Author(s): Rabih Alameddine

Gay & Bi Male Fiction

Osama al-Kharrat left Lebanon at sixteen to escape the civil war. He returns after some years, much changed, to find his father bedridden and his family, friends and enemies gathered close, gossiping, making peace, and above all telling stories. From Uncle Jihad to the family doctor 'Tin Can', each member of Osama's circle is joined in a vigil that crosses continents, spans centuries, celebrates love, recounts war, and creates an epic picture of the region: one that is both mythic and painfully real. 'Listen. Let me take you on a journey beyond imagining. Let me tell you a story'. 'The book of the year, on its own magic carpet of stories. Both a snapshot of our current crisis, and a story for the ages' - Andrew Sean Greer. 'Astonishing. There is a delightful cheekiness in telling so many tales all at the same time. It is pure genius' - Aleksandar Hemon. 'A glorious, gorgeous masterpiece' - Amy Tan.