A Tale of Two Omars: A Memoir of Family, Revolution, and Coming Out During the Arab Spring

Sharif, grandson of the legendary Egyptian actor by the same name, bares all with his stirring debut, an account of his extraordinary and turbulent life. As he looks back on a childhood spent moving between his Jewish mother and Arab father’s families and the years leading up to his current exile from Egypt after publicly coming out as gay in 2012, Sharif weaves in the ever-present spirit of his late paternal grandfather, a celebrity and fervent optimist. Even after he died in 2015, following a decade with Alzheimer’s disease, his grandfather’s philosophy of “leaving it all on the table” served as a beacon of hope for Sharif throughout his toughest moments, and buoys the narrative. Despite the rampant homophobia he suffered early in life; a tumultuous coming-out experience in college with his mother (who screamed at him to “be normal”); and multiple sexual assaults by powerful men, Sharif remains sanguine and measured in his reflections. And while his convictions may be tinged by his aristocratic upbringing (“Because of my grandfather, I could get into any private club I wanted”), he maintains his hope in humanity, making several calls for increased dialogue, tolerance, and patience in Mideast politics. This moving story will appeal to anyone looking for an account of inspiration in the face of oppression. (Oct.)