Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel opens by following the parallel but starkly different coming-of-age stories of Karim and Badar. Which character’s journey did you find more compelling, and why? Did your feelings about either character change significantly by the end?

2. How does this novel’s exploration of displacement and postcolonial identity compare to Gurnah’s other works, such as Paradise (1994) or Afterlives (2020)? If this was your first time reading his work, what elements of his storytelling stood out to you?

3. The title of the book is Theft, which relates directly to the false accusation against Badar. What other forms of theft—of history, identity, or happiness—did you notice throughout the narrative? Who do you think is the biggest thief in the novel?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The novel presents many forms of patronage, from Ali’s unconditional support for Karim to Uncle Othman’s cruel and conditional shelter for Badar. Have you ever felt burdened by apparent generosity? Do you think that sense of obligation was intentional?

2. Karim’s ambition drives him to abandon his family. Have you ever witnessed ambition, in yourself or others, lead to unintended negative consequences in personal relationships?

3. The story explores the tension between tradition and modernity, symbolized by the divide between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. How does the tension between community obligation and individual desire resonate in your own life?

4. Fauzia and her friend Hawa have very different aspirations, with Hawa drawn to the glamorous Western lifestyles depicted in foreign magazines. What do you think shapes our ambitions, and how do we determine which goals are authentic to us versus those we adopt from outside influences?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The story is set during Tanzania’s economic liberalization, which introduced new opportunities in tourism and development. How do the characters’ career paths—Karim in development, Hawa in a travel agency, and Badar at the hotel—reflect the social changes occurring at the time?

2. Geraldine Bruno’s arrival as a Western volunteer immediately disrupts the social dynamics of the novel. What does her character, and Karim’s infatuation with her, suggest about neocolonial attitudes or the allure of the “West” in a postcolonial setting?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Gurnah uses a fragmented narrative, shifting between the perspectives of different characters and timelines. What effect did these shifts have on your reading experience? Why do you think Gurnah used it?

2. Badar and Karim are presented as foils. What specific moments or decisions best highlight the fundamental differences between their characters and values?

3. Houses and rooms serve as a powerful motif reflecting the characters’ social and emotional states. How do such spaces shape the characters’ lives and identities?

4. The novel frequently withholds key information from both the reader and from characters like Badar, who is unaware of his own family history. How does this create suspense? How does it involve the reader in the novel’s exploration of the past?

5. How does Badar’s experience as a servant who is also a secret relative compare to the portrayal of service in other novels, such as Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day (1989)? What does each novel reveal about dignity, loyalty, and identity within such a role?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Picture the lives of Badar, Fauzia, and Nasra five years after the novel’s conclusion. What does their shared future hold for them as they continue to heal and build a new family together?

2. Design a monument that captures one of the book’s central themes. What would this monument look like, what materials would you use, and where in Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam would you place it to best reflect its meaning?