'The Angel of History' by Rabih Alameddine

In a single night spent in a psychology clinic waiting room, poet Jacob recounts his entire life story, from being raised by his mother in a brothel in Egypt and spending his teenage years living with his rich father to navigating an AIDS-ridden San Francisco as a gay man of Yemeni descent. The narrative spans every corner of the globe to reveal a razor-sharp mind in turmoil, reflecting a wider consciousness of the social unrest around him.

The Angel of History by Rabih Alameddine, $17, amazon.com on October 4.

