Set against the backdrop of Lebanon, this poignant novel explores the complexities of identity and belonging amidst the turmoil of war. It delves into the lives of its characters, revealing their struggles and resilience in a country marked by conflict. Shortlisted for a prestigious international prize for Arabic fiction and recognized by Banipal as one of the 100 best Arabic works, it offers a profound reflection on the human experience and the enduring impact of history on personal lives.
Set against the backdrop of Lebanon's book publishing industry, the story follows Farid Abou Cha’r, a hopeful author turned proofreader at a historic print house. After his manuscript mysteriously vanishes and reappears, he uncovers a web of deception linking the print house to counterfeit euro bills. As he navigates a police investigation and a romantic entanglement with his boss's wife, Farid's journey reveals the complexities of Lebanese society, showcasing themes of ambition, betrayal, and the blurred lines between reality and illusion.
The story of a Lebanese murder case set against the backdrop of sectarian animosity from an award-winning author The story of a Lebanese murder case set against the backdrop of sectarian animosity Shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction In mysterious circumstances, the body of Zakaria Mubarak is found in an orchard on the outskirts of his village of Tel Safra in northern Lebanon. He had just returned from a long exile in Europe, the US, and Africa, carrying with him a painting by Marc Chagall, the “Blue Violinist,” a gift from his girlfriend in Paris. Suspicion falls on the cousins, who may have killed him to get their hands on a treasure supposedly buried underneath the house built by their grandmother when she returned from America. As investigator Abu Khalid wrestles with conflicting evidence surrounding Zakaria’s death, he is drawn into a picture of the victim’s life, one that recalls fables of gold, sibling strife, the love of French women, false promises of revolution, and the corruption and sectarian enmities that have plagued their homeland. A riveting meditation on the riddle of a crime, Paula Haydar’s eloquent translation pays fitting homage to a compassionate, guiding light of Lebanese fiction.
The American Quarter is set in an enclave of stairways in the Mediterranean port of Tripoli, on the northern coast of Lebanon. Unfolding at the height of the US-led invasion of Iraq, it revolves around the radicalization of an ordinary youth named Ismail. But Ismails story is part of a larger one that entails his father Bilal, a massacre survivor; his young disabled brother, whom Ismail looks after; his spirited mother Intisar, a maid like her mother before her in the wealthy, powerful Azzam household; and Abdelkarim, the Azzam familys only son, addicted to poetry and opera, and pining for his lost Polish ballerina--all depicted by Douaihy with irony and affection
