Solist Book Club for Inspiration’s choice for April 2025:

Our pick for April 2025 is the Saudi novel “Love Stories on al-Asha Street” by Badriah Al-Bishr.

We chose to read this novel together right after Ramadan because it was recently adapted into a TV series. But true book lovers always lean toward the original — the written version — and this particular novel holds a unique charm. It transports us to Saudi Arabia before the rise of religious conservatism that followed the Grand Mosque seizure in the late 1970s.

Through her realistic and immersive writing, Badriah Al-Bishr brings us into the heart of Al-Asha Street in Riyadh, telling the stories of its residents — especially the women.
Every woman in the novel carries her own journey — with life, love, and marriage — but more importantly, the story allows us to understand how their lives changed after the emergence of the “Promotion of Virtue” movement, which reshaped women’s roles and status in society.

The novel offers a glimpse into a Saudi Arabia that was transformed over more than three decades, with stories that reflect real life and the evolution of society.

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The content of the box changes every month and always includes the Book of the Month, plus handpicked items from our team to spark creativity, inspiration, and a positive outlook on life.