The First Century after Beatrice

About “The First Century after Beatrice”

Amin Maalouf's 1992 novel begins with the narrator finding mysterious beans on an Egyptian market, believed to increase the chances of having sons. As these beans become scarce, there is a noticeable decline in the number of female births. The story follows a man deeply committed to the idea of the world's femininity. The novel, written by the author of Samarcande and Le Rocher de Tanios, is a fable that explores human folly with tenderness and humor.