Who Is Abdulrazak Gurnah? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Abdulrazak Gurnah was born on December 20, 1948, making him 76 years old as of 2025. A Tanzanian novelist, Gurnah is celebrated for his exploration of themes like identity, displacement, and colonial legacies, with a focus on the experience of East African refugees. He gained worldwide recognition when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2021 for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents.
| Occupation | Essayist |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 20, 1948 |
| Age | 76 Years |
| Birth Place | Sultanate of Zanzibar |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country |
Popularity
Abdulrazak Gurnah's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details regarding Abdulrazak Gurnah's height and weight in 2025 remain private, it is widely recognized that he has maintained a dignified appearance throughout his literary career. His exact measurements, including body type and features, can often be overshadowed by his profound literary works and insights.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Gurnah is known to maintain a level of privacy regarding his personal life, making it challenging to provide information regarding his family, dating, or relationship status as of 2025. There isn’t much publicly available data about any romantic relationships, including whether he has a boyfriend or girlfriend.
He left the island, which later became part of Tanzania, at the age of 18 following the overthrow of the ruling Arab elite in the Zanzibar Revolution, arriving in England in 1968 as a refugee. He is of Arab heritage, and his father and uncle were businessmen who had immigrated from Yemen.
Gurnah has been quoted saying, "I came to England when these words, such as asylum-seeker, were not quite the same – more people are struggling and running from terror states."
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Abdulrazak Gurnah's net worth is estimated to be between $1 million to $5 million. Following his Nobel Prize win, his earnings from book sales, speaking engagements, and literary sponsorships have likely seen a significant increase. Gurnah's novels are not only celebrated but have also been included in various educational curricula, further bolstering his financial success.
Career, Business, and Investments
Gurnah's career spans several decades, with his literary journey beginning in the late 20th century. Some of his most renowned works include Paradise, By the Sea, and Afterlives. Through his novels, Gurnah has provided insight into the complexities of post-colonial identity. Besides writing, he has been a professor of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the University of Kent, contributing to academia and nurturing young writers.
In terms of investments, Gurnah has been known to support various literary initiatives focused on enhancing literacy and promoting literature, particularly within refugee communities, given his own background.
Social Network
Although Gurnah prefers to keep a low profile, he occasionally shares insights on social media through platforms like Twitter, where he engages with readers and fellow writers. His online presence enhances his connection to fans who follow his perspectives on literature, culture, and social issues.
While his first language is Swahili, he has used English as his literary language. However, Gurnah integrates bits of Swahili, Arabic and German into most of his writings.
He has said that he had to push back against publishers to continue this practice and they would have preferred to "italicize or Anglicise Swahili and Arabic references and phrases in his books".
Gurnah has criticised the practices in both British and American publishing that want to "make the alien seem alien" by marking "foreign" terms and phrases with italics or by putting them in a glossary.
As academic Hamid Dabashi notes, Gurnah "is integral to the manner in which Asian and African migratory and diasporic experiences have enriched and altered English language and literature. ...
Calling authors like Gurnah diasporic, exilic, or any other such self-alienating term conceals the fact that English was native to him even before he set foot in England. English colonial officers had brought it home to him."
Education
Abdulrazak Gurnah pursued his education in East Africa before moving to England for further studies. He holds a degree in English and a PhD in Postcolonial Literatures, both of which have contributed to his profound understanding of cultural narratives and historical contexts. His academic background has undeniably shaped his literary voice and influence.
Abdulrazak Gurnah (born 20 December 1948) is a Tanzanian-born British novelist and academic. His novels include Paradise (1994), which was shortlisted for both the Booker and the Whitbread Prize; By the Sea (2001), which was longlisted for the Booker and shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; and Desertion (2005), shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.
