Rabih Alameddine's "La vera storia di Raja il Credulone" Explores Truth and Storytelling in Wartime Beirut

Rabih Alameddine, born in Jordan to Lebanese parents, has published "La vera storia di Raja il Credulone," translated into Italian by Licia Vighi for La Nave di Teseo. The novel's title itself challenges readers to question the credibility of the narrative they are about to encounter, employing a classic literary device drawn from picaresque satire — the tension between factual truth and the grander "Story" with a capital S. Alameddine roots this device in the Middle Eastern oral tradition of the "Hakawati," the storyteller, which was also the title of his first novel. The protagonist, a naive figure named Raja, navigates misadventures, deceptions, and forced conscription in a Beirut ravaged by war. The narrative spans from 1960 to 2023, encompassing the period before and after the Lebanese civil conflict as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. The book is structured in three parts, or movements, a tripartite architecture that Alameddine uses to sustain narrative tension. The review, published by Doppiozero on 12 September 2026 and written by Paolo Landi and Anita Romanello, highlights Alameddine's exceptional storytelling ability, which allows the reader to surrender defenselessly to the unfolding tale. The novel engages with themes of credulity, truth, and the power of oral narrative in shaping collective memory within a region marked by decades of upheaval.