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In this evocative and deeply personal memoir, Abbas El-Zein recounts his formative years within a middle-class family in Beirut during the turbulent civil war. As his home city grapples with self-destruction, El-Zein navigates the complexities of identity, culture, and religion, tracing the threads that connect his past to a wider world. His journey spans continents and cultures—from the ancestral echoes of Najaf and Baghdad to the varied landscapes of Paris, London, Sydney, and the American west.
Leave to Remain is a poignant exploration of the Middle Eastern experience, capturing the tension between the mundane details of daily life and the shadow of cataclysmic historical events. Through themes of dislocation, the lingering impact of conflict, and the struggle to find belonging, El-Zein offers an insightful reflection on the relationship between the Middle East and the West. This is a compelling narrative for those interested in the human cost of history and the resilient pursuit of selfhood amidst a landscape of constant departure and fraught, often unhappy, returns. It is a profound meditation on memory, heritage, and the search for home.
Used (good, see images, minor dust jacket wear) Hardcover ISBN 9780702236921
