Jokes for the Gunmen

As a child growing up in the midst of civil war in Beirut, Mazen Maarouf learned to compartmentalise life. In his words, ‘life was not bound by a concrete system of safety or security… That world, conditioned by war, was very disturbing for me as a child… Reality was a fantasy as well.’ 

Out of those surreal fragments, Maarouf has crafted a moving collection of half-magical, half terrifying stories from a child’s perspective. 

Sex and death, the mundane and the Roald Dahl-like bizarre – all find space in the pages of Jokes for the Gunmen – an unforgettable journey.

Join us for a reading of this compelling book and Q&A with the author.