Origins & Early Life

Abdulrazak Gurnah (born 20 December 1948) is a Tanzanian novelist and academic of Yemeni origin. He was born in the Sultanate of Zanzibar and moved to the United Kingdom in the 1960s as a refugee during the Zanzibar Revolution. His novels include Paradise (1994), which was shortlisted for both the Booker and the Whitbread Prize; By the Sea (2001), which was longlisted for the Booker and shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; and Desertion (2005), shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. In 2021, Gurnah was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature "for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fates of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

On 1 September 2024, Gurnah took up the appointment of the Arts Professor of Literature at New York University Abu Dhabi. He is also Emeritus Professor of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the University of Kent. Abdulrazak Salim Gurnah was born on 20 December 1948 in the Sultanate of Zanzibar. His father and uncle were businessmen who had immigrated from Yemen. He left the island, which later became part of Tanzania, at the age...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Al Gore — Contemporary (Born in 1948) (1948): American politician, businessman, and leading voice on environmental issues.
• Alan Lightman — Contemporary (Born in 1948) (1948): Physicist, writer, and social entrepreneur exploring science's intersection with humanities.
• Andrei Linde — Contemporary (Born in 1948) (1948): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for inflationary cosmology and the multiverse concept.
• Arthur Rubinstein — Shared historical date (12-20 · Died) (1982): Master Polish and American pianist, celebrated for his interpretations of Chopin and classical repertoire.
• Bill O'Reilly (cricketer) — Shared historical date (12-20 · Born) (1905): Australian spin bowler, revered for his accuracy and mastery of leg breaks.
• Andrew Lloyd Webber — Historical peer (Born in 1948) (1948): Iconic English composer and impresario of globally successful musical theatre.
• Antonin Artaud — Historical peer (Died in 1948) (1948): Major figure of the European avant-garde, known for the Theatre of Cruelty.
• Alexia Putellas — Historical peer (Born in 1994) (1994): One of the greatest female footballers, known for her midfield brilliance and success with Barcelona and Spain.
• Amazon (company) — Historical peer (Born in 1994) (1994): Global e-commerce and technology giant, expanding from books to 'The Everything Store'.
• Aaliyah — Historical peer (Died in 2001) (2001): Pioneering R&B artist known for redefining urban pop and hip hop sounds.
• 1948 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1948
• December 20 (12-20) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 20