It's not the state of belonging, but rather separation, which produces different and contrasting literary styles. It had to happen through a decisive, violent break with the past - and the war, and its scars, proved to be just that.' 'The war, in all its hideousness, played a huge role in casting off the burden of linguistic heritage and releasing new and different forms of narrative. When we ask how years of conflict painfully imprinted in the visual and personal memories of writers have made their mark on the literary narrative, Humaydan responds with depth.

Humaydan belongs to the post-war literary scene: a generation of writers who have lived and testified to the bitter suffering of civil war. The relationship gave her insight into what life was like on the 'other side'.

Speaking of her life experiences, Humaydan believes she was incredibly enriched by a friendship she had with a man from an opposing faction 'at the height' of the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990). 'My experiences may differ from those of other women who have stayed in the same place all their lives and retained a sense of belonging - even if this is, by and large, a delusion.' 'We can’t expect to begin writing without reflecting on our own personal experiences - for this itself is the primary vein,' said the author, whose latest novel Other Lives (2014) was recently translated into English by Michelle Hartman. In particular, her memories are manifested in her works as the tense, strained encounters between women and war. 1956) writes about war, her personal experience is never far from the surface. When Lebanese novelist Iman Humaydan Younes (b.

Other Lives by Iman Humaydan