Mario and Abu L-Abbas

A visionary novel of spiritual friendship across centuries.

In Mario and Abu L-Abbas, acclaimed Egyptian author Reem Bassiouney reimagines the extraordinary connection between a 20th-century Italian architect and a 13th-century Andalusian Sufi saint. As stories unfold from war-torn Alexandria to medieval Tunisia, the novel explores exile, memory, and the mysteries of divine love. Translated by Roger Allen, this sweeping tale bridges East and West, past and present—where a sacred mosque becomes the meeting point of history, architecture, and the human soul.