The Monk of Mokha

Dave Eggers

2018 • 352 pages

Ratings9

Average rating4.6

Mokhtar Alkhanshali grew up in San Francisco, one of seven siblings in a tiny apartment. His parents are immigrants from Yemen. He is a Muslim and he is an American. In 2015 Mokhtar was travelling through Yemen when the country was engulfed in civil war. The US Embassy closed, Saudi bombs rained down on the country, and Mokhtar was trapped. Desperate to escape, he embarked on a nail-biting adventure to get back to America. A heart-pounding true story weaving a visceral portrait of ongoing war with the tale of one courageous young man determined to get home.

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altlovesbooks

So, I don't drink coffee. Much too bitter for me. But I saw this book at the library and was drawn in by the author's description of Mokhtar. I appreciated that the book took time out to discuss Yemeni culture and politics, and even the history of coffee despite not liking the drink. This is a great rags-to-riches story, with some lessons learned along the way.

January 2, 2019