Hunger

When the stomach is empty and remains empty for a long time, the emptiness spreads throughout the person. It takes hold of their brain and emotions. The search for food becomes the focus of life, and the lack of it becomes a constant thought. Hunger leads to other questions - existential, political, theological - as it also makes class differences visible, which cannot be masked by isolated acts of charity. Muhammad al-Bissati presents this condition in his new novel. Through the example of a family from a small Egyptian town, "Hunger" depicts the daily struggles of obtaining food and the visions that extend beyond daily bread. The novel also provides insight into social groups whose voices will become increasingly impossible to ignore, as hunger ranks high on the list of unresolved issues in this world.