Leaving Beirut by Lebanese sculptor and writer, Mai Ghoussoub is a mixture of her memories, reflections and readings in history. The themes range from revenge, terror, forgiveness and exile to courage, justice and love. Through her readings of events outside Lebanon, Ghoussoub remembers the tragedy of the Lebanese civil war that shaped her life.

In the first chapter, A Kind of Madness, Ghoussoub goes back to her life in Beiruit just before she leaves for exile in Europe where she wonders from city to city eventually settling in London. Whilst she is working as a volunteer in one of the Palestinan camps she meets Abu Firas, militia leader and they begin a secret but passionate affair where blood and terror are mixed with sex and love in a way where the former because part of the impetus for the latter. She wakes up to the real world when her brother is shot and badly wounded, suddenly the war is in her heart and her home. As soon as her brother recovers she leaves Beirut. Thus the scene is set for the rest of the book in which she brings us her thoughts, dreams and understanding of the world.

The final chapter, Responsibilty, Truth and Punishment, is somewhat disjointed as the author tries to bring together issues of revenge and punishment, forgiveness and reconcilliarition. At some point we all have to change from serial vengence and retaliation to understanding and look to the future rather than continually drag ourselves through the past.