South Side

From uncertain beginnings as a refugee student in England in the 1950s, Abel Dankor has risen quickly to become a prominent writer and a true, though ill-at-ease, citizen of the world.

Author of five acclaimed novels, well-traveled, temperate yet self-absorbed, and possessing sharp social skills, Abel is worldly and cultured. Marked by a family history of displacement and endless migration, he also nurtures a desire to find a permanent home somewhere. He is on the verge of naturalizing as a citizen of Mande, a West African country, when he receives news of the death of his mentor and sponsor, the poet Sir Koroma Fouta. Following this devastating news, Abel’s final option disappears. His unexpected encounter with Valeria promises to turn things around.

Here is a woman dedicated to an intuitive pursuit of the kind of dream he has come to regard as a nightmare. Even after a brief encounter, she comes across Abel as harboring a shadowy but intriguing past. With new signals that Abel’s childhood friend, Yacouba, will occupy a high office in Mande, he must decide whether to resume his pursuit of a permanent home or trust in Valeria’s companionship.