In the Country of Men is a novel published by the Libyan author, Hisham Matar. Released in 2006 by Viking Press, the book follows a young boy living in crime-filled Libya, with parents that turn to alcohol to rid themselves of their problems and a father that is part of anti-terrorist groups. Because of this, the plot of the book encompasses stalking and searches of terrorist members, trying to rid the world of Suleiman's (the boy's) father. A debut novel, In the Country of Men won the Guardian First Book Award as well as being translated into 22 languages.
Hisham Matar was born in 1970 and has been a writer since 2006. Most of his novels portray themes of loss, including this one, which deals with the tragic story of a young boy. He has written multiple novels and a memoir that was published to search for his long-lost father. Although born in America, Matar is proud of his Libyan heritage and has lived in the country at certain points in his career. Matar hopes to continue writing for the rest of his life, as most of the work he has previously published has been received very well.
