Rabih Alameddine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rabih Alameddine
Rabih Alameddine in 2017
Born	1959 (age 65–66) Amman, Jordan
Alma mater	University of California at Los Angeles
Occupation	Novelist

Rabih Alameddine (born in 1959) is a talented Lebanese painter and writer. He is known for his insightful novels and short stories. His book, The Wrong End of the Telescope, received the prestigious PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction in 2022.

Early Life and Education

Rabih Alameddine was born in Amman, Jordan. His parents were from Lebanon. He spent his childhood years in Kuwait and Lebanon. When he was 17, he moved away to study. He first lived in England, then in California. He attended the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). There, he earned a degree in engineering. Later, he completed a Master of Business degree in San Francisco.

Becoming a Writer and Artist

Alameddine started his career as an engineer. However, he soon discovered his passion for writing and painting. He decided to pursue these creative fields. His first novel, Koolaids, was published in 1998. This book explored important social issues in San Francisco. It also touched upon the difficult times of the Lebanese Civil War.

Rabih Alameddine has written many books. He is the author of six novels and a collection of short stories. In 2002, he received a special award called a Guggenheim Fellowship. This award helps artists and writers with their projects. His stories often share unique perspectives. They explore the experiences of people who move to new countries. He has lived in both San Francisco and Beirut.

Recognized for His Stories

Rabih Alameddine has received many awards for his writing. In 2014, his novel An Unnecessary Woman was highly praised. It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. He also won the Gold Medal Fiction award from the California Book Awards for this book.

An Unnecessary Woman is one of his most famous novels. It tells the story of Aaliya, a woman living in Lebanon. She works as a translator. The book shows what life was like in Lebanon during a time of conflict. It explores her thoughts and experiences.

In 2017, Alameddine won the Arab American Book Award. This was for his novel The Angel of History. He also shared his knowledge with students. In 2018, he taught creative writing. This was at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

His short story, "The July War", was recognized in 2021. It was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Short Story Award. More recently, his novel The Wrong End of the Telescope won a major prize. It received the 2022 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. His novel The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) also won a big award. It received the 2025 National Book Award for Fiction.

Books by Rabih Alameddine

Here is a list of books written by Rabih Alameddine:

• Koolaids: The Art of War (1998)
• The Perv: Stories (1999)
• I, the Divine: A Novel in First Chapters (2001)
• The Hakawati (2008)
• An Unnecessary Woman (2014)
• The Angel of History: A Novel (2016)
• The Wrong End of the Telescope (2021)
• Comforting Myths: Concerning the Political in Art (2024)
• The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) (2025)

See also

In Spanish: Rabih Alameddine para niños