Quote by Hisham Matar: “The past never leaves us; it merely transforms its shape.”

This quote means that our past experiences and history are never truly gone; they simply change how they influence us in the present. It suggests that while memories may shift or feelings evolve, the essence of what happened continues to shape who we are and how we perceive the world.

From his Pulitzer-winning memoir 'The Return,' Matar explores the enduring impact of personal and political loss. This statement reflects his contemplation on how the disappearance of his father and the legacy of authoritarianism continue to manifest in new forms, relevant in a world grappling with historical memory.

Libyan-British novelist who won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2017 for The Return, a memoir about searching for his father who disappeared into Gaddafi's prisons. His novel In the Country of Men was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2006.