Description
In a Beirut left in ruins, a textile merchant finds himself trapped in the city’s gutted center—surrounded by barricades and the sea—while his mind drifts through layered recollections that blur the line between memory and hallucination. As he tries to make sense of devastation, he returns again and again to the world of cloth: its textures, its dyes, and the intricate knowledge of plants and crafts that once connected people across cultures. Hoda Barakat’s sophisticated, lyrical storytelling braids together scientific discourse, myth, and historical echoes—from ancient Mediterranean civilizations and the Crusades to the silk routes and theosophical traditions—creating a novel that feels both intimate and vast. At its heart, the book explores how identity, trade, and inherited stories can become both refuge and unraveling in the face of war and displacement.
Available Editions
paperback
American University in Cairo Press
Published Oct 15, 2004
192 pages
ISBN: 9789774248634
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Details
First Published
2004
Language
eng
Translation
From: ara
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for The Tiller of Waters by Hoda Barakat.