For our first installment of the “Reading List” – we’ve chosen books that are about, or are set in Lebanon. Enjoy!
Lebanon has some of the world’s richest history and culture, so it is no surprise that it is often used as a backdrop for so many films, novels, and short stories. Here are some books relating to Lebanon you can add to your fall reading list.
In Sha’allah
This novel, written by Oriana Fallaci in 1992, provides a written account of several Italian soldiers stationed in Beirut during the 1983 peacekeeping missions. The narrative changes throughout the novel as we’re given glimpses into their pasts and everyday interactions with one another, Lebanese militants, French nuns, and their civilian Lebanese lovers.
Koolaids: The Art of War
Rabih Alameddine’s first novel takes place in both San Francisco and Beirut throughout the 80’s and 90’s. San Francisco serves as a scene for the AIDS epidemic while Alameddine uses Beirut to portray a war-zone.
The Stone of Laugher
Author Hoda Barakat won the Al-Naqid prize for this book depicting the life of Khalil, a homosexual, during the civil war.
Sitt Marie Rose
This acclaimed novel was written by artist and writer Etel Adnan in French and was then translated to English and Arabic. The book tells the story of Marie Rose Boulous, a Syrian immigrant who was executed by a Christian militia during the civil war.
