Leila Aboulela, author, River Spirit – “I had to wade through propaganda”
River Spirit (Saqi Books, UK) is set in late 19th century Sudan, during the turbulent times of the Mahdist wars and the Ottoman rule. How did you decide on this particular historical moment?
Author Leila Aboulela (Rania Rustom)
I initially wanted to write about a more peaceful time in Sudan’s history, the time of rebuilding and fresh hopes after the British invasion of 1898 which brought an end to the Mahdist state. In 2018, I was awarded a fellowship, at the Rockefeller Centre in Bellagio, Italy, based on a…