An Unnecessary Woman

A heart-wrenching novel for bibliophiles. Aaliya Sohbi is a 72-year-old introverted child-free divorcée living alone in her Beirut apartment with books as her closest companions. Her family doesn’t know what to do with her, nor do her neighbors. Aaliya’s favorite pastime is translating books into Arabic, which she never shows to anyone. Filled with musings on literature, art, aging, and Aaliya’s past, Alameddine celebrates the way books show us who we are and the beauty found in a small life.