In Abdulrazak Gurnah's stunning debut, 'Memory of Departure', a young man named Hassan Omar is desperate to escape the suffocating poverty of his coastal African town. He places all his hopes on a prosperous uncle in Nairobi, dreaming of a fresh start. This powerful coming-of-age story delves into the complexities of family dynamics, post-colonial disillusionment, and the painful search for selfhood. Gurnah masterfully portrays the harsh realities and emotional toll of migration, creating a poignant narrative about the struggle to leave one's past behind in a world rife with corruption and limited opportunities.