The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between

by Hisham Matar

Was he Egyptian or Libyan? Was he on a visit to the neighboring country or going home after the revolution? Had he been for or against Qaddafi? Perhaps he was one of those undecided ones who held their reservations close to their chest?

Here he shows his restless frame of mind by reflecting on a fellow passenger

1969, a young captain named Muammar Qaddafi deposed King Idris and many of the significant features of my life—where I live, the language in which I write, the language I am using now to write this—were set in motion: all this made it difficult to escape the idea that there was some kind of divine will at work. —

Acceptance of fate

spoken, and Father responded, “I won’t negotiate. Not with criminals.”

First dialogue in the book - sentence uttered by his father - shows him as someone who won't compromis

attention of the dictatorship. It was said that even the way he walked irritated the authorities. It exuded defiance. When I first heard this, I thought, how perceptive it was. Even

Malegaon blasts irritated the authorities

new baby vine in the back. Every year, it fruited grapes as small as pearls. If you ate them a week or two after they had become ripe, the sugar burnt in your throat. We planted

Papas garden

I pictured how I would kiss the ground; take charge

I had never spent a single night worrying about his death, he was a superman, he was invincible, the terrorists were the ones who should worry

down my appeals to go out to the garden, even after lunch, when the sun was merciless and the household napped. We played football or sat in the shade of the eucalyptus trees. I knew that his love for me was uncomplicated and

Talk about Shirish kaka, beloved niece, introduce him, talking me to the zoo, looking at my school books

after twenty-one years of imprisonment, all except for my father were set free. Fourteen days later, bolstered by the successful overthrows of the Tunisian and Egyptian dictators, a

Talk about the timeline of the attacks or of the Ashok chakra and bullet proof jacket

Qaddafi meant to punish the city, make an example of it, and put an end to the revolt. According to several accounts, some of these trucks and

Qadafis work is not described linearly.

Now he responded to a question or a proclamation with a simple nod or a weary smile. He closed his eyes

We were asked if we had clothes suitable to wear at the funeral. Inspire of the death,life still went on, it was at a standstill for me but these mundane things reminded me of existence ..bedsheets had to be changed as visitors would come ..appearances had to be maintained. Why? A show of normalcy? Who defined the norm? We were far from it. We were stunned , My aunt helped my mother chose a saree for the funeral, my mom sported the red bindi she would not like to be seen without in public,