Summary: Craig Thompson is a comics creator from Portland, Oregon, highly regarded for his previous graphic novels Goodbye Chunky Rice and Blankets. His latest work, Habibi, is a kind of postmodern fairy tale, set in an imaginary Middle Eastern country with both ancient and modern elements. The 672-page graphic novel is the saga of two child slaves, Dodola and Zam, whose unconventional love story is intertwined with tales from the Koran and Islamic mysticism, supplemented with Craig Thompson's gorgeously intricate, lush illustrations. Grace caught up with Craig Thompson to discuss Habibi, which is available now from Allen & Unwin in hardcover, priced at $39.99. Originally broadcast on Zed Book Club on 9 February 2012.
