De Niro's Game

You read this novel and the writing is as clean, sparse and arid as the desert. Then suddenly, in a single passage, you are inundated, swimming, drowning in words and images that come at you so fast that it is difficult to breathe. Rawi Hage is a master in the making. Do not miss this tremendous book.

Initially drawn to this book by the Literary Review's statement that "writing can't get much better..." I'd no idea what to expect. But Hage's written style is as close to modern day epic poetry as you'll probably ever find. The setting of Beirut would hardly seem to lend itself to poetry, but in the sprawling descriptions of the living conditions--both physical and emotional--of this war-ravaged state he seems to channel the style of Homer. For real! In painting the picture of life for young men living for today amidst a conflict that is as much tradition as the tenets of the religions they follow, Hage brings a world to life that CNN can't tap with its two minute evening news insight. The final part of the story loses steam as the location changes to somewhere (not to give anything away) it seems Hage is less familiar. Suddenly the same voracity of streaming description that brings Beirut to life is somewhat stifled. Even the actions of the protagonist appear to lose relevance, and certainly consistency. Yet the writing style still clips along at a thoroughly entertaining pace, and ultimately delivers a story that I figure most readers would never believe that they would enjoy. Highly recommended.

A stream of consciousness account of a shell-shocked young man struggling to retain his sanity in the middle of a war. The narrator's voice is disengaged and repetitive as he describes events that overcome his family, childhood friendships, and city. Hage presents a stark contrast between the poetic beauty of his language and the tragedies of the war.

Finished it in 2 settings and I'm not much of a reader.. Maybe because I grew up in that same neighborhood at the same period. It brought back things long forgotten.. He couldn't have done a better job turning feelings into expressions. Probably partially true and part fiction but regardless, it's the writing that keeps you interested. Great accomplishment...

Rawi Hage's first novel is arguably one of the best pieces of English literature on Lebanon's devastating 15-year civil war. Daniel Scott's simplistic analysis of "De Niro's Game" does not do the book or its author justice. Hage's writing style, which is often poetic in nature, paints a vivid picture of Lebanon's internal tragedy between Christian militias, socialist forces, and Palestinian guerrillas. This book is an absolute must-read.