Mohamed Abdulkarim Ali

Mohamed Abdulkarim Ali
Born1985 (age 38–39)
Mogadishu
NationalityCanadian
OccupationWriter

Mohamed Abdulkarim Ali is a Somali-Canadian writer.[1][2][3] Ali wrote his first book, a memoir, Angry Queer Somali Boy, while living in a shelter for homeless men in Toronto.[4]

Early life

Ali was born in a traditional Somali family in Somalia in 1985.[5] His estranged father took him from his mother when he was young, and Ali then lived with his father, step-mother, and step-sisters in Abu Dhabi.[4] His father then lied to apply for refugee status in The Netherlands.

While still a youth, his family immigrated to Canada.[4] Ali developed problems with over-using drugs and alcohol.[6]

Writing career

The CBC described his book in an article on important books on mental health.[2]

The Advocate described his book in an article on "The Best LGBTQ Memoirs of 2019".[7]

The CBC placed his book on their recommended reading list for the winter of 2020.[3]

References

  1. ^ "16 powerful memoirs to give this holiday season". CBC Books. 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2020-01-29. Angry Queer Somali Boy combines Ali's personal story with the history of and commentary on the places he's called home: Somalia, Europe and Canada.
  2. ^ a b "15 Canadian books to read about mental health". CBC Books. 2019-05-07. Retrieved 2020-01-29. Angry Queer Somali Boy is a memoir by Mohamed Abdulkarim Ali, a young man who left Somalia, spent time in the Netherlands and ended up homeless in Canada.
  3. ^ a b "The CBC Books winter reading list: 40 books to read to kick off 2020". CBC Books. 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2020-01-29. Canada was the promised land, but when he didn't fit in and life was more difficult than he expected, Ali turned to drugs and partying before finding his way.
  4. ^ a b c Hasan Namir (October 2019). "Mohamed Abdulkarim Ali". Quill & Quire. Retrieved 2020-01-29. Ali spent the period from March 2017 to July 2019 writing Angry Queer Somali Boy, while living in a Toronto men's shelter. He says that whenever he had to pause for treatment, his editors and publishers 'were super understanding and supportive.'
  5. ^ "Mohamed Abdulkarim Ali". uofrpress.ca. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  6. ^ "Exile, addiction and racism: what it means to be a gay, Muslim immigrant | CBC Radio". CBC. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  7. ^ "The Best LGBTQ Memoirs of 2019". The Advocate. 2019-12-30. Retrieved 2020-01-29. Angry Queer Somali Boy is interwoven with a contextual background of world history and sociopolitical commentary on both the East and West, from the vantage point of a gay Muslim immigrant.