It is 1959, Damascus. The most famous storyteller in Damascus, Salim, the coachman, has mysteriously lost his voice. For seven nights, his seven old friends gather to break the spell with their seven different, unique stories -- some personal, some modern, some borrowed from the past. Against the backdrop of shifting Middle Eastern politics, Schami's eight characters, lost to the Arabian nights, weave in and out of tales of wizards and princesses, of New York skyscrapers and America. With spellbinding power, Schami imparts a luscious vision of storytelling as food for thought and salve for the soul, as the glue which holds our lives together.

LOCATION: Maison Internationale des Associations, salle Albert Jacquard
Presenter: VOLUNTEER WANTED
Starting time: 19:15 sharp
Format:

Members introduction (5-10 minutes)
Book presentation (20-30 minutes)
A brief history of the author’s life
A short summary of the book
Main ideas/themes

Group discussion (45-60 minutes), members' personal views on the book, opposing ideas, etc.
Announcement/info on next meeting (5 minutes)
Note: reading the book is not a "must" to attend the meeting, but encouraged if you want to actively participate in the discussion.
We look forward to seeing you all!
Upcoming events: https://www.genevainternationalbookclub.com/post/future
Past events: https://www.genevainternationalbookclub.com/post/_past
Presentation slides (current year): https://www.genevainternationalbookclub.com/post/slides-2025