Without warning and with great secrecy, this autumn’s big book bomb will be dropped on Tuesday morning.
Now Abida Raja (49) tells her story about growing up in the same family that little brother Abid Raja (46) told about in the best-selling book “My fault”.
– But this is not a counter-book or a sequel to “My fault”. This is a book that was started a full seven years ago, and which has taken a long time before Abida Raja himself was ready to publish.
– Now she is ready, says publisher Cathrine Sandnes at JM Stenersen forlag.
When Kagge and sub-publisher JM Stenersen forlag presented the autumn’s books at the beginning of August, there was one book that was not mentioned a word, namely “Abida Raja. Freedom’s moment” – written by VG journalist Håkon F. Høydal. It is JM Stenersen who publishes the book, VG has nothing to do with the publication.
Abida Raja herself does not want to comment on the book until it is published, but brother Abid Raja tells VG that she has his full support.
– It is incredibly brave of her to publish this book. It takes a lot of courage as a Pakistani woman to tell about what she has experienced, says Abid Raja.
Because he fears the consequences.
– Although my books have had consequences for me, the consequences for her will be enormous: She must be prepared to be ostracized by the extended family and to be hated in parts of the Pakistani community.
– I know what I’m talking about, but the difference is the one a’ that separates our names. She is a woman, I am a man, says Abid.
The book will be released tomorrow, Tuesday, at 8am – without warning.
The main reason for all the secrecy is Abida Raja’s own situation.
– It is the police who have advised us not to tell about the book because of Abida Raja’s situation. We do not want to say much more about this, but it is, among other things, about the fact that individuals probably do not want this book to be published.
– Abida Raja has also lived with various security measures for many years, and out of consideration for her, we try to do this as gently as possible, says Sandnes.
She explains that it has been a special situation for a publisher to be in. Usually people who are mentioned in a non-fiction book will be allowed to read through in advance.
– It is not a desirable situation, but for us it is important that this book is published, it is important for society. And it is extremely important for Abida Raja to tell her story – so that we will know what life has been like for her, but also for many other women of her age, says Sandnes.
– This will be an important testimony of something that also happens to this day.
Abida Raja grew up in the 1980s in the center of Oslo. She went to a Norwegian school, but didn’t know anyone. In the description of the book it is said:
“As the eldest sister in one of Norway’s most famous Norwegian-Pakistani families, she has been silent about her life as a child, youth and adult. Now she finally dares to tell.”
Unlike her politician brother, Abida has never appeared in public, and in consultation with the publisher she only wants to comment on the book after it has been published.
Author Håkon F. Høydal had his first meeting with Abida Raja in 2015.
Abida, the mother of four, was then living in a dormitory alone – and was in the process of breaking away from her marriage.
– It was a powerful meeting with a woman who worked very hard to build her own life, a woman who had a desire to be free and live a free life, says Høydal.
Since then they have had 50-60 meetings.
– It has been a demanding process, and although the book has actually been almost finished for two years, it has been important to wait until Abida was ready. This has been a liberating process for her, says Høydal.
– Did something change when Abid Raja came out with “My fault” last year – where he also talks about growing up in this family?
– WE have not added or changed anything as a result. In Abida’s book he is included as her brother, says Høydal.
“My fault” was last year’s best-selling book by far, and Abid Raja’s story about his own childhood and tough struggle has only continued to sell.
Publisher Cathrine Sandnes emphasizes that this has not accelerated or influenced the publication of Abida’s book, but she clearly sees that it will increase interest in it.
– The interest is probably greater, yes. Many people have read Abid’s book, and the fact that you now get a story about growing up as a girl in the same family is unique. Because it is only the a that separates the two. She was a girl, he was a boy – and their lives have become so completely different, says Sandnes.
– It is the same family, the same parents, the same culture, the same strictness, but part of her motivation for telling her story is that you, as a woman in this environment, are not met in the same way. And still as a divorced Pakistani woman struggles with day-to-day life, says Sandnes.
Abid Raja has been keen to talk about how important it was that he was seen and picked up by society at large, that it saved him.
– While I was seen and helped by many in Norwegian society, Abida was not. For her, it ended in disaster. This is a story about how it usually goes when you’ve had the kind of childhood we’ve had, says Raja.
He says that in his book he has, so to speak, not mentioned his sister.
– I could not hand her over. Only in one place in my book is there a small hint: That’s when I’ve ended up in child welfare and I go home and knock, but there’s no one home – and I learn that they’ve gone to Pakistan to marry off my sister.
– She is free now, but it is a strong and painful story she tells about in the book. We have supported each other since we were children and young people, and she also does not want to be alone now that she publishes this book, says Raja.
When VG meets publisher Cathrine Sandnes and author and VG journalist Håkon F. Høydal at the publishing house on Friday, there is a tense atmosphere.
Not since Helga Hjorth’s counter-book to her sister Vigdis Hjort’s controversial “Heritage and environment” in 2017 has a book been published in the same way – without warning.
– There have been many considerations to be made regarding this release. We’ve also tried to prepare Abida as best we can, but obviously it’s scary right now. My hope is that in six months Abida will feel joy and pride and draw strength from this, says Sandnes.
