Beirut, I Love You: A Memoir

Beirut, I Love You: A Memoir by Zena el Khalil. Paperback edition. ISBN: 9780863564154.

This is the story of Zena, a young woman who has fallen under the spell of a city that threatens to engulf her in war, grief and love affairs. In the streets armed militias carve out their territories, while ragged construction workers rebuild the city. Refugees sleep five to a bed as bleach-blondes wend their way to the next drug-fuelled supernightclub. At any moment, the bombs will start falling. Meanwhile, Zena and her best friend Maya must try to make sense of their lives amidst the craziness, and negotiate the citys many obsessions including cosmetic surgery, husband hunting and Kalashnikovs. As honest as it is forgiving, this artists memoir pits love and art against the ever-present threat of war.