Rabih Alameddine's The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) is a novel exploring family, storytelling, and the unreliable nature of memory through the relationship between a son and his mother. Through humor and emotional depth, Alameddine examines how families create narratives and how truth is always more complicated than any single story. The novel becomes both entertaining family saga and meditation on how we construct identity through the stories we tell.

WHY WE PICKED IT: Because Alameddine understands that family stories are never entirely true or false, they're the myths we create to make sense of our lives. This novel reminds us that memory is unreliable, that mothers and sons see each other through different lenses, and that love and exasperation often coexist.

DETAILS: • Author: Rabih Alameddine • Publisher: Grove Press • Format: Hardcover • Publication Date: September 2, 2025 • ISBN: 9780802166470 • Ships direct from distributor in 3–7 business days