The Bamboo Stalk Hardcover – Illustrated, 22 September 2015

Read as part of a round-the-world challenge, this Kuwaiti novel was quite compelling, following the plight of Filipino immigrant workers in Kuwait.Narrator Jose/ Isa (his Filipino and Kuwaiti names) is the child of a poor Filipino maid by the son of the wealthy family she works for. Pressure from his scandalized grandmother means the maid is sent back home with her child ... but always the vague promise that he can return one day when the time is right.Brought up in poverty, with a horrible grandfather and prostitute aunt, Jose never quite knows who he is. "I was more like a bamboo plant, which doesn't belong anywhere in particular. You can cut off a piece of the stalk and plant it without roots in any piece of ground...the stalk sprouts new roots and starts to grow again in thew new ground with no past, no memory."His mother doesn't press Catholicism on him, convinced he'll become a muslim one day. And then one day he gets to visit his father's homeland...A sad tale which brings out the prejudice and snobbishness of a supposedly religious country.Not the greatest literature, but quite a good read, maybe *3.5

Very well written, the dilemmas and problems of immigrants well written

The Bamboo Stalk is Saud al Sanousi's fictional account of Issa/José, the legitimate son of a Kuwaiti man and his Filipino maid. It is a story so well written that if you did not know it, you would think that it were true. Once you start the book, you will not want to put it down until the end. It is one of the best books I have ever read in my career.Issa is born in Kuwait to the son of a well-known family and their maid, whom he marries in secrecy. Upon feeling the pressure of family obligation, the father is forced to send Issa and his mother back to the Philippines. It is there that he is known as José. Raised poor in the Philippines, José is told stories about the father he would never know and is despised by his grandfather. Upon reaching adulthood, José is sent for by his father's best friend and soon finds himself in Kuwait where he is known as Issa and recognized by the state as a Kuwaiti citizen. Nonetheless, he has to endure the rejection of his grandmother and aunties. Only his younger sister comes to fully accept him as a member of the family. Ultimately, he has to make a decision to remain in Kuwait as Issa or to return to the Philippines and live as José.I had two basic questions when I started the book. First, as a Kuwaiti, to what extent would he capture the essence of the Philippines and the Filipinos? Second, as a Kuwaiti, to what extent would he be critical of Kuwaiti society and identity? I can I was more than satisfied on both accounts and can confidently claim that had I not known the background of the author prior to reading, I would have never guessed that he was Kuwaiti. In relation to the first question, anyone with an intimate relationship with the Philippines and Filipinos will find Alsanousi's treatment of the Philippine landscape and the reality of the Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) satisfying. As for the second question, Alsanousi's critique of Kuwaiti national identity is so profound that it can be extended to the regional level. It is the national narrative of each of the GCC states- constructed national identities that are used to distinguish between familiar (citizen) and other (non-citizen). What is unique to Issa's situation is that he is treated as familiar by the state but as an other by his family.Some have claimed that it is a novel on the treatment, or mistreatment, of migrant workers, but that is not the case. Instead, it deals with how migrant workers understood their reality in Kuwait and why migrant workers continue to flood into the Gulf States regardless of the situations they face. In the case of Issa, he can sympathize with the workers because of his experiences as both José and Issa yet is paid as a Kuwaiti. In actuality, there is more about religiosity in the novel than there is about mistreatment of migrant workers. The Issa/José protagonist has to navigate between being born a Muslim, raised Catholic, discovering Buddhism while in Manila, and encountering Muslims conservatives, moderates, and Shia while in Kuwait. Interestingly, all of these forces, even Shi'ism according to recent research, have played significant roles in shaping the national narrative of the Philippine nation-state.Finally, The Bamboo Stalk is the journey of a young man who searches for belonging and love, both of which he finds in the end. It is a must read for anyone interested in identity and race in the Gulf, OFWs, and Kuwaiti or Gulf nationality. Any student, teacher, or researcher of contemporary Gulf Studies must make this part of their required reading.

This is an interesting book from a not so well known author in Europe. The book sheds light on several real issues in relation to domestic labour in Kuwait. The story, although a bit corny, in entertaining and reads very easily. Definitely recommend this excellent book

Absolutley loved reading this book! Such an absorbing story!

I’m very pleased with what I received.

Excellent