Best of
Lebanon

2015

Baddawi


Leila Abdelrazaq - 2015
    Raised in a refugee camp called Baddawi in northern Lebanon, Ahmad is just one of the thousands of Palestinians who fled their homeland after the war in 1948 established the state of Israel.In this visually arresting graphic novel, Leila Abdelrazaq explores her father’s childhood in the 1960s and '70s from a boy's eye view as he witnesses the world crumbling around him and attempts to carry on, forging his own path in the midst of terrible uncertainty.

I'll Fly Away


Kelly Nielson - 2015
    His looks screamed Italian with his light creamy olive complexion, large Romanesque nose and full lips, but his accent was French. As he served her his country's pastry, baklava immersed in rosewater syrup, she found herself confused about the ethnicity of this French-speaking Italian with a Jewish name serving a Greek pastry. All she knew was when he looked at her with those dark penetrating eyes she melted. Fast forward to February 2002, a few months after 9/11, Kelly found herself forced to move to her husband's native home: Beirut, Lebanon. To her horror, she realizes that because she is married to a Muslim, she is subject to Sharia law and has lost all of her former rights. Trapped in his family building watched constantly, her husband refuses to let her and their daughters, ages four and nine, return home. And now, she finds that his family is rejecting her because she refuses to convert to Islam. Here is the incredible story of her odyssey to save herself and her two daughters. A moving story of a mother's love, courage and faith.

Defenders of Christendom


James Fitzhenry - 2015
    Demonstrating his gallantry through daring feats or arms, the knight's faith, coupled with his marvelous courage, made him nearly invincible on the field of battle. Built around the stirring chronicle of the Knights of St. John, these inspiring accounts bring to life Catholic heroes who fought with courage, chivalry, and an unwavering trust in God to protect their neighbor, their country, and their faith.