The novel tells the story of Beirut, from the 1950s to today, a mythical city torn apart by history.
A passionate and exciting book about the journey of a young man in love with justice, engaged with the “progressives” of his generation, this novel begins with the chronicle of a sentimental education (its hero, Youssef Hosni, is 13 years old at the beginning of the story), and continues with a plunge into the protest climate of 1968 (Youssef is then one of the leaders of the student movement). It ends with the siege of Beirut surrounded by Tsahal, and the tragic fate of Palestinian refugees—moments of extreme violence that Youssef, who has become a war reporter for a French newspaper, “covers”.
Prix France-Liban 2022, selected for prix Nicolas Bouvier and prix Joseph Kessel
