NPR's Book of the Day In Rabih Alameddine’s new novel, a mother and son share a tiny Beirut apartment
Sep 9, 2025
Rabih Alameddine, the author known for weaving personal experiences into his storytelling, discusses his latest novel featuring Raja, a philosophy teacher living with his elderly mother, Zalfa, in a cramped Beirut apartment. They explore the humor and tension in their relationship, alongside the warmth of companionship between two older women. Alameddine reflects on family influence in writing, the role of memory loss, and how humor becomes essential for navigating life's challenges, illustrating the richness of non-linear narratives.
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Raja’s Life And Living Situation
- Raja is a high-school philosophy teacher who has endured Beirut's wars, a kidnapping, banking collapse, COVID, and the port explosion.
- He now shares a tiny apartment with his sharp-tongued 82-year-old mother, Zalfa, which frames the novel's emotional core.
Self-Deprecation As Protection
- Raja calls himself 'the Gullible' as a form of self-deprecation that keeps him sane.
- Rabih Alameddine says the label is a defense mechanism, not the whole of Raja's identity.
A Repeated Affectionate Phrase
- The mother repeatedly uses a bawdy phrase with Raja that reads as affectionate between them.
- Alameddine notes his own mother uses the same expression, making its use both intimate and familiar.
