School of War
Published on 1. June 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
200 pages
978-1-84659-009-2 (ISBN)
Description
'All wars are alike. What I experienced in Lebanon, others experienced in France, in Spain, in Yugoslavia, or elsewhere. Yes, all wars are alike, because while weapons change, the men who wage and are subjected to war do not in the least.' Alexandre Najjar was eight when Lebanon erupted into a bloody and brutal conflict; he was twenty-three when the guns at last fell silent. After seven years of voluntary exile spent clearing his mind from the unbearable nightmare of civil war, he is now back amongst his family and friends, and the past is quickly catching up with him. As he reacquaints himself with his bullet-riddled city, Alexandre is haunted by vivid memories, which he sets down with extraordinary imagination and humour. Sometimes nostalgic, and sometimes brutal and shocking, "The School of War" offers unforgettable insights into the experience of childhood in war.
Reviews / Votes
'A marvellously affecting memoir of the war in Lebanon: perfectly pitched and intensely evocative, and all the more powerful from being seen through the eyes of a child.' William Boyd 'Delicate and unforgettable.' Elle 'One of the most talented francophone writers of his generation.' Le MondeMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Saqi Books
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 126 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
Weight
142 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84659-009-2 (9781846590092)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Alexandre Najjar was born in Lebanon in 1967. He is considered to be one of the best Lebanese novelists of his generation, and has won many prizes, among them the Bourse de l'Ecrivain from the Fondation Hachette, the Prix de Poesie de la Ville de Paris, the Prix du Palais Litteraire, the Prix Litteraire de l'Asie, the France-Liban Prize, and, most recently, the Amsterdam Prize. He is a lawyer and a literary critic, and lives in Paris and Beirut.