Childhood best friends Bassam and George have grown to be men in war-ravaged Beirut. Now they must choose between the only two futures available to them: to stay in the devastated city and consolidate power through crime or to go into exile abroad, alienated from the only existence they have ever known.

Told in a distinctive, captivating voice that fuses vivid cinematic imagery, a page-turning plot, and exquisite, dark poetry, De Niro's Game is an explosive portrait of life in a war zone and a powerful meditation on what comes after. It won the prestigious International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 2008.

Childhood best friends Bassam and George have grown to be men in war-ravaged Beirut. Now they must choose between the only two futures available to them : to stay in the devastated city and consolidate power through crime or to go into exile abroad, alienated from the only existence they have ever known.
Told in a distinctive captivating voice that fuses vivid cinematic imagery, a page-turning plot, and exquisite, dark poetry, De Niro's Game is an explosive portrait of life in a war zone and a powerful meditation on what comes after.

Winner of the Prix des Libraires du Québec

"A totally fresh perspective on war-torn Beirut... Hage's narrative is a wonder... As startling as it is beautiful." -- Booklist (starred review)
"Hage's début novel burns with a white-hot brilliance... [He] lays bare the chaos that war unleashes in the souls of those who must live in its maelstrom." -- Charlotte Observer
"A striking début... [An] uncompromising take on the age-old tale of young pals taking diverging paths toward their destinies... Exhilarating prose." -- San Francisco Chronicle