Storyteller

Description

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.

Author description

Rabih Alameddine was born in Jordan to Lebanese parents and has lived in Kuwait, Lebanon, England, and the United States. He is the author of two previous novels and a collection of short stories, and is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. He lives in San Francisco and Beirut.