In the Country of Men
About the book
Nine-year-old Suleiman observes his family and political terror in Tripoli in 1979.
Africa · A READING GUIDE
Libya
Hisham Matar examines dictatorship through childhood and the lasting consequences of a father’s disappearance. The Return is a personal search for truth after Qaddafi’s fall. Ibrahim al-Koni turns to the Sahara, human-camel companionship and Tuareg values. Najwa Bin Shatwan reveals slavery and women’s experience in nineteenth-century Benghazi.
WHERE TO START
- In the Country of MenHisham Matar
- Gold DustIbrahim al-Koni
- The Slave YardsNajwa Bin Shatwan
Books to begin with
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Anatomy of a Disappearance
About the book
A father’s disappearance leaves a boy with uncertainty, grief and complicated family memories.
The Return
About the book
The author returns to Libya after Qaddafi’s fall to seek the truth about his imprisoned father.
Original title: The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between
Gold Dust
About the book
A Tuareg and his camel cross the Sahara in a tale of loyalty, desire and betrayal.
Original title: Al-Tibr
The Slave Yards
About the book
Atiqa’s story reveals slavery, racial hierarchies and women’s lives in nineteenth-century Benghazi.
Original title: Zarayib al-Abid
My Friends
About the book
A novel of Libyan exile, friendship and the long shadow of political violence.
A Month in Siena
About the book
An essayistic journey through Sienese art, memories of a father and the experience of loss.
Context and sources
Sources on authors and their connections to this country. Specific edition details appear beside each book. Polish and English originals are not labelled as translations.
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