Rabih Alameddine, "The Angel of History"

http://www.politics-prose.com/book/97... Alameddine’s haunted and haunting fifth novel combines the prodigious storytelling ability of The Hawakati with the insightful portraiture showcased in An Unnecessary Woman to trace the life of a Lebanese-Yemeni poet who fears he’s losing his mind. The narrative unfolds over the course of a few hours in the waiting room of a San Francisco psychiatric clinic, but encompasses Jacob’s life from his childhood in a Cairo brothel and his (re) education in a Lebanese Catholic school, to the loss of his partner and friends to AIDS. Though the deaths occurred twenty years before, only now does Jacob’s paralyzing grief and anger let loose and allow him to remember—and mourn. Founded by Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade in 1984, Politics & Prose Bookstore is Washington, D.C.'s premier independent bookstore and cultural hub, a gathering place for people interested in reading and discussing books. Politics & Prose offers superior service, unusual book choices, and a haven for book lovers in the store and online. Visit them on the web at http://www.politics-prose.com/ Produced by Michael A. Kowaleski