Salar Abdouh, writer and professor of creative writing


A Nearby Country Called Love and Continued Exploration of Identity

Abdoh’s latest novel, A Nearby Country Called Love (2023), further explores the themes of displacement, war, and love. The novel takes a more introspective approach compared to his earlier works, focusing on the emotional and psychological complexities of love in times of crisis. Set against the backdrop of the Middle East’s turbulent political landscape, the novel follows characters who are struggling to make sense of their place in a world defined by war, exile, and uncertainty.

In A Nearby Country Called Love, Abdoh turns his attention to the personal toll that conflict and displacement take on individuals, particularly in their relationships. The novel’s characters are drawn together by their shared experiences of loss and exile, yet they are also driven apart by the same forces that have shaped their lives. The novel is a poignant meditation on the fragility of love in a world defined by violence and instability.