A gentle homage to the man who gave her life.

WINNER: Strega European Prize

“This book is a gem.”
—Le Parisien

“Amélie Nothomb at her best: cruel, tender and funny.”
—Télérama

“A book bubbling in delightful humour and exuberant vitality.”
—Le Figaro

The Republic of the Congo, 1964. A young man is facing a firing squad, preparing for his last moment on Earth. He reflects on his childhood with a distant mother, and the moments which have led to him finding himself staring death in the face.

Patrick Nothomb is a young diplomat, aged 28, when he is taken hostage with thousands of others in Stanleyville (now Kisangani) by rebels. Over the course of four months, Nothomb has negotiated with his captors each and every day, saving the lives of 1500 citizens.

Inspired by the life of her father, who died at the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, Amélie Nothomb slips into his shoes to give voice to his story.