Naphtalene

Seen through the eyes of a strong-willed and perceptive young girl, 'Naphtalene' beautifully captures the atmosphere of Baghdad in the 1940s and 1950s. Through her rich and lyrical descriptions, Alia Mamdouh vividly recreates a city of public steam baths, roadside, butchers and childhood games played in the same streets where political demonstrations against British colonialism are beginning to take place.