When Magic Failed: A Memoir of a Lebanese Childhood, Caught Between East and West

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This webinar was held March 15, 2022 and led by Peter Theroux with remarks by Michelle Ajami.

Peter Theroux is a translator, author, and analyst that has spent much of his career in international affairs. During his career, he has worked for the National Geographic Society doing fieldwork in Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria and produced fifteen books.

His original work includes the nonfiction Sandstorms: Days and Nights in Arabic; Translating LA; and The Strange Disappearance of Imam Moussa Sadr.  He has translated novels from a wide variety of Iraqi, Egyptian, Nubian, Saudi Arabian, Lebanese, and Palestinian dialects. Authors he translated include Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, Abdelrahman Munif, Emily Habiby, and Idris Ali. He was awarded the Columbia University Translation Award for his work.

Theroux attended Harvard University (AB 1978) and the University of Cairo. He received an honorary doctorate from Mount St. Mary's College in 1997.

Theroux wrote the foreword to Professor Fouad Ajami’s posthumous autobiography, When Magic Failed: A Memoir of a Lebanese Childhood, Caught Between East and West. 

Featured book reviews:

• ‘When Magic Failed’ Review: Civilization’s Ambassador (The Wall Street Journal)
• The key to Fouad Ajami's secrets in his last magic (Middle East Broadcasting Network)
• Lebanon, America, and the Courage of Fouad Ajami (The National Interest)
• Fouad Ajami's "When Magic Failed" Captures Lebanon at Its Best and Worst (Mosaic Magazine)

 For participants located in the United States, we have a limited amount of copies of When Magic Failed: A Memoir of a Lebanese Childhood, Caught Between East and West available to purchase at the discounted rate of $22.00. You can purchase your discounted book through the ASMEA website below.

Order Book

We are unable to ship copies internationally at this time. For our members located outside the United States, please visit the publisher's website to learn where you can purchase your copy. The book is scheduled for release April 26, 2022 and we will mail out books upon receiving our copies.