Gaël Faye — Jacaranda

Gaël Faye presents *Jacaranda*, his bestselling, prize-winning novel about Milan, the twelve-year-old son of a French father and Rwandan mother. After meeting Claude, a Rwandan boy sent to France for medical treatment, Milan forms a deep bond with him, only to be devastated when Claude is abruptly returned to Rwanda.

Years later, Milan visits Rwanda with his mother and encounters a country transformed yet still marked by genocide, war, and unresolved trauma. Returning repeatedly over the years, he searches for the silences and secrets shaping his family and nation while trying to imagine a future beyond the past. The novel is partly inspired by Faye’s own connection to Rwanda and its history.

When: Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

Venue: Politics and Prose at 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Tickets: Free

Seating: First come, first served.

Livestream: A livestream option is listed for the event.

Author: Gaël Faye is a Rwandan-French author, songwriter, and hip-hop artist who was born in Burundi in 1982. His family moved to France in 1995 following the outbreak of civil war and the Rwandan genocide. His first solo album, *Pili Pili sur un croissant au beurre*, was released in 2013, and his first novel, *Small Country*, became an international bestseller and won several literary prizes, including the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens.

Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The venue says it will try to accommodate requests made up to the event time.

Related book: *Jacaranda: A Novel* by Gaël Faye, translated by Sarah Ardizzone, is available in hardcover for $28.00. Its ISBN is 9780593979617, and its publication date is August 25, 2026.