By By André Aciman
Reviewed by Lucy Keane
The well-known writer André Aciman’s new book is a heartwarming, highly-entertaining coming-of-age memoir of one year spent in Rome in the mid-1960’s during a formative period in his teenage years. It tells the story of the expulsion of Andre’s Jewish family from Egypt during Nasser’s 20-year tyrannical reign in that country.
Aciman was 16 when his family were forced to flee Egypt and re-settle for a period of time in Italy enroute to America. His book portrays this difficult period of transition, re-adjustment and resettlement for his father, mother and younger brother to great effect.
The young Aciman arrived in Italy with his deaf mother, boisterous younger brother and 33 suitcases. They were dependent on the generosity of other family members who had made their way ahead of them to settle in different parts of Italy and France. His philandering father stayed behind in Egypt for a number of months to ‘settle’ his affairs, both financially and romantically, before following them to Italy.
A cast of highly entertaining characters such as Uncle Claude and Aunts Flora and Elsa add to the entertainment value. However, Aciman’s story also shines a light on the experiences and attitudes to refugees during this period, something that is still prevalent today.
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