From pages 137 to 140, Matar explains a family story in which his grandfather escaped from an Italian prison to return to Libya. However, a historian told Matar that escape was unlikely, and what was more probable was that his grandfather was given the choice common of political prisoners: "die or return to Libya" (140). Of all the details in his grandfather's stories, why is this the detail Matar consults a historian to explain further?

Returning is a complex concept for Matar, and thus, he analyzes his grandfather's return to Libya with great detail. The family story was that his grandfather escaped from captivity and chose to return to Libya. The historian, however, tells Matar that it was more likely he was coerced into returning to Libya so he could be monitored by the government. This is significant because on several occasions, the Qaddafi regime had pleaded with Matar to...