In the Country of Men

Libya,1979.Nine-year-oldSuleiman’sdaysarecircumscribedbythenarrowritualsofchildhood:outingstotheruinssurroundingTripoli,gameswithfriendsplayedundertheburningsun,exoticgiftsfromhisfather’sconstantbusinesstripsabroad.Buthisnightshavecometorevolvearoundhismother’sincreasinglydisturbingbedsidestoriesfullofoldfamilybitterness.AndthenonedaySuleimanseeshisfatheracrossthesquareofabusymarketplace,hisfacewrappedinapairofdarksunglasses.Wasn’thesupposedtobeawayonbusinessyetagain?Whyishegoingintothatstrangebuildingwiththegreenshutters?Whydidhelie?Suleimanissooncaughtupinaworldhecannothopetounderstand—wherethesoundofthetelephoneringingbecomesaportentofgravedanger;wherehismotherfranticallyburnshisfather’scherishedbooks;whereastrangerfullofsinisterquestionssitsoutsideinaparkedcarallday;wherehisbestfriend’sfathercandisappearovernight,nexttobeseenpubliclyinterrogatedonstatetelevision.IntheCountryofMenisastunningdepictionofachildconfrontedwiththeprivatefalloutofapublicnightmare.Butaboveall,itisadebutofrareinsightandliterarygrace.FromtheHardcoveredition.