The Return cover art

The Return

Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between

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The Return

By: Hisham Matar
Narrated by: Hisham Matar
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION

SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD

WINNER OF THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE

ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES' TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2016

Hisham Matar was nineteen when his father was kidnapped and taken to prison in Libya. He would never see him again. Twenty-two years later, the fall of Gaddafi meant he was finally able to return to his homeland.

In this moving memoir, the author takes us on an illuminating journey, both physical and psychological; a journey to find his father and rediscover his country.

The Return is at once a universal and an intensely personal tale. It is an exquisite meditation on how history and politics can bear down on an individual life. And yet Hisham Matar's memoir isn't just about the burden of the past, but the consolation of love, literature and art. It is the story of what it is to be human.

©2016 Hisham Matar (P)2016 Penguin Audio Art & Literature Authors Africa

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All stars
Most relevant
Interesting but somewhat drawn out, written by professional writer and somewhat literary in style. Actual story was interesting though just took a while to get through.

Good but drawn out

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The fact that the author is reading his story to us makes it all the more poignant.
This beautifully written book explains the pain of losing his father but never having closure, the horrors and violence of Gaddafi’s regime, the huge number of deaths in the country over a long reign of terror and it is about his difficult return to his homeland after many years elsewhere. It is a sad account and so movingly read by the author. Yet it is not entirely miserable - I was left with a sense of just how resilient humans can be.
The poor editing of chapter starts/ends was very irritating. The author’s performance was excellent, Audible’s less so.

Beautifully written and read

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includes African history of Libyan occupation and a story of a man in search for his father

well written autobiography

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A great book well narrated but is spoiled by poor editing - the final word of each chapter is cut short by the start of the mew chapter. I am suspicious that some paragraphs of recording were also cut out. Not the quality i am used to or expect.

Let down by poor recording

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This is truly the best read book of a truthful story I have ever heard. Hisham’s prose is so moving and genuine, he takes you on his life’s journey with poetic yet soulful honesty of loss….. thank you Hisham.

Remarkable

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