961 Hours in Beirut (and 321 Dishes That Accompanied Them) (961 Chas v Beyrute)

In the spring of 2018, Ryoko Sekiguchi (b. 1970), a Franco-Japanese poet and essayist, arrived in Beirut to write a book about a city that had survived a devastating war, unaware that a new wave of street protests would sweep Lebanon in the fall of 2019. Her 'culinary chronicle' is a lyrical travelogue, composed of numerous micro-chapters that intertwine with the dishes and flavors of Beirut. Sekiguchi paints the city's gastronomic landscape, recalling her encounters and discoveries during her journey, as well as Lebanese stories of war, nostalgia, and revolution. The author explores cuisine and food as a means of building bridges between people. Along with the aromas of Lebanese dishes, the text is permeated with a premonition of the impending catastrophe that soon befell Beirut.