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Prayers from the Far Quarter
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Prayers from the Far Quarter is Roger DeBlanck’s most memorable and essential novel to date. Its historical breadth and sweep traverse three continents to chronicle the extraordinary life of Isa Muhammad Rahman, an African Muslim.
Isa’s unforgettable voice and distinct prose style narrate his journey that begins in 1850 from the Bornu kingdom of sub-Saharan Africa. From hi ...more
Isa’s unforgettable voice and distinct prose style narrate his journey that begins in 1850 from the Bornu kingdom of sub-Saharan Africa. From hi ...more
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Roger DeBlanck's Prayers from the Far Quarter does a brilliant job of bringing peoples, scenes, cultures, and historical events to life through meticulous details. This lively book carries the reader on a difficult and yet heart-warming journey through some of the most crucial moments in U.S. history. DeBlanck reminds us that Muslims have always been a part of American society. He also hammers home the point that the Islamic faith has so much to offer the United States - and humanity at large.
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Roger DeBlanck has conjured a richly detailed and humane portrait of a Civil War-era Muslim, originally from the Bornu kingdom in Africa, and his journey to and life in the United States. Warmly atmospheric and carefully researched, it will transport readers to another time, while exploring themes crucial for our own.
Apart from the Native Americans, some came to this country as immigrants, and others were forced ashore as slaves. What I learned and what many readers will too is many of the slaves were Muslims. Roger DeBlanck’s novel shines a spotlight on this largely unknown fact of American history. The novel has a handful of Muslim characters with the narrator of the tale being Isa Muhammad Rahman. He is representative of a wise teacher and kind soul with a great knowledge of Islam’s peace that he shares w
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Prayers from the Far Quarter brings new stories to attention during the Civil War and the building of America. Even though the character of Isa Muhammad Rahman’s story is from the Civil War period, it sounds like it is from today. The United States was not built by just the blood, sweat, and tears of white Christians, but on the backs of black slaves, many of whom were Muslims with some of them fighting on the Union side. These Muslims were amazingly intelligent people brought to enslavement to
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Isa, the main character, is a Muslim brought from Africa to England then onto his enslavement in America during the Civil War era. Isa tells his own story in a compelling voice that reads like his own personal memoir. This allowed me as a reader to truly embrace Isa’s strong feelings and beliefs. Isa and his family’s sacrifices recorded in his story read as part of the building of the United States of America. This was an awakening for me to learn the important contributions of Muslims in United
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I must confess that much of what I know about culture, history, society, geography I have gleaned from the pages of novels. This is not to say that I do not read non-fiction. I do, and voraciously. It is just that I find that a sweeping narrative that is engaging and entertaining, and that also contains useful information imparts a more lasting impression upon me. I have lived within a stone’s throw of the Chesapeake for forty years and I find that most of my knowledge of its history, culture, a
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Prayers from the Far Quarter is an incredible piece of work by author Roger Deblanck. It is highly intelligent, well researched, well written, well constructed and thought provoking.
I enjoyed it a great deal. The story moves quickly but is extremely detailed at the same time. The character description and development is outstanding. Each character is believable and easy to picture. The main character is a steadfast individual who does not waver from his principles. The scenery is explained in d ...more
I enjoyed it a great deal. The story moves quickly but is extremely detailed at the same time. The character description and development is outstanding. Each character is believable and easy to picture. The main character is a steadfast individual who does not waver from his principles. The scenery is explained in d ...more
A well-researched, easy to read book chronicling the life of a young Muslim man named Isa. Isa is continually confronted with struggle, but always remains faithful, and continues to fight the good fight. Instead of being beaten down by the constant oppression he faces due to his skin color he takes these opportunities share the positive messages of his faith to accept all people's regardless of race and faith to create a just society which brings him to work alongside notable figures in U.S./Wor
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This book is an amazing story. In today's climate of equality it is a very poignant example of the types of stories we should hear more of in America. I have also never read a more positive representation of Islam. The author educated me, took me to another time, and filled me with emotional satisfaction. The main character will be someone I remember and think about on a regular basis. An awesome read and one that can help our nation in this turbulent time.
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Roger DeBlanck is the author of four novels: Prayers from the Far Quarter, The Destruction of Silence, The Sky Buries All Sorrow, and The Ramos Brothers Trust Castro and Kennedy. He also has a book of poetry, Empire of the Mind. He has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a master’s degree in Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He
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