Salma has committed a crime punishable by death amongst her village community in the Levant - while still unmarried, she fell in love and gave birth to an illegitimate baby. Her baby is immediately taken from her and she is interned for protection from her father and brother who are furiously hunting her down. From prison, she is taken to safety in England by a group of nuns. It is in speaking to immigration officials time after time that she is forced to repeat the words My Name is Salma. They are her first words of English. As an asylum seeker trying to melt into the crowd, she finds herself dishonoring her religion by removing her veil and shortening her skirt. She learns English from her ancient landlady, and befriends a young Pakistani girl, Parwen, who is also on the run - from an arranged marriage. Salma finds love, and has a second child with her new husband. But one fateful day, Salma decides to go back to her village in the Levant to find the child that was taken from her. It is a journey she may never make again ....

Author Biography

Fadia Faqir is a Jordanian/British writer and defender of human rights, especially women's rights in the Arab world. She is the author of two other novels, Nisanit and Pillars of Salt. In 1990 the University of East Anglia awarded her the first Ph.D in Critical and Creative Writing. Brought up in Amman she now lives with her husband in Durham. For more information please visit www.fadiafaqir.com