‘In the Country of Men’ – the debut novel by American-born British–Libyan novelist, essayist, and memoirist Hisham Matar – tells the poignant story of nine-year-old Suleiman as he navigates the tumultuous rise of Gaddafi’s oppressive regime in Libya in 1979.

Through Suleiman’s naive and innocent perspective, we are immersed in the world of 1970s Tripoli where the political realities of the time are viewed through the limited lens of a child. Suleiman sees his mother’s alcoholism as mere “illness” and his father’s mysterious disappearances as routine business trips, unaware of his father’s involvement in an anti-regime revolutionary group.

Matar’s vivid and descriptive prose captures Suleiman’s childlike attempts to make sense of the world around him – from his bewilderment at the burning of his father’s books to his misguided belief that eating poisonous berries will take him to heaven. The character of Suleiman is purposefully frustrating, yet inherently relatable, as readers witness his struggle to comprehend the political, religious, and societal forces shaping his life. He constantly misunderstands his mother’s stories of her forced marriage. Suleiman is shaped by the patriarchal norms of his society where the experiences and perspectives of women are often overlooked or dismissed. He is literally embedded in the norms and narratives of a “country of men”.

This coming-of-age story not only offers a unique window into Libya’s turbulent history, but also poignantly explores the universal themes of family, loyalty, and the loss of innocence. Suleiman’s navigation of these complex issues is sure to resonate with readers, providing a deeply personal and emotionally impactful exploration of a child’s perspective on a nation in upheaval.