December Book Club – House of Stone
War correspondent Anthony Shadid returns to Marjayoun to rebuild his great-grandfather’s home—and, through it, his own sense of belonging. Blending craft and memory, he uncovers how walls and courtyards can hold a family’s scattered past. His restoration becomes a meditation on loss, return, and the enduring meaning of home.
Book Club Meeting | 20 December | 10 :00 am – 12:30 pm
Creative Writing and Home | 20 December | 1:30 – 3:30 pm
ABOUT:
How do we write about “home” without slipping into familiar stereotypes, through its rooms, rituals, repairs, and the small labors that make belonging feel vivid and real?
Inspired by Shadid’s memoir, this session will guide participants through:
1. A 7-minute sensory exercise to recall the space in detail
2. Sketching a quick layout that reimagines the memory of a specific room
3. Writing a 100-word micro-essay
4. Drafting a cohesive paragraph
