Beirut 2020: The Collapse of a Civilization, a Journal

The author's hometown of Beirut is falling apart, symbolizing devastation and hatred. Majdalani is a survivor who finds elegance to smile and hope. Beirut's collapse under 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate kills hundreds and injures thousands, but the people find strength to survive and unite, becoming a metaphor for our cultural capitals.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 22 July 2021
Publisher: Welbeck Publishing Group

The author's hometown, once a vibrant and bustling place, is now in ruins. Lebanon's capital, Beirut, has become a symbol of devastation, hatred, and madness. Majdalani, a survivor, still finds the elegance to smile and hope.

Amin Maalouf, the Prix Goncourt winner, has beautifully captured the moment when it first occurs, in real time, with seemingly humble details that describe the instant in all its depth. Alexandra Schwartzbrod of Libération describes a short narrative that strikes straight at the heart.

When Charif Majdalani begins to walk the streets of his city and write down what he sees, the first hints of unrest within a vibrant culture creep to the fore. Majdalani's reportage through the months of 2020 bears witness to the ways in which an ancient civilization slowly descends into the abyss: corruption and vice infect the corridors of power, while currency plummets into freefall, rats scurry between piles of rotting rubbish that grow higher along the pavements.

Born from the rancour of existential pestilence, violence erupts, and Beirut's citizens find themselves in high-voltage stand-offs with law enforcement.

Then, the unexpected happens: Beirut collapses under the explosive force of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate. The blast kills hundreds and injures thousands. But through the rubble and the sirens, a people finds its strength to survive and its heart to unite.

The city becomes the metaphor for each of our cultural capitals throughout the world.

Weight: 324g
Dimension: 144 x 226 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781914495038