Tous mais pas Beyrouth by Mathieu Diez illustrated by Jibé

´Le pays de la guerre des autres´.

French embassy in Lebanon and one of the most important abroad, which shows still French´s interest in the region, although politically speaking French politics internationally aren´t at their best. French soft power however still plays an important role, not only from the linguistic point of view.

Mathieu Diez, founder of Lyon BD Festival, spent four (very) eventful years in Beyrouth working at the embassy´s cultural section, where he was involved in organising important cultural events like book fairs and literary prizes awards, swimming through the trouble waters of a country forced to restrain its cultural potential while serving as arena of other people´s wars.

Tous mais pas Beyrouth/Anything but Beirut, illustrated by Jibé, is his graphic memoir covering time spent in the diplomatic service, between 2021 and 2024, very intense years for the country and the region in general. With an acribie and empathy not always expected from this genre, he is not only serving as a chronicler of his times, but also is doing his best in understanding the history, current challenges and culture of Lebanon. 

This book is another example of the potential of graphic novels, allowing their authors to play the role similar with the journalist: taking notes of their times, and putting it into words and images. It is a humorous, yet subjective take, that may help you get to know a topic through its main actors, their interactions and last but not least their feelings.

A recommended read for anyone curious about personal experiences from a conflict zone.

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review