My Roman Year at Mr B’s Emporium

This deeply passionate journey is told through André‘s poignant memories of his family, who when expelled from Egypt, found themselves refugees seeking a home of their own in the vast soot-lined streets of Rome. The book will transport you to the city he soon fell in love with set in Rome in 1964. As 13 year old André stands at the foot of the gangway to the ship, his mother fusses over their luggage – 32 suitcases, trunks and tea chests that contain their world. The ship will refuel and return to Alexandria, the home where they have left their father, as the Aciman family begin a new adventure. André is now head of the family, with a little brother to keep in line and a mother to translate for – for although she’s mute, she is nothing if not communicative. Transporting and beautiful, this memoir shares the luminous, fragile truth of life for a family forever in exile, living in Rome, but still yet to find a home.