Robin Arthur

The Island of Habarra Robin Arthur

The Island of Habarra traces the lives ofexpatriate workers who leave their families and homes behind to look foranother future on an island in the Indian Ocean. Habarrais a global village and becomes home and hell for¿ Marites, theFilipino maid, the only hope of her family in Manila. Swami, the construction worker from the South Indian state of Kerala, whose head is filled with dreams of wealth - paysthe price for it. British housewife Bubblegum, who comes to Habarrato join her husband is, instead, drawn into adangerous cult. And Roger, the Canadian journalist¿ gets more than he bargained for. Their ambitions matchthat of the Island of Habbaraand their fates are inextricably linked to it. With its oil wealth and appetitefor modernization, it gives its inhabitants hope, laughter - but tragedy aswell. The Island of Habarrais modeled on life in the oil-rich Persian Gulf states. The fortunes of oil in thesixties of the last century shifted the spotlight on a region once littlerecognized on the world map. So when the British - the principal imperialistswith a mandate to the oil concessions - left its shores, these states turned toneighboring countries for a workforce that would quickly build a nation withbrick and mortar. Through the lives of thesecharacters, the history and nature of¿ this Island¿ is revealed. Dreams and realities, wealth andrace as the measure of human importance, innocence and malice are all weavedinto an¿ intricatestory line¿ which¿ gives the reader a peep into that world¿ the West has looked at with suspicion andcuriosity.