Book Club Discussion Questions
For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, A Short History of Libya and our BookBrowse Review of In the Country of Men.
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
About This Guide
Taking us to a time and place rarely glimpsed in fiction, Hisham Matar's
In
the Country of Men captures life in Libya in the wake of Muammar
al-Qaddafi's revolution. Through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy named Suleiman,
we watch a family struggle for survival in a climate of deadly political
suspicion. Against a backdrop of innocent childhood ritualsplaying games with
his best friends, learning his country's history on visits to the ruins
surrounding TripoliSuleiman is also awakened to dangers he cannot comprehend.
When his father is brutally interrogated and his best friend's father
disappears, Suleiman arrives at a crossroads that will shatter his understanding
of home and homelands.
The questions and discussion topics that follow are intended to enhance your
reading of
In the Country of Men. We hope they will enrich your
experience of this powerful novel.
Reader's Guide
- What is the effect of reading about this episode in history through a
child's point of view? What clarity does it bring? In what ways do a child's
impulses muddy the truth?
- What does Suleiman learn about the roles of men and women as his mother
continually reminds him of her arranged marriage? How have his impressions
of gender been shaped by this knowledge? What determines whether she feels
safe or victimized in her marriage?
- How would you characterize Muammar al-Qaddafi's political rhetoric as it
is captured in the novel? How was he able to overthrow a monarch without
offering any promise of democracy? What makes fiction an ideal format for
depicting these headlines?
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- How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
- What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
- Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Dell.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.