Rabih Alameddine Libros

Soprannominata “La Divina” da suo nonno, in omaggio a Sarah Bernhardt, Sarah Nour el-Din, la protagonista del romanzo, è nata a Beirut e cresce negli anni difficili della guerra civile. Eppure, non si abbatte e non perde mai, anche nelle situazioni più difficili, la sua smagliante voglia di vita e il suo desiderio di piacere. Nelle trasgressioni dell’adolescenza – la prima sigaretta, il primo bacio, la ribellione verso la severa matrigna, la scoperta dell’eros – e nell’età adulta – in cui affronta il fallimento del proprio matrimonio, la perdita del figlio e l’internamento di una sorella – Sarah rimane profondamente se stessa e decide di raccontare, senza pudori e senza remore, la sua storia. Rabih Alameddine firma un altro ritratto di una splendida figura femminile, in un romanzo audace, divertente e commovente.

Así empieza a hablar Osama, el hombre recién llegado a Beirut que a lo largo de estas páginas nos desvelará los secretos de su estrafalaria familia y muy en especial del abuelo, un hombre que había dedicado su vida al ilustre oficio de contar historias en bares y mercados. Nadie como él sabía hablar de héroes y villanos, de princesas y esclavas, de tesoros ocultos en ciudades encantadas; nadie sabía mezclar tan sabiamente los hilos de la realidad y la leyenda; nadie, en fin, mejor que él para hacer de la vida un cuento mágico. Osama decide seguir los pasos del abuelo y El contador de historias es su manera de llevarnos a un mundo donde todo es posible, incluso la felicidad.

WINNER OF THE PEN/FAULKNER AWARD FOR FICTION 2022. 'A beautiful, well paced, enraging, funny and heartbreaking book' - The Guardian. 'Spectacular . . . deeply poignant' - New York Times. Mina Simpson, a Lebanese doctor, arrives at the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece, after being called by a friend who runs an NGO. Distanced from her family except for her brother, Mina has long avoided her homeland. With a week off work and separated from her wife of thirty years, she seeks to make a meaningful impact among the many Western volunteers. Soon, a boat arrives carrying Sumaiya, a determined Syrian matriarch battling terminal liver cancer. She hides her diagnosis from her family, fiercely protecting them. As Mina and Sumaiya bond over this secret, Mina prepares a treatment plan with limited resources while grappling with the broader issues of displacement and her own limitations in providing aid. This narrative introduces a compelling heroine, leading readers through one of today's most pressing humanitarian crises. Alameddine skillfully intertwines stories of other refugees, creating a vibrant tapestry of tragic yet humorous portraits of resilient spirits. 'Alameddine hits a distinctly contemporary note with this new book about refugees . . . it feels totally authentic' - Sunday Times.

Aaliya Sohbi, a solitary woman in Beirut, navigates her reclusive existence filled with unshared literary translations and reflections on her tumultuous past. As she confronts her identity as an 'unnecessary appendage' in her family, her accidental hair mishap sparks a late-life crisis. Through her vibrant thoughts on literature, philosophy, and art, Aaliya grapples with memories of the Lebanese Civil War and the challenges of aging. A looming disaster forces her to reconsider her fragile life and the choices that have defined her.

Following the critical and commercial success of An Unnecessary Woman, Alameddine delivers a spectacular portrait of a man and an era of profound political and social upheaval.