A passionate record of death and mourning

18 June 2026, The Tablet

A passionate record of death and mourning

KHALID LYAMLAHY, TRANSLATED BY ROS SCHWARTZ
(HOPE ROAD, 142 PP, £12.99)
TABLET BOOKSHOP PRICE £11.69 • TEL 020 7799 4064

A true story sparked off this passionate record of death and mourning. In January 2017, Pateh Sabally, a 22-year old Gambian refugee living in Italy since 2015, arrived in Venice from Milan. Leaving his backpack near the Scalzi Bridge, sealing his train ticket and residence in a plastic pouch, he then plunged into the cold waters of the Grand Canal and drowned, amidst the gaze of onlookers, some horrified, some mocking, but none willing to save him.

Get Instant Access

Continue Reading

Register for free to read this article in full

Subscribe for unlimited access

From just £37.50 quarterly

  Print copy of The Tablet delivered directly to your door.
  Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
  Access to the weekly digital copy of The Tablet.
  Full access to The Tablet’s archive – over 180 years of back issues.

Already a subscriber? Login

Article end