I Remember Beirut

by Zeina Abirached

Zeina Abirached, author of the award-winning graphic novel A Game for Swallows, returns with a powerful collection of wartime memories.

Abirached was born in Lebanon in 1981. She grew up in Beirut as fighting between Christians and Muslims divided the city streets. Follow her past cars riddled with bullet holes, into taxi cabs that travel where buses refuse to go, and on outings to collect shrapnel from the sidewalk.

With striking black-and-white artwork, Abirached recalls the details of ordinary life inside a war zone.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Memoir, Comics, War, History, Lebanon

96 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2008

About the author

Zeina Abirached was born in Beirut, Lebanon. She studied graphic arts in Beirut and later in Paris, France. She has published 3 graphic novels: 'Beyrouth-Catharsis' '38, Rue Youssef Semaani' and 'Mourir, Partir, Revenir - Le Jeu des Hirondelles'. These were originally published in French, and have been translated into Dutch, Italian, and Spanish. Her mainly autobiographical works, illustrated in black and white, document her experiences during the Lebanese civil war in the 1980's.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

The everyday occurrences of growing up in a war zone are presented in this heartfelt memoir. The approach was very focused; the right or wrong of the war is put to the side. Zeina Abirached is more concerned with the ripple effect that occurs when life has to be lived in the shadow of conflict. Honest and sharp - a quick but meaningful read.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I'm not sure what I expected when I picked this up, but it wasn't this. I think maybe I was anticipating a more straightforward memoir, something more like Persepolis. There are some similarities, of course. The visual style Abirached uses is visually rather similar to the one Satrapi uses in Persepolis. In my eyes, that's a compliment. I think Abirached's art is perhaps a little more simple, but that's hardly a bad thing. Both works tell the story of a childhood defined by unrest in their homes: Satrapi grew up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and a devastating war in Iraq, Abirached grew up in the middle of the civil war in Lebanon. After those relatively superficial similarities, Abirached takes an entirely different route in telling her story.

Instead of a straightforward, chronological retelling of her childhood, Abirached gives us a series of simple memories that tries to give a sense of what it felt like for her. Things like the way to unwrap a Kitkat bar, or her brother's sharpnel collection, or that one time she had to spend the night at school because there had been bombings along the bus routes. Individually, these memories don't tell much of a story. It's when they're put together that it becomes a full, and surprisingly effective picture of a childhood that I have a hard time imagining.

[B. P. Rinehart · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In a page of a book
Bombs see themselves,
Prophetic sayings and ancient wisdom see themselves,
Niches see themselves.
The threads of carpet words
Go through memory's needle
Over the city's face." - From The Desert (The Diary of Beirut Under Siege) by Adonis

"Nothing distinguishes memories from ordinary moments. Only later do they make themselves known, from their scars." - Chris Marker (Epigraph of this book.)

I read this book while waiting for my copy of the follow-up to The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1978-1984: A Graphic Memoir. This book about life during the Lebanese Civil War is not as in-depth as that one, but its simplicity and its art reveals its beauty. The author's subtle use of stream-of-consciousness reminds me of James Joyce. I was not sure how I was going to feel about this book until I saw this close-up of Florence Griffith Joyner's fingernails:

After this point, the book spoke to me as art and memory of one of the most tumultuous times in human history. The Lebanese Civil War was for the Middle-East what The Seven Years War was for Europe in permanently changing things. In all the suffering and confusion we have this story of a Lebanese Christian family trying to make the best of a bad situation. While this ultimately is a short story it is beautiful in its delivery.

"You will remain my friend
Of what was or what's left
In this rubble
Oh, light that wears the clouds, the Lord that never sleeps." - From The Desert by Adonis

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zeina Abirached chose an interesting angle for her memoir of the civil war in Beirut: instead of focusing on the politics or the chronology of the war, she illustrates the impact of the unrest on day-to-day life. From the school bus that won't come to her house, to her mom's bullet-ridden car, to her little brother's shrapnel collection, Abirached remembers it all. And her remembrances are a reminder to the rest of us of just how much most of us take for granted and how much we should be thankful for.

I enjoy Abirached's simple black-and-white illustrations. I especially like her letter O's, with dots in the middle; the curlicue hair she drew on herself, the macaroni-shaped hair she gave to her brother, and the interesting mustaches; and her illustration of Florence Griffith Joyner's Olympic nails.

There were a few references I didn't get, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, because it spurred me to look them up and learn even more.

Note: I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short random anecdotes about things the author remembers from growing up in Beirut during the war between Christians and Muslims. There's no structure to it, it's all just random asides. I found the art too strange for the subject matter as well.

[Bogdan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The artwork in black & white made me remember Persepolis. But the story it`s very lacking in informations and events so, in the end, I was quite disappointed.

Just ok.

[Ksenia (vaenn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Зейна пам'ятає, як шелестять та клацають аудіокасети, як по телевізору крутили "Трансформерів" чи як було жити, коли ще не було кока-коли, а скляні пляшки з-під кокакола-замінника треба було віддавати назад у крамницю. Зейна пам'ятає, як не було гарячої води, як часом доводилося готувати на примусі чи як було залишитися на ніч у школі, бо не можна було перетнути демаркаційну лінію. Зейна пам'ятає, як молодший брат колекціонував шрапнель, як мама замахалася міняти вітрове скло, що регулярно ловило кулі чи ту ж таки шрапнель і як це - вперше побачити центр рідного міста майже в десять років. Зейна пам'ятає купу речей, котрі одразу впізнають інші діти вісімдесятих-початку дев'яностих. Тільки її спогади - про розділений війною Бейрут.

"Я пам'ятаю Бейрут" аж напрошується на порівняння з "Персеполісом": близькі в них і тематика, і проблематика, і певною мірою оповідачки, і стилістика також близька. Але близькість ця доволі умовна і за формою, і за змістом. Якщо казати суто про малюнок - то він в Абірахед значно декоративніший й по-іншому закцентований, хоча так - монохромність, композиція і деякі прийоми манеру Сатрапі дійсно нагадують. А якщо казати про зміст - то різниця ще глибшає. Маржан згадуючи про минуле рефлексує-рефлексує-рефлексує і переосмислює, пояснює те, що відбувалося в неї на очах не тільки читачам-глядачам, а й собі. Зейна ж на позір безпристрасно (але тільки на позір) фіксує спогади, чіпляє на них бирочки та ховає у шухлядку. Така манера бентежить, нервує, а потім все потроху стає на свої місця, і коли наприкінці Абірахед уже прямим текстом переказує вітання Перекові - питань до формату вже не виникає. Так, отак теж можна розказати про війну очима дитини. І від того стає навіть страшніше. А ще гірко у роті, бо частина з того, що для ліванської художниці було осоружними побутовими ознаками війни, виявилося цілковитою нормою мого ніразуневоєнного дитинства.

"Я не пам'ятаю останній день війни. Але я пам'ятаю перший раз, коли я приймала справжній душ".

[Meonicorn (The Bookish Land) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as part of the From and About Asia Reading Project.

I Remember Beirut is the second graphic memoir by Zeina Abirached I read. It’s shorter, however, it covered a longer time, from her childhood until the Lebanese Civil War was over. It’s half the size of the other book, A Game for Swallows, but I enjoyed it even more and was in tears when I finished reading.

Compares to the first graphic memoir, which had a theme run through the whole book, the narration of this book is more like a “slice of life” style. Full of pieces of memories of her childhood, Zeina showed us what’s important in her war-filled childhood, and what is valuable for her today. Read my full review on my blog :)

More of my reading life: BookTube // Bookstagram // Twitter

[Erin Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Zeina Abirached uses graphic images to tell the tale of her childhood. It was a dark time then. Christians and Muslims were at war. It was a civil war that divided the city. She, her parents, and her brother are just trying to live a normal life during the war, but there are a lot of complications that they face. The school bus won’t come down her street, so she, her brother, and the neighbors have to be driven to school. They don’t have running water. Their lives are anything but ordinary.

If you are a fan of Persepolis, please read this book. Like Persepolis, I Remember Beirut tells the story of a young woman growing up in a tumultuous time. Although it seems like it is aimed more towards children and teens, anyone will be able to pick up the simple book and learn from it.

I know that I have some homework to do to learn more about the history, but this book is a great and easy way to learn about what people have to sacrifice during times of war. I know that I have never experienced anything similar to what Abirached has in her life. I know I probably never will experience anything similar to the war that she grew up experiencing. I do know that I am a fan of this book now, and will probably pick up Abirached’s other graphic novel.

[Meepelous · Rating 3 out of 5]

2017 review: Certainly not as inspiringly tight as A Game For Swallows, but still very solid. Abirached continues to reveal the every day life of a kid growing up in Lebanon during the war.

While I have read some reviews that criticized I Remember Beirut and A Game For Swallows for being too similar, but i would like to bring to your attention at least one key difference. This book is much more child focused. Rather then spending equal attention on the struggles of the adults around her and the struggles of her childhood self, Abirached really brings the focus on what life for a child in Lebanon was like. I'm not sure if the artwork would be interesting enough for a kid, but otherwise I would recommend this as a much more child relatable book.

[Mariangel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the art with simple black and white images. The book is a loose collection of childhood memories of everyday life. The war features more as the "normal" background than in its events.

[Loveliest Evaris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will not lie when I say I was actually disappointed with this book. As this is being typed, I am taking a few courses regarding the history and culture of the Middle East and when I saw this book I thought "Hey, a graphic novel about one of the many skirmishes that took place there! This will enhance my world view!"

But it didn't.

Not at all.

This story may be biographical and supposedly about Beirut, but it tells the reader [b]nothing[/b] about the motives behind the war and attacks, the "players" (governments, factions, armies, resistances? What?), the death toll or casualties, or even a timeline of the whole thing. It was basically a short story of the author's life and the war in Beirut just happened to occur, but it was only hinted at. It was actually written very optimistically and light-heartedly to the point that I thought "Was this war actually that bad, because I'm seeing nothing of the horrors that a conflict labeled a 'war' would typically bring".

Apparently there was a conflict between Christians and Muslims that sparked this war. Nothing regarding religion was ever mentioned or hinted at. Honestly, it read like a slice of life story with a silly narrator. I closed the book learning nothing more than when I had first began reading it.

Maybe for those who are well-versed in this conflict or perhaps have experienced it, this is a nice light in what may have been a trying and horrific time in their lives. For someone like me, a person who was curious enough about the subject matter to read it in hopes of educating herself on the ordeal, it didn't do anything but slightly annoy me at its lack of information.

If you want to read a graphic/illustrated biography of someone who lived in a trying time in the Middle East, by all means read Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. She does it right.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'I Remember Beirut' by Zeina Abirached is her memoir of growing up in Beirut during the Christian and Muslim war in the 1980s. The art is fantastic, but I kind of wanted something more.

Then again, she was just a child, so perhaps my expectations were a bit high. She talks about living in what the school thought was the neutral zone, so they had to be driven out of their neighborhood to a bus stop. Her brother collected shrapnel. There were blackouts and fuel shortages. Along the way, the family got to do normal family kinds of things. Life in a warzone isn't much fun and that's mostly the feeling you get here.

But the artwork is stunning, and really why anyone should read this. It's black and white with clean lines and beautiful patterns. I love young Zeina's wavy hair, and the map with fish where water should be. It's really great and I'd like to see more graphic work by this author.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lerner Publishing Group, Graphic Universe and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this beautiful graphic novel.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've previously read A Game for Swallows, which I liked very much. It breaks down the events of a single evening, as the author waits for her parents to return to their apartment. I Remember Beirut, on the other hand, compiles her memories of growing up in Beirut. It takes small moments and plays them out, sometimes over one page and sometimes more. The illustrations are unique, beautiful, and detailed (though bound to draw some comparisons with Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis). I like that you can find joy in these moments, underlying the overall atrocities and difficulties. My bone to pick is that this feels like a companion piece to A Game of Swallows and I'm not sure I would enjoy it so much if I hadn't read that book initially. It was wonderful to see her neighbors again, particularly those who'd played such a prominent part in the earlier book. Does a book always have to stand on it's own to be a quality read? Eh, probably not. I'd still recommend I Remember Beirut.

[Andres Eguiguren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abirached's visual style is reminiscent of Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis." While both authors ended up in Paris and publishing their graphic memoirs in French, Satrapi's journey is that of a teenager becoming a young woman in Teheran during the Iran-Iraq War, while Abirached's is about the Lebanese Civil War as experienced as a young child. And therein lies the major problem with "I Remember Beirut"- it is simply a series of childhood memories, of page after page of superficial "I remember...." bits-and-pieces without any adult or even adolescent understanding or explanation of what is happening or why it might be happening. Perhaps it is faithful to her memories of the first ten years of her life, but the lack of context or even or the most basic explanation of what the war was about is puzzling. A personal memoir does not have to be political, but in this instance I felt that the obvious artistic skills of the author were not matched by the writing.

[Anne-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, short graphic memoir from a child’s perspective of the Lebanese civil war in Beirut. Striking, yet simple black and white illustrations.
A really quick but good read and introduction to a part of Middle Eastern history I don’t know much about.

[allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

i would like to be clear i am rating this on my enjoyment of the story, not the experiences of the author. i enjoyed this but found the way it was told to be a bit repetitive. everything is introduced as “i remember _____” and it was a bit annoying and i think the “i remember” could’ve been taken out in a lot of bits. i loved the art style and am interested in reading more by the author.

[Stevie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I immediately picked this up after reading A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return and was just as amazed at Zeina's work in this "sequel". This is a beautifully, simplistic piece about growing up in Beirut during the Civil War. I've noticed many readers have pointed to it being unusual or unique for not being so political. But that's how war works for civilians and especially children. Life goes on, regardless of the violence around you. A child will think and act like a child regardless of the politics of a country. As a parent, I am admirable of Zeina's parents and their (basically successful) attempts at creating a safe, "normal" childhood for their children.

If you take anything from this or its predecessor, it should be that humans persevere, and simply life goes on. You make what you can given the life and surroundings you have.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading stories that put the experiences of someone living through a moment of world history into easy to digest and emotional narrative. I Remember Beirut does that, well, but it left me feeling a little lost. It has moments of brilliance such as the kids saying the colour of mom's car, but it also feels lacking. There is an emotional connection to the material but it isn't a deep one. I remember The Wall by Peter Sis doing a much better job of creating that empathy I crave. I'm also not sure what age group this is targetted towards. It's a good book, just not a great one.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A companion to A Game for Swallows, I Remember Beirut is a collection of memories. From one page to the next, Reina takes us through her childhood memoirs of the Lebanese Civil war through a series of “I remember” statements. These memoirs range from things she saw walking to school to the complex emotions of living in a war zone. The illustrations are beautiful, the storytelling is compelling, and new knowledge is learned on every page.

Both of these books should be in your library.

Told in a series of "I remember" statements, this graphic memoir takes you through a child's experiences in the Lebanese Civil War. Beautiful.

I always love learning something when I read.

[Noninuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is a memoir of the author's experience and of what she can remember from the time she lived in Beirut.

I couldn't really rate a person experience but I can rate the storytelling and deliverance. The art is simple and minimalist that I found it's almost soothing while talking of the heavy topic. Now, I want to try her award winning graphic novel A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return!

[Elizabeth A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Invisible Cities Project | June 2021 | Selection for Lebanon.
Translated from the French by Edward Gauvin.

I am fortunate in that I've not lived in a war zone. There's much written about people who do, and this graphic memoir adds to that genre. The blocky black and white art is simple, yet powerfully sets the scene. This isn't a straight forward memoir, but more a collection of anecdotes that highlight one girl's life in the midst of war. It's written for a YA audience, so there's much glossed over, but I appreciated the glimpse into the family's life.

[Daphne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. The artwork was nice in this book. Other than that, it wasn't anything special. It doesn't give you any insight to the Lebanese civil war, or even to what it's like living in a war zone. It's a surprisingly optimistic book, and it doesn't really show the true horror of war. I definitely wouldn't recommend this book.

[Ghazaal B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing her previous work, "A Game For Swallows" this book has a nostalgic overlook the wartime Beirut. I personally found the previous book much more interesting and I excpected something more in this book. though still great illustrations and interesting content if you are interested in eastern culture. :)

[Ella Dincă · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.75 stars)

A visually striking and deeply personal graphic novel that offers a glimpse into the author's memories of growing up in war-torn Beirut. Although it's a short read, it packs a powerful emotional punch, making it a compelling introduction to the impact of the Lebanese Civil War on daily life.

For someone like me, with limited knowledge of wars and political tensions outside my usual frame of reference, this book served as an eye-opener.

That said, I found myself wanting more in terms of historical context. While I Remember Beirut offers a vivid portrayal of personal experiences during the conflict, it doesn't delve deeply into the historical background, as graphic novels like Persepolis or Maus do. I was left with a desire to learn more about the events and causes of the war, which led me to do some additional research on my own.

Despite this, I Remember Beirut succeeds in making me feel less ignorant about a time and place I knew little about before. It's a testament to the power of storytelling, even in its brevity, to broaden perspectives and spark curiosity.

If you're looking for a more detailed historical account, this might not fully satisfy, but as a personal reflection on the toll of war, it is undeniably impactful.

[Alex Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple and striking graphic novel within its barrenness; there's not really a plot, but instead Zeina recalls what it was like growing up during the Lebanese Civil War. Details that on the surface seem simple—her father's propensity to play loud music—become more complicated—he plays it loud to drown out the chaos outside. Then there are some things that are unique to growing up in a war zone. There's one spread that depicts where her family took refuge during the war through a checkered board game path. It's devastatingly simple.

Yet, I wanted more details, more "this is what I've learned and this is how it affected me," just in general more. I learned a lot more about Beirut and Lebanon and especially now what to learn more, so maybe the book is doing its job. Middle school or high school students would appreciate this novel.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging read about a formative period in Lebanese history. There isn’t much out there about the Lebanese civil war and I’m glad that people who lived through it are still making their experiences known.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short graphic novel about the civil war in Lebanon and the author’s memories of Beirut during that time. Edina was born there in 1981, and she was 10 when it was over. She talks about how their car was riddled with bullet holes, that they had blackouts, that her sibling collected shrapnel, and so much more in simple, black and white images and simple sentences that often begin with “I remember.” If you don’t know much about this civil war, then you might want to pick up this book. If you experienced it yourself, I can’t say whether you’d want to read it—it could be a bit traumatic or cause you to remember your own experiences, but it might also help you to feel understood.

[Elyse Romano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how the author drew from the concept of Je me Souviens by Georges Perec, and used small details to evoke the significance of large events. It was difficult at first to understand the sequence of events, but the story flowed well based on themes. The illustrations were impactful and added to the meaning of the book.

[Justine Bishop · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember Beirut is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that tells the story of the author, Zeina Abirached’s childhood. Abirached grew up in Beirut, Lebanon during the war between the Christians and the Muslims. This graphic novel shows some of her memories of this time, and show the reader what everyday life, in the middle of a war zone, was like. By telling this story through a child’s eyes, the author covers the topic of war in a way that is honest, yet also appropriate for younger readers.

The illustrations were so well done that when I saw this book I immediately went “I must read this”. I think that a graphic novel should have this effect on its reader. The pictures really need to be visually appealing so that the reader is drawn to it. All though the illustrations are done almost entirely in black and white, I think this actually adds to the story. Since it covers a rather serious story, it wouldn’t make much sense for the pictures to be bright and happy. I think the author choose wisely when they decided to use black and white images because it helps to portray the seriousness of the story.

I felt that the story was a little difficult for me to follow, and would be very difficult for anyone who is not familiar with the war that the novel is addressing. Since I have a vague idea of what the story is about (and with the help of google) I was able to understand the story fairly well. However, I think that this story would be very challenging for young readers who are not familiar with what happened in Beirut. This would especially be a problem for younger readers who don’t think of using the internet to expand their knowledge of the topic.
In addition, I am not entirely sure what age group this book is geared towards. I feel like younger readers may not fully understand what is going on because they do not have enough background knowledge. At the same time, the tone seems geared more rewards younger readers and I’m not sure that older readers would react positively to it.