Depictions of Libya in Western media rarely go beyond the headlines of political turmoil and conflict, without examining the aspirations of its people. Hisham Matar’s novels have shown Libya through a more nuanced and compassionate lens, exploring social dynamics under the former regime of Muammar Gaddafi and the consequences that came for those who opposed him.
His deeply personal novels have also explored issues of exile and belonging and the establishment of new identities in homes made outside of Libya. Matar’s most recent Orwell-award winning novel, My Friends, has explored the hopes and fears of Libyans seeking a new society in the aftermath of Gaddafi’s overthrow, as well as living in exile in London.
Amid an increasingly difficult environment for those seeking reform across the MENA region, this conversation with Hisham Matar will discuss his works and the themes that run through them.
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