First published 2008
When Osama al-Kharrat returns to Beirut after years abroad, his father lies dying—triggering an intricate tapestry of family stories that span generations. As relatives gather, the ancient art of hakawati storytelling breathes life into mythic tales of Arab history: warriors, lovers, and trickster spirits emerge alongside contemporary narratives of war-torn Lebanon. Osama becomes both witness and vessel, absorbing generational memories that pulse between reality and legend. Each story layers upon another, revealing how personal histories intersect with broader cultural traumas, creating a rich mosaic of survival, identity, and narrative resilience. At its heart, this is a testament to storytelling's power—how remembered tales can heal, transform, and preserve human experience when political realities threaten to obliterate individual voices.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, middle-east, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: intergenerational, oral-history
Setting: Beirut, Middle East
513 pages · Hardcover · Picador