The Bamboo Stalk

Josephine comes to Kuwait from the Philippines to work as a maid. She meets Rashid, and with all the wide-eyed naivety of youth, believes she has found true love. But when she becomes pregnant, and with the rumble of the Gulf War growing louder, Rashid abandons her and sends her home with their baby son, José. Brought up struggling with his dual identity in the Philippines, José clings to the hope of returning to his father’s country when he turns eighteen. Will his Kuwaiti family live up to his expectations? Al Sanousi crafts a captivating saga that boldly deals with issues of identity and alienation.