Translator’s Introduction Sahar Mandour, named “one of Beirut’s new movers and shakers” by Wallpaper Magazine, was born in 1977 to an Egyptian father and a Lebanese mother. She studied >sy- chology at [Université Saint Joseph in Beirut and received her master’s degree in media and the Middle East from the University of London. Mandour is a journalist for the Assafir newspaper and a social activist who was recogn:zed by HELEM (a Lebanese non-profit organization working to improve the legal and social status of lesbian, gay, and transgender people) for her contribution to the rights and social freedom of the LGBTQ community in Lebanon. ‘Mandour' first novel, Il Draw a Star on Vienna’ Fore- head, published in Beirut in 2007, is a whimsical, satirical biography of a young Arab woman searching for an iden- tity she might call her own. Two years later, she wrote A Beiruti Love (2009), a novel about romance and relation- ships in Beirut, which was, like 32, a bestseller at the Arab Book Fair. Her fourth novel, Mina (2013), tells the story of a young Lebanese gay actress. ‘Mandour’s third novel, 32 (2010), is the first to be translated into English. It is an engaging narration of the life of a young woman and her four female friends in Bei- rut after the civil war. This eventful period, with its wars, Lkx + Translator’s Introduction assassinations, terroris:n, and the reconstruction of Bei- rut, remains relevant to those living and experiencing it with ennui and weariness in Lebanon. A lot has happened during this period that is key to understanding the politi- cal situation in Lebanon today as well as to understanding, its people, especially the younger generation. ‘There is wality to this work’s form and style. The novel is @ long conversation that shifts from the anonymous narrator speaking to herself, to her friends, and.to the reader. She comfortably alternates standard Arabic, the Lebanese dialect, and Egyptian as she moves from one topic to another. Mandour's style of writing and its complexity carries a voice that is all at, once cynical, hopeful yet exhausted, and loaded with dry humor and hurt, which can only be produced by a people all too familiar with war. ‘What makes this novel valuable as a modern piece of fiction is its honest reflection of the life led by millions in Lebanon: a life that is rarely revealed in contempo- rary Lebanese literature. Shar Mandour takes readers to uncomfortable places as they are forced to experience the unfamiliar and absurd in everyday Lebanese life. ‘They are subjected to mundane yet intricate and criti- cal detail as the narrator takes them around Beirut and documents everything she sees. This narration displays Mandour's journalist skills impeccably. She connects the events and conditions of the people she encounters with the political situation of the country. She asks questions and scrutinizes the answers in an attempt to explain the injustices she encounters, and her inquiry exposes the elites’ accountability ard the politicians’ hypocrisy, cor- ruptness, and abuse of power. Mandour controls the flow Translator’s Introduction + xi of the information, gradually introducing the reader to the harsh situations and traumatic events that confine the lives of the Lebanese people and prevent the country from growing out of its political instability, Furthermore, in 32 Mandour subtly exposes the con- sequences of postwar redevelopment as new tall, modern buildings replace older ones in the capital. Despite the efforts of activists, journalists, and organizations such as the Association for the Protection of the Lebanese Heri- tage (APLH) to stop the erasure of what is left of Lebanon's history, ancient archeclogical sites (some that date back to 500 BC) continue to be destroyed as skyscrapers take their place. The novel reminds us of the red and blue shutters of the old apartment buildings, the Ottoman-style archi- tecture, and the Venetian windows and arches that once epitomized Beirut. It introduces us to Lebanese folklore vis-a-vis the architecture as the narrator speaks of actors ‘and singers who once marked the height of the art scene in the Middle East. She shows the changing landscape of Lebanon through its music by juxtaposing the old folk- lore and Western music. The mixing of Western and Mid- dle Eastern styles and instruments makes Lebanese music a highly unique genre, and the narrator embraces it while showing how the old music is disappearing much like the old buildings. Mandour also sheds light on life in Lebanon from the perspective of women as she discusses the positive and negative aspects of the female experience in 32. She suc- ceeds in exposing the complex gender structure in Leb- anese society. On the one hand, women have long been allowed to play an active role socially and in the work force, especially after the civil war when they began toxii» Translator’s Introduction assume more independence. On the other hand, although Lebanese women have more rights and liberties than women in other Arab countries, they are far behind in terms of pay equity and their participation in politics. The narrator openly discusses poverty, sexual harassment, divorce, independence, and rights and the lack of them as, she zooms in on details of the everyday life of Lebanese women (a difficult life to which they've become accus tomed). The negative and positive aspects of the male experience are visible as well. Mandour exposes Lebanese patriarchal society and family structure by depicting the irrational masculinity and pathological level of machismo and narcissism that authors like Etel Adnan have written, of in an effort for reform. Mandour also addresses the social reality of female domestic workers in Lebanon. Despite the fact that Koko, the narrator's cleaner, is portrayed as a strong and inde- pendent woman, she is a Sri Lankan domestic worker and is therefore excluded from the protection of the Lebanese labor code. Although progress has been made on this social issue in Lebanon, many domestic workers are still being abused as legal and social change manifests slowly. Religion—a topic that remains sensitive to many in Lebanon—is lightheartedly touched on in 32. Mandour underlines the absurdity of religion, demonstrating how politicians employ it as a technique to manipulate the ‘masses and exploit it as a sales pitch in today’s capitalist market. People continue to be seen as pawns to the elite, preying on religion's sensitive relationship to their history, and fragile identity. To define one’s identity as a Lebanese is a debate that remains heated. The civil war plays a major role in the Translator’s Introduction - xiif definition of the Lebanese identity, as does Lebanon's complex and intersecting history and its inseparability from religion. Sahar Mandour proves that, as a Leba- nese, writing your own story is not an easy thing to do. By being Lebanese and explaining the whys and hows of one's life and country, it is nearly impossible to produce a logical and relatable work. Toward the end of the novel, the narrator comes to the realization that all people can do is take life one day at a time and write their story one page at a time, hoping it might help them understand themselves better. In 32 Mandour tackles several highly important top. {cs in contemporary Lebanon and the Middle East in gen. ‘eral, She treads on these subjects with sensitivity and often humor while emphasizing their significance and the mis- fortunes that people face as a result. Through this novel, Sahar Mandour provides insight into an important time in Lebanon’ recent history. She offers a view of life during that period that is unfamiliar to many, and she gives @ voice to her generation—the product of the civil war.