George al-Batal: I Am the Only Communist

An oral-history memoir in which George al-Batal — a militant and leader in the Lebanese Communist Party — recounts his political life through conversations conducted by Fawwaz Traboulsi over seven years (2009–2016). Al-Batal traces his path from a relatively comfortable family background into communist commitment and clandestine party work, through his relationships with Farajallah Helou and Georges Hawi, painting an intimate portrait of a pivotal era in the history of the Lebanese and Arab left.

Notes

First edition (2019). Oral-history memoir based on conversations recorded 2009–2016. Parts appeared in Bidayat issues 17 (June 2017) and 20–21 (June 2018). Cover design by Majid al-Majidi.