"Leaves an indelible impression. The Loved Ones] is rich with family and neighbors and Alia Mamdouh] notes all of their subtle interactions and secrets."-Library Journal "Ferocious, visceral descriptions . . . give a powerful sense not only of Suhaila's world but also of the way we make and understand memories."-Booklist "Often intense and lyrical."-Kirkus Reviews This winner of the Naguib Mahfouz Prize for Literature mingles memories of the past with the shifting voices of the present when the estranged son of an Iraqi exile flies from his home in Toronto to visit her in Paris. As his ailing mother, the once-vibrant Suhaila, lies in a hospital bed, he acquaints himself with her constellation of close friends. Immediately, he becomes immersed in the complex relationships he has fought so hard to avoid: with his mother and his war-torn homeland. Alia Mamdouh weaves a magical tale of the human condition in this stunning and beautifully written novel of faith, family, and hope. Alia Mamdouh is the author of essays, short stories, and four novels, including the most widely translated, Naphtalene. Born in Iraq, she now lives in exile in Paris. Marilyn Booth is a translator of Middle Eastern fiction and autobiography. She received her BA from Harvard-Radcliffe and her DPhil from Oxford University, and has taught at Brown University and The American University in Cairo. Currently, she is visiting associate professor of comparative literature at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. HA(c)lA]ne Cixous is a world-renowned French feminist theorist, critic, essayist, novelist, and playwright.