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3. Bruno Tabbal Presents His Novel 'Le Pays Dont On Ne Guérit Jamais'

Bruno Tabbal transforms the launch of his novel Le pays dont on ne guérit jamais ('The Land We Never Heal From') into a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. It will take place at Le Monnot theater on Wednesday, February 5, starting at 5 PM. Bruno Tabbal shares his journey as an author in an interview with This is Beirut.

Bruno Tabbal takes readers on a remarkable journey with his novel Le pays dont on ne guérit jamais. At Le Monnot theater on Wednesday, February 5, from 5 PM onward, he merges literature and immersion for an unprecedented book signing experience.

In his conversation with This is Beirut, Bruno Tabbal discusses his artistic and literary path. He explains, “Writing and performing on stage are two worlds that intersect, complementing each other as different expressions of my artistic vision. Writing helps organize thoughts, while the stage opens up a space for emotions and direct engagement with the audience, often bringing the words to life.”

For him, writing is essential, “It’s a way to channel emotions and thoughts onto paper, giving them shape and beauty.” Speaking of his deep love for Chatine, he reflects, “Chatine is a tiny village nestled in the heights of the Caza of Batroun, near Tannourine. Today, it has no more than 35 homes, compared to 200 in the past—a testament to rural exodus and emigration. Yet, it remains picturesque. It’s where I spent my childhood. For me, Chatine is the center of the universe.”

Bruno Tabbal’s gift flows from musical notes or his pen. His writing carries the essence of thyme and the sacred, it echoes the music of films. As we read, images unfold before our eyes: the pen of Pagnol, his father's glory, his mother's castles… and Chahine.

A lover of history, poetry and nature, Tabbal expresses himself, as always, with heartfelt openness. Yet, he weaves a meticulous narrative filled with carefully chosen words. Bruno Tabbal possesses the soul of both an artist and a writer. He resonates with the silence of cherished beings. Elle, he writes (“She”). And before even reaching the end of the sentence, before he takes another breath, we already know he doesn’t need to name her. The companion of winding paths, the reader recognizes her. His use of “She” is almost classical, evoking a majestic sublimation. Every woman who bears witness is a queen in his eyes, and his witness is “She.”

Le pays dont on ne guérit jamais unravels a profound nostalgia, known only to those whose deep love for Lebanon both consumes and blesses them. Through a reverse journey into a vivid and pristine past, Bruno Tabbal immortalizes the emotional intensity of family reunions and the serene majesty of traditional villages and the Lebanese mountains, imbued with “the audacity of youth.” With the same candid gaze of his childhood self, he observes his loved ones and his adopted village, Chatine, his oasis, far from the chaotic darkness of the world, the cruelty of people and human foolishness. With a sacred bond to his land, he magnifies familial and parental ties in a heartfelt cry tempered by the wisdom of age.

This personal story is rooted in a national and universal context. The narrative unfolds in the heart of Lebanon, intertwining memories of childhood with escapes from war. Bruno Tabbal's canvas is enriched with a precise historical reconstruction of the 19^th century and the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate.

Bruno Tabbal's writing combines the rigor of a documentarian—he smiles while recounting dates and events—with the finesse of a sophisticated literary style, devoid of pretension. The Land We Never Heal From stands out for its systematic yet deeply personal approach, offering sharp visual sequences where readers navigate between the details of daily life and historical facts. The fluidity of his prose engages the mind in a seamless, harmonious flow, free from excess or artificiality.

In this novel, Bruno Tabbal pays a touching tribute to the essential figures of life: father, mother, family and loved ones. These memories resurface among the trees of Chatine, like a photo album or a film in vivid colors, filled with the laughter of childhood friends and the vibrant energy of villagers—living encyclopedias and wise guardians of collective memory. The words of this book heal us, page by page, weaving an eternal connection between past and present, in the name of identity, Chatine, Lebanon and humanity.