Charif Majdalani – författare
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At the dawn of the twentieth century, a young Lebanese adventurer leaves the Levant to explore the wilds of Africa, encountering an eccentric English colonel in Sudan and enlisting in his service. In this lush chronicle of far-flung adventure, the military recruit crosses paths with a compatriot who has dismantled a sumptuous palace in Tripoli and is transporting it across the continent on a camel caravan.
The protagonist soon takes charge of this hoard of architectural fragments, ferrying the dismantled landmark through Sudan, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula, attempting to return to his native Beirut with this moveable real estate. Along the way, he encounters skeptic sheikhs, suspicious tribal leaders, bountiful feasts, pilgrims bound for Mecca and T. E. Lawrence in a tent.
This is a captivating modern-day Odyssey in the tradition of Bruce Chatwin and Paul Theroux.
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''The author''s home town is falling apart. Lebanon''s capital [...] has morphed into a symbol of devastation and hatred and madness. Majdalani is a survivor who still finds in himself the elegance to smile and hope'' Amin Maalouf, Prix Goncourt winner''It is rare to capture the moment when it first occurs, in real time, with these seemingly humble details that describe the instant in all its depth'' Alexandra Schwartzbrod, Libération''A short narrative that strikes straight at the heart'' Gaëtane Morin, Le ParisienWhen Charif Majdalani begins to walk the streets of his city, and to write down what he sees, the first hints of unrest within a vibrant culture creep to the fore. Majdalani''s reportage through the months of 2020 bears witness to the ways in which an ancient civilization slowly, then rapidly, descends into the abyss: corruption and vice infect the corridors of power; currency plummets into freefall, rats scurry between piles of rotting rubbish that grow higher along the pavements. Born from the rancour of existential pestilence, violence erupts and Beirut''s citizens find themselves in high-voltage stand-offs with law enforcement.Then, the unexpected, Beirut collapses under the explosive force of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate. The blast kills hundreds and injures thousands. But through the rubble and the sirens, a people finds its strength to survive and its heart to unite. The city becomes the metaphor for each of our cultural capitals throughout the world.
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