Tuma's Books
Reading for Charity: Sudan
Reading for Charity: Sudan
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For March, we are amplifying the crisis in Sudan and showing the Sudanese people that they are not alone.
These amazing titles by Sudanese writers will steal your heart:
- The January Children by Safia Elhillo
- No Time to Mourn: An Anthology by Sudanese Women, edited by Hilda J. Twongyeirwe
- River Spirit by Leila Aboulela.
20% of all sales from these titles will be donated to the Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA) organization.
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ABOUT THESE BOOKS BY SUDANESE AUTHORS
The January Children by Safia Elhillo (Paperback)
In her dedication Safia Elhillo writes, "The January Children are the generation born in Sudan under British occupation, where children were assigned birth years by height, all given the birth date January 1." What follows is a deeply personal collection of poems that describe the experience of navigating the postcolonial world as a stranger in one's own land.
The January Children depicts displacement and longing while also questioning accepted truths about geography, history, nationhood, and home. The poems mythologize family histories until they break open, using them to explore aspects of Sudan's history of colonial occupation, dictatorship, and diaspora. Several of the poems speak to the late Egyptian singer Abdelhalim Hafez, who addressed many of his songs to the asmarani--an Arabic term of endearment for a brown-skinned or dark-skinned person. Elhillo explores Arabness and Africanness and the tensions generated by a hyphenated identity in those two worlds.
No longer content to accept manmade borders, Elhillo navigates a new and reimagined world. Maintaining a sense of wonder in multiple landscapes and mindscapes of perpetually shifting values, she leads the reader through a postcolonial narrative that is equally terrifying and tender, melancholy and defiant.
No Time to Mourn: An Anthology by Sudanese Women by Hilda J. Twongyeirwe (Paperback)
No Time to Mourn is a collection of short stories, poems, artwork and photography penned, produced and presented by South Sudanese women. It reflects the lives of the women writers and artists, and at the same time gives voice to the very real lived experiences and lives of every woman of South Sudanese heritage. The ideas and experiences in this book span decades they straddle borders, they cross continents and describe events that are hard to imagine, even with some knowledge of South Sudan's history. It is hard not to be moved as you read what many of these authors have lived through as they strive to achieve those basic of human rights: life, liberty and security. Through this book, we learn more about the cost of war and the value of peace, and how they affect women's abilities to found a home, bear and raise children, stay healthy and safe, secure education for themselves and their children, seek professional fulfilment and even fall in love, all while navigating society's often narrowly defined gender roles.
River Spirit by Leila Aboulela (Paperback)
The spellbinding new novel from New York Times Notable Author and Caine Prize winner Leila Aboulela about an embattled young woman's coming of age during the Mahdist War in 19th century Sudan.
Leila Aboulela, hailed as "a versatile prose stylist" ( New York Times) has also been praised by J.M. Coetzee, Ali Smith, and Ben Okri, among others, for her rich and nuanced novels depicting Islamic spiritual and political life. Her new novel is an enchanting narrative of the years leading up to the British conquest of Sudan in 1898, and a deeply human look at the tensions between Britain and Sudan, Christianity and Islam, colonizer and colonized. In River Spirit, Aboulela gives us the unforgettable story of a people who--against the odds and for a brief time--gained independence from foreign rule through their willpower, subterfuge, and sacrifice.
When Akuany and her brother Bol are orphaned in a village raid in South Sudan, they're taken in by a young merchant Yaseen who promises to care for them, a vow that tethers him to Akuany through their adulthood. As a revolutionary leader rises to power - the self-proclaimed Mahdi, prophesied redeemer of Islam - Sudan begins to slip from the grasp of Ottoman rule, and everyone must choose a side. A scholar of the Qur'an, Yaseen feels beholden to stand against this false Mahdi, even as his choice splinters his family. Meanwhile, Akuany moves through her young adulthood and across the country alone, sold and traded from house to house, with Yaseen as her inconsistent lifeline. Everything each of them is striving for - love, freedom, safety - is all on the line in the fight for Sudan.
Through the voices of seven men and women whose fates grow inextricably linked, Aboulela's latest novel illuminates a fraught and bloody reckoning with the history of a people caught in the crosshairs of imperialism. River Spirit is a powerful tale of corruption, coming of age, and unshakeable devotion - to a cause, to one's faith, and to the people who become family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review the answers to common questions and concerns or contact us.
What is the Monthly Diverse Reads service?
Each month, choose from a carefully handpicked selection of books by diverse authors that you likely haven't heard of before, intended to broaden your horizons and expand your perspectives with diverse reads! Let Tuma do the hard work of finding you the best reads to diversify your reading list.
Each shipment includes: the book(s) of your choice, packed with branded freebies, bookmarks, and a personalized note handwritten from Tuma.
There is a one time, subscribe, pre-pay, and Mystery book club options to suit everyone.
What are Bargain Books? Can you share more about Used Books?
Bargain Books are unsold overstock books returned to publishers from big box stories like Target, BJs, or Costco. They are marked as "reminders" with a small dot or slash across the pages.
These books can then be repurchased by indie bookstores, like Tuma's Books, at huge discounts that can be passed onto their customers, like you!
There may be stickers or light scuff marks, which I will indicate in the condition. However, Bargain Books are generally in like-new condition. Any minor defects do not take away from the reading experience. Books are also carefully dusted/ wiped/ disinfected because sometimes they arrive a little dusty having been sitting on shelves for a while.
It's an affordable way to diversify your reading that I'm happy to offer.
Quantities for Bargain Books are very limited. Grab the titles you want most as soon as you see them listed, as books may or may not be restocked quickly at that price. It depends on what's available from the distributors.
If you have additional questions about Bargain Books, please email me at info@tumasbooks.com.
Used Books are sold from Tuma's personal book collection. Often bought new and gently read once. They may have post-it tabs or light underlining in pencil.
Any books that are in less than great condition will be marked down even more and noted, so you can shop confidently. If you have ANY concerns about the condition of a book, please email, text, or DM me for additional photos.
Bargain and Used Books are final sale. No returns, refunds, or exchanges.
Do you offer free shipping and returns?
Yes! I want to make shopping with me as easy and worry-free as possible. Shipping for monthly subscriptions is free. We also offer free shipping promotions throughout the year. Sign up for our newsletter so you never miss one.
While we hope you love all of our items, we are happy to email you a return label free of charge. See our full policy for more details.
Do you offer international shipping?
As a very small business, I don't have the monthly shipping volume required by carriers to get the best discounts that could be passed onto customers. What that means is that shipping worldwide is expensive for customers. If you are able to pay the shipping costs, I am happy to ship your book. You will see the calculated costs when you are checking out.
Where do books ship from?
Since I don't have a physical location, my main in-house inventory are Monthly Diverse Reads titles, Bargain Books, and Blind Date with a Book. In order to bring you a wider selection of diverse books, I've partnered with Bookshop.org to fulfill orders.
Books from the distributor typically ship in 1-3 business days in brown packaging and arrive within 2-9 business days via USPS Media Mail, unless you select Priority Shipping, which is 1-3 business days. Books usually arrive much faster than these estimates.
If I have a book in-house, I will ship it within 3-5 business days, in a purple bubble mailer. (I am also a full-time teacher, so thank you in advance for your patience.) If you have questions, please reach out to me at info@tumasbooks.com or 347-470-0085 (text).
I've tracked my order, but it says, "Shipping label created, USPS awaiting item." What does this mean?
It can mean a few things. One, that I've prepared your package and purchased postage but haven't taken a trip to my local post office yet.
Or two, I've dropped off your package, but my local post office hasn't scanned it yet. Sometimes, when there are too many packages, 1-2 might not be scanned before being loaded onto delivery trucks. Typically, it may scan at a later delivery point in a few days or sometimes not until it's been delivered.
Or three, it's been lost in the mail. USPS is generally reliable (in terms of getting our mail to us...eventually) so this is often not the case. Packages are usually delayed and not lost. However, if you have not received your package within 12 business days, please email me at info@tumasbooks.com and I will investigate. If needed, rest assured that you will receive an immediate refund or replacement if I find that the package has been likely lost in the mail.
I entered the wrong shipping address. Can you help?
I can change the shipping address as long as the order hasn't been shipped. I work fast to get your items to you quickly, so hurry! Send me an email as soon as you can at info@TumasBooks.com. Once the order has been shipped, it's unfortunately out of my hands. You can contact your local post office/delivery service for help.
Where's the rest of my order?!
I conduct my business out of my home office. So, I don't have all older monthly book club titles readily in stock. Most books ship from a fulfillment warehouse and store merch & gifts ship directly from the supplier or a warehouse. That is why ou will receive your order in separate packages. Just keep your eye on the tracking numbers, or reach out to me at any time.
Can I add gift wrap or a gift note?
For online bookstore orders, yes! Leave a note during checkout. For bookstore merch and gifts, I ship items directly from the suppliers and am unable to provide special gift notes or wrapping. However, you can send us a message to request a special shout-out for the gift recipient on our Facebook or Instagram page.
What if my items never arrive or arrive damaged?
I want my book lovers to be happy! So, we make returns super easy. If your items arrive damaged or never arrives based on tracking information (or it's been more than 30 business days), send me an email at info@TumasBooks.com or use the contact form and let me know. I will happily help you return the product to us and offer a refund. Read our full return/refund policy for more details.
Are there any current sales or promotions?
You can be the first to learn about our sales and promotions by signing up for my newsletters.
How do I leave an order note for my monthly subscription or pre-paid orders?
Log into your account to see your subscriptions. Click "see more details" button. You're now able to see your current, upcoming, past shipments. Here, you can also update your order note to let me know which title you'd like next.
I have a question that hasn't been answered.
Please reach out to me. I'll be happy to hear from you. You can email me at info@TumasBooks.com. You can visit the contact page to send a message. Lastly, you can shoot me a text at 347-470-0085. I'll get back to you within 24 hours or less.