The Private Apartments - by Idman Nur Omar (Paperback)

About the Book

"Moving, insightful, linked stories about the determination of Somali immigrants -- despite duty, discrimination, and an ever-dissolving link to a war-torn homeland. In the insular rooms of The Private Apartments, a cleaning lady marries her employer's nephew and then abandons him. A woman accepts an opulent gold bangle from one man yet weds another. A depressed young mother finds unlikely support in her community housing complex. A new bride attends weddings to escape her abusive marriage. A failed nurse is sent to relatives in Dubai after a nervous breakdown. Beginning in 1991, the year the Somali Civil War started, these eight articulate stories dwell in the domestic sphere -- marriages, friendships, families -- in high-rises and low-income neighbourhoods from Rome to Toronto. Resilient, resolved women do what it takes to thrive in new cities, while feeling estranged from a conflict-ridden homeland and grappling with the privilege of having the resources to facilitate such an escape. Recurring characters are delicate threads that eloquently showcase the intricate linkages of human experience and the ways in which Somalis, even as a diaspora, are indelibly connected."--

Book Synopsis

Finalist, 2023 Writers' Union of Canada Danuta Gleed Literary Award
Finalist, 2024 Alberta Literary Awards
Brittle Paper 100 Notable African Books of 2023

Moving, insightful, linked stories about the determination of Somali immigrants -- despite duty, discrimination, and an ever-dissolving link to a war-torn homeland.

In the insular rooms of The Private Apartments, a cleaning lady marries her employer's nephew and then abandons him, a depressed young mother finds unlikely support in her community housing complex, a new bride attends weddings to escape her abusive marriage, and a failed nurse is sent to relatives in Dubai after a nervous breakdown. These captivating and compassionate stories eloquently showcase the intricate linkages of human experience and the ways in which Somalis, even as a diaspora, are indelibly connected.

Review Quotes

Idman Nur Omar's new subtle short story collection ... begins in 1991 and features multi-layered stories of Somali women dispersed to Europe and Canada by [civil war]. ... Fans of Elena Ferrante would do well to seek out this collection.

-- "Miramichi Reader"

Much to both marvel at and puzzle over. ... Idman Nur Omar presents a vibrant diasporic culture of resilient individuals whose significance isn't premised on their interactions with those in their adoptive place, whether that's Rome, London, Amsterdam, Dubai or Toronto.

-- "Winnipeg Free Press"