In the tradition of A Year in Provence and Under the Tuscan Sun , acclaimed English travel writer Tahir Shah shares a highly entertaining account of making an exotic dream come true. By turns hilarious and harrowing, here is the story of his family’s move from the gray skies of London to the sun-drenched city of Casablanca, where Islamic tradition and African folklore converge–and nothing is as easy as it seems….

Inspired by the Moroccan vacations of his childhood, Tahir Shah dreamed of making a home in that astonishing country. At age thirty-six he got his chance. Investing what money he and his wife, Rachana, had, Tahir packed up his growing family and bought Dar Khalifa, a crumbling ruin of a mansion by the sea in Casablanca that once belonged to the city’s caliph, or spiritual leader.

With its lush grounds, cool, secluded courtyards, and relaxed pace, life at Dar Khalifa seems sure to fulfill Tahir’s fantasy–until he discovers that in many ways he is farther from home than he imagined. For in Morocco an empty house is thought to attract jinns, invisible spirits unique to the Islamic world. The ardent belief in their presence greatly hampers sleep and renovation plans, but that is just the beginning. From elaborate exorcism rituals involving sacrificial goats to dealing with gangster neighbors intent on stealing their property, the Shahs must cope with a new culture and all that comes with it.

Endlessly enthralling, The Caliph’s House charts a year in the life of one family who takes a tremendous gamble. As we follow Tahir on his travels throughout the kingdom, from Tangier to Marrakech to the Sahara, we discover a world of fierce contrasts that any true adventurer would be thrilled to call home.

From the Hardcover edition.

塔希尔•沙阿，记者、纪录片制作人和作家。出身阿富汗名门，从小在摩洛哥长大，成年后在英国求学，兼具东西方文化背景。目前为止已经出书十余本并拍摄有若干部纪录片，他还经常在多种期刊杂志上发表文章和学术论文并为《华盛顿邮报》等报纸撰写书评。他的作品已经被翻译成十四种语言。《哈里发的神殿》被美国《时代周刊》评选为年度十佳图书之一并被英国BBC第四广播电台的《每周一书》栏目选用。

沙阿是积极搭建“东西方桥梁”的倡导者。9/11事件后沙阿投入大量时间和精力致力于构建“文化之桥”并推动这一运动的发展。

沙阿一家至今依然平静而满足地生活在卡萨布兰卡。