem. It is a fluid mélange of literature, enjoyable narration, and documentary.” —Al Quds newspaper

“[Black Foam] isn’t limited to the tragic tale that revolves around ‘Daoud,’ but rather it encompasses a human’s quest for himself, for his identity, for love. It delves into if it is possible for a refugee in such exceptional circumstances, pursued by death at every turn, to find love.” —Ida’at online newspaper

“Through the realistic retelling imparted with literary flair, Jabir emerges as a skilled transmitter of others’ stories, documenting them so that the waves of forgetfulness don’t wash them away.” —The New Arab (Al-Araby Al-Jadeed)

“An unusual tale, in my opinion, and in that of many others too…I admire how [Haji Jabir] delved into the psychological aspects by way of the main issues: identity and the search for survival…survival at any cost! There are two narratives in the novel, the immediate past of the protagonist and his present, a technique that many an author employs, but Jabir here is in his own league.” —Alharban (literary blog)

“The Eritrean novelist Haji Jabir shows in his novel Black Foam the trials of the Falasha Jews in Israel, and from his novel questions emerge about religion, identity, and belonging; refuge, migration, and love; racism and injustice; and life and death.” —Nuq’tat Dhow (online newspaper)