Johnny Hachem has spent his career translating human experience into music. Now he is doing it in words.
The Lebanese-Ukrainian composer and pianist has been named a finalist for the 2026 Author of the Year Award, presented by the International Impact Book Awards in the United States—marking a new chapter in an already distinguished international career.
The recognition is for his English-language memoir, The War That Raised Me: A Childhood Without Safety, a personal account of growing up during the Lebanese Civil War. The book traces a childhood shaped by conflict, displacement, and daily uncertainty and explores how music, faith, and a determination to persevere became his refuge during some of the darkest years of Lebanon’s modern history.
The Lebanese Civil War lasted from 1975 to 1990, claiming tens of thousands of lives and displacing countless families, leaving scars that continue to shape the country today. Rather than focusing on politics, Hachem tells the story through the eyes of a child, offering a deeply human perspective on fear, resilience, hope, and survival.
This summer, Hachem is in Switzerland, performing concerts and speaking in churches and other venues across the country. Alongside his music career, he is also a public speaker on faith and hope, drawing on his own story to connect with audiences beyond the concert stage.
Although internationally recognized for his achievements as a composer and pianist, including numerous international awards for his original compositions and performances, Hachem says writing this memoir became one of the most personal projects of his life.
“This book is not only about war,” he has said. “It is about hope. It is about discovering that even in the darkest moments, God can shape a future we could never imagine.”
The recognition also reflects the growing international reach of Hachem’s work beyond the concert stage. His career has taken him to audiences in dozens of countries through music, while his memoir now reaches readers with a message that transcends culture, language, and nationality.
As a finalist, Hachem has received the official Author of the Year Finalist Crystal Trophy and an invitation to attend the prestigious Author of the Year event in Hollywood this fall, where authors from around the world will gather to celebrate excellence in literature.
For Hachem, whose artistic journey has long been devoted to communicating hope through music, this latest recognition represents more than a literary milestone. It reflects a lifelong commitment to telling stories that remind people that even the deepest wounds can become a testimony of resilience, faith, and hope.
