The School of War

“A marvelously affecting memoir of the war in Lebanon: perfectly pitched and intensely evocative, and all the more powerful for 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 Monde

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 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 of 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 humor.