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Tahir Shah
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Casablanca Blues Kindle Edition

by Tahir Shah (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 121 ratings
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Blaine Williams lives and breathes Casablanca.

He's trapped in a make-believe world of Bogart and Bergman, of smoke-filled cafés, of fugitives and hit men.

And he's having a mid-life crisis.

Having lost his girlfriend, his job, and his home, he flees to the one place that has always symbolized comfort in times of sorrow and despair - CASABLANCA.

Diving in at the deep end of Morocco's most misunderstood city, Blaine is sucked down through the many interwoven layers until he hits its bedrock... with a thump!

And it's there that he meets Ghita, a fabulously wealthy socialite...who's got a plan for him - one laced with intrigue and revenge.

Through an adventure played out in twists and turns, Blaine and Ghita find themselves in a storyline straight out of Humphrey Bogart's Casablanca.

Hilarious, poignant, and shocking at times, Casablanca Blues lifts the veil on modern Morocco and conjures a secret realm hidden from travellers and locals alike.

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  1. Print length
    379 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    May 10, 2022
  4. File size
    1.8 MB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B12WWWNF
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 10, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.8 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 379 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 121 ratings

About the author

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Tahir Shah

Tahir Shah

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Tahir Shah was born in London, and raised primarily at the family’s home, Langton House, in the English countryside – where founder of the Boy Scouts, Lord Baden Powell, was also brought up.

Along with his twin and elder sisters, Tahir was continually coaxed to regard the world around him through Oriental eyes. This included being exposed from early childhood to Eastern stories, and to the back-to-front humour of the wise fool, Nasrudin.

Having studied at a leading public school, Bryanston, Tahir took a degree in International Relations, his particular interest being in African dictatorships of the mid-1980s. His research in this area led him to travel alone through a wide number of failing African states, including Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Zaire.

After university, Tahir embarked on a plethora of widespread travels through the Indian subcontinent, Latin America, and Africa, drawing them together in his first travelogue, BEYOND THE DEVIL'S TEETH. In the years that followed, he published more than a dozen works of travel. These quests – for lost cities, treasure, Indian magic, and for the secrets of the so-called Birdmen of Peru – led to what is surely one of the most extraordinary bodies of travel work ever published.

In the early 2000s, with two small children, Tahir moved his young family from an apartment in London’s East End to a supposedly haunted mansion in the middle of a Casablanca shantytown. The tale of the adventure was published in his bestselling book, THE CALIPH'S HOUSE.

In recent years, Tahir Shah has released a cornucopia of work, embracing travel, fiction, and literary criticism. He has also made documentaries for National Geographic TV and the History Channel, and published hundreds of articles in leading magazines, newspapers, and journals. His oeuvre is regarded as exceptionally original and, as an author, he is considered as a champion of the new face of publishing.

www.tahirshah.com

www.twitter.com/humanstew

www.facebook.com/TahirShahAuthor

http://www.youtube.com/user/tahirshah999

www.pinterest.com/tahirshah

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
121 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book entertaining and satisfying to read. They appreciate the engaging storytelling that weaves between the real and surreal. The descriptions of historic places and locales are interesting. Readers appreciate the author's wit and humour, which brings the story to life with a cast of lovable characters. However, opinions differ on the mystery aspect - some find it intriguing and well-crafted, while others consider it predictable and implausible.

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EnjoymentStorytellingAuthenticityWitMystery
18 customers mention "Enjoyment"18 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it entertaining and satisfying to read. It's a good holiday read that takes you on an adventure. Readers describe it as an enjoyable fictional supplement to background reading for a visit to Casablanca, a wonderful journey that captures the timelessness of Morocco.

"...This is not only a very entertaining book told with the art of a true story teller, it should be excellent material for a movie...." Read more

"...is a page-turner for sure, but it is also a mystery, a thriller, an adventure; and somewhere in there, probably a great movie script...." Read more

"...of us who have not travelled to Morocco this is also a great guide for the armchair traveller, particularly because the author's knowledge of this..." Read more

"...the story weaves between the real and the surreal, that is, everyday life and a movie, its hero and a trail of clues to....... (read the book)...." Read more

12 customers mention "Storytelling"12 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging storytelling that weaves between the real and surreal. They find the plot imaginative, with different strands that come together well. The story starts off well and keeps them going until midway when it slowly starts. Readers appreciate the fast-paced narrative with its mix of romance, adventure, suspense, humor, and social satire.

"...The plot is full of different strands which come together well and the suspension is held to the end, as reviewers have already pointed out...." Read more

"...by Tahir Shah is a page-turner for sure, but it is also a mystery, a thriller, an adventure; and somewhere in there, probably a great movie..." Read more

"An incredibly well crafted and imaginative thriller, sprinkled, like an exotic dish, with humour and insightful observations about Morocco in..." Read more

"...know Casablanca (the city) well, but I do know Morocco and this fast paced narrative with its mismatched main characters Blaine and Ghita, who are..." Read more

6 customers mention "Authenticity"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's authenticity. They find the descriptions of historic places and locales interesting. The author's knowledge of Morocco is authentic, with insightful observations about the country and Casablanca.

"...It is iconic, with lines and scenes that are engraved in our cultural pysche...." Read more

"...armchair traveller, particularly because the author's knowledge of this country is authentic - he has lived in Casablanca for some years and imparts..." Read more

"...because every once in awhile there would be an interesting description of a historic place or locale, for example the medina in Marrakech...." Read more

"...loveable characters who illustrate Morocco's fascinating and contradictory culture. I hope they make this one into a movie!" Read more

5 customers mention "Wit"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's wit and insightful observations. They find it hilarious, well-written, and engaging with an entertaining cast of characters.

"...crafted and imaginative thriller, sprinkled, like an exotic dish, with humour and insightful observations about Morocco in general and Casablanca in..." Read more

"...Well written. Fun. Intriguing. Exciting. Good character development." Read more

"...Reminiscent of Carl Hiassen's comic thrillers but with Tahir Shah's sharp wit and keen eye for detail...." Read more

"...CASABLANCA BLUES has everything: romance, adventure, suspense, humor, social satire and much more...." Read more

5 customers mention "Mystery"3 positive2 negative

Customers have different views on the mystery. Some find it intriguing and well-written, with a trail of clues. Others consider it predictable and implausible, with a tame ending.

"...new book by Tahir Shah is a page-turner for sure, but it is also a mystery, a thriller, an adventure; and somewhere in there, probably a great movie..." Read more

"...The end was really tame and predictable. Ghita's transformation was too sudden to be believable. Still good for a one time vacation read...." Read more

"...surreal, that is, everyday life and a movie, its hero and a trail of clues to....... (read the book)...." Read more

"...Predictable. It read like a TV movie from the 1970's/ 1980's... just cheesy and predictable. And implausible." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars CASABLANCA BLUES (A New Movie?)
    Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Taking a few flights from Perth to the north of Thailand, I started reading Casablanca Blues and it reduced the flights from a weary long day to a much shorter journey because of this highly well written and engaging page-turner.
    Reading the reviews here on Amazon I can only agree with what has been said already. After reading the last novel by Tahir `'Eye Spy'', I thought there might be more about the cruelty of human nature, but in this novel there was a contained tension between the love of life and the dark forces which spoil our existence, such as the major theme of CORRUPTION.
    The author had a traumatic experience (see his book ''In Arabian Nights'') in a torture cell in Pakistan, where he went through a mock execution. Eye Spy was more difficult to digest than this latest book (if you are a bit squeamish, like me, about gobbling eyes). The creative writing in the book ''Eye Spy'' seemed to somehow put the dark Mercurial spirit back in the bottle (he spied much of this cruel spirit from behind his blindfold at the time).
    In this new book, Casablanca Blues, there are references to our shadow-side via torture cells in Morocco, but again the creativity with which Tahir Shah lets the story unfold, shows us a containment of the dark forces and human's inability to do away with such darkness via a story full of love and the wish to transcend these dark recesses.
    The plot is full of different strands which come together well and the suspension is held to the end, as reviewers have already pointed out.
    This is not only a very entertaining book told with the art of a true story teller, it should be excellent material for a movie. A good film director would see the potential of the juxtaposition of this work and Casablanca, the classic film. It would engage audiences worldwide, East and West. Could be a blockbuster movie!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Bill Frazier
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Hidden Diamond
    Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    The movie Casablanca has been called one of the greatest movies of all time. It is iconic, with lines and scenes that are engraved in our cultural pysche. The new book by jack-of-all-trades writer Tahir Shah pays homage to the movie, but goes far beyond it, illuminating the timeless nature of the story itself.

    Everyone seems to be on a collusion course with a destiny they never antipicated.

    The cast of characters includes a hopeless dreamer at a dead-end job and the end of his rope; a pampered debuttante who rails at the servants in her Jimmy Choos; a father who is so exasperated he sets his daughter down in the middle of the worst section of Casablanca, and a piano player who was set to the knife in a butchering sex change operation.

    Ghita and Blaine Williams are the odd couple who must somehow find the resources, both internal and external, to rescue Ghita's father.

    This exciting new book by Tahir Shah is a page-turner for sure, but it is also a mystery, a thriller, an adventure; and somewhere in there, probably a great movie script.

    Everyone in this book is changed by the experiences they go through.

    If Tahir Shah has been building a bridge between East and West, then in this tale you might say, he has taken us on an imaginative adventure across the bridge and into a world where our shared humanity shines like a hidden diamond.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Omar
    5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute ripper of a book!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    An incredibly well crafted and imaginative thriller, sprinkled, like an exotic dish, with humour and insightful observations about Morocco in general and Casablanca in particular where the author has made his home. One hero, Blaine, is from the United States and the other, Ghita, a native of Casablanca is a thoroughly spoilt child of a powerful and rich man who has denied her nothing in material things. Put these characters into a plot that includes the quest for a secret treasure associated with the actor Humphrey Bogart, the era of the Second World War, and one man's determination to end the endemic corruption he sees around him and you have a page-turning adventure that did not allow me to put this book down until I had finished it!

    For those of us who have not travelled to Morocco this is also a great guide for the armchair traveller, particularly because the author's knowledge of this country is authentic - he has lived in Casablanca for some years and imparts a 'flavour' to the book that the casual tourist never could. This is definitely a book which I will re-read because, like all of Tahir Shah's books, there are little nuggets of gold often missed in the first read. Regardless of genre, Tahir is, in my opinion, a Master Storyteller! I highly recommend this book.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • ann Roslyn
    5.0 out of 5 stars In a word....Great
    Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I highly recommend this novel. Infact, once I began reading I barely put it down. I love the way the story weaves between the real and the surreal, that is, everyday life and a movie, its hero and a trail of clues to....... (read the book). I don’t know Casablanca (the city) well, but I do know Morocco and this fast paced narrative with its mismatched main characters Blaine and Ghita, who are thrown together on a deadly mission in the multi-leveled society that is Morocco, is fabulous. The pair who are from completely different social spectrums and different cultures, constantly clash, yet like all good novels leads to a satisfying conclusion. In a word...Great.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on December 15, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Fantastic book. Will order from this seller again.
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  • 1000Ballons
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
    Reviewed in Germany on July 6, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Super Buch, vor allen Dingen wenn man schon mal in Casablanca war. Tahir Shah ist ein fantastischer Autor. Spanned, interessant und ein wenig gaga, wie eben die "guten alten Filme"
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  • Christiane Gutbrod
    5.0 out of 5 stars Casablanca Blues, Tahir Shah
    Reviewed in Italy on September 16, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    meraviglioso su tanti strati.
    Ci aiuta capire meglio il nostro mondo - e noi stessi - a parte di essere molto divertente - e impossibile di togliere dalla mano.
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  • Mark Byrne
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
    Reviewed in Spain on April 16, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Like all of his books, I couldn't put down Tahir Shah's latest until I'd finished it. Great fun and a great read.
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  • Ita
    5.0 out of 5 stars Tantalising Thriller
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 21, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I found this thriller where worlds meet, among them East and West, enthralling and tantalising. It defied prediction until the last full stop.

    If you are undecided about whether to buy this book, I recommend a visit to its website. This can be accessed through Tahir Shah's main website, tahirshah.com. It contains an extract of the narrative and photographs of the city as it is now, and as it was seventy years ago when the movie 'Casablanca' was made. You can read articles written by Tahir about Casablanca and watch videos he made, and there are several short clips from the movie. You could not ask for a more delicious taster.

    'Casablanca Blues' is a book which invites you to re-read it, and this I did. Once I was no longer preoccupied with discovering what twists and turns the story would take, I was able to delight in the magical writing, where a city and country are brought to vibrant life with an amazing economy of words. Reading the book slowly, a chapter at a time, allows you to reach a different level where you realise that Blaine, the American hero is a seeker, dissatisfied with life as he has experienced it. Casablanca is the human mind, a spirited place where knowledge and wisdom can be found. The tunnels beneath the city are the Unconscious.
    Tahir Shah is not restricted to the insights of Western psychology. He is also immersed in the psychology of the East and has his finger firmly on the pulse of modern life. This enables him to write a book which is subtly, but very powerfully therapeutic.
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