Behind the Story:
Your Questions Answered
From the writing process to real-life events — discover more about Meet Me in Beirut and the experiences that inspired it.
Behind the Book – Interview with Robert Tibolt
What is your book about?
“Meet Me In Beirut” is based on a true story of two friends who travel in Europe and the Middle East. Their plans take a turn when they meet a renowned international bicycle racer who is friendly and persuasive in his efforts to convince them to travel to Beirut with him. The farther they go on their journey the deeper they become embroiled in a scheme that puts them in the middle of the Lebanese Civil War.
How much of the book is real?
Almost all of the book is real. All of the events happened, though not always in the way I described them. Certain things were modified to address questions that had no answers.
When did you decide to turn your story into a book?
I started to write the story ten years after the trip. I had thought about doing so for several years before that. It just took the decision to begin.
How long did it take you to write?
Ten more years.
What did you learn about yourself during the writing process?
I majored in English in college with a concentration in literature and creative writing, so I had experience with the writing process. With this story I was forced to remember the details of the trip and research the Lebanese Civil War to gain insight into what had really happened to us. During the ten years that it took to write the story I relived the entire trip. The images of the trip came to life in my mind and I learned that I could translate them into writing. This gave me inspiration to write with honesty, simplicity and accuracy.
Where did your life take you after this adventure?
After college I attended graduate school and medical school, then completed my medical training for a career in ophthalmology. My wife and I raised two sons and lived in Oregon for thirty years. We recently returned to Nevada where we both had grown up, and are pleased to be back home.
Where are some of the other main characters?
Bill is an attorney. George had an adventurous life that only became more dangerous and challenging after we parted company. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happened to him. His was the best story of all.
If you could go back, what would you do differently?
Nothing really. The only reason we got to do what we did was because of our naivete and recklessness. If we had had any sense we would have missed the whole thing.
What advice do you have for students traveling abroad?
For anyone else I would recommend to be careful in joining with people you don’t know, and be wary of situations that seem too good to be true. I do think the world is a more dangerous place now than it was in 1975, in many ways.
How did writing this book change your view of your experience?
I think you don’t understand a thing for what it really is until you know it well enough to write about it. You’re forced to answer questions that you hadn’t have even thought about.
What was the hardest thing about writing this story?
The hardest part of any project is starting. Once you start, things fall into place as if by a force beyond your control. This is the magic of moving forward with anything and not waiting for something to happen.
Why did you write the book?
I thought that we had experienced a unique adventure that could interest almost anyone, and that the story could stand by itself if I could just do a good job writing it. I didn’t think I had to be the next Hemingway to create a good book.
Do you have any new book ideas?
I have ideas about writing George’s life, and some unrelated stories about overpopulation and one person’s efforts to stop it, and a book about the laws of physics that are exploited to harvest the resources of the earth.