The book of Gaza by Atef Abu Saif

Set in Gaza City, Palestine. Reviewed on 2018/10: https://www.instagram.com/p/BoZiYqYl1Qw/

Here is a radical idea. How about allowing #gazans themselves to tell their own stories whether you agree with them or not? No political or religious leaders, no people in Jerusalem or London or Washington, but instead the people living in this tiny strip of land with their own aspirations, failures and tragedies. I think that’s what #thebookofgaza aims to achieve and by providing this platform it achieves something even more powerful. It allows them to dream. It allows us to imagine them as flawed and as palpable as we are. Beyond any #activism the writing in this book is on itself visionary and resounding, yet playful. I was particularly impressed with the #shortstories by both #nayrouzqarmout and #najlaaataallah . They are at the same time universal and centered in the horrendous daily reality in #gaza . They speak from their truth in such an unequivocal and casual way that it makes Gazans #humans a dignified humanity. And that, my dear friends, it’s a very dangerous and controversial thing to utter in some circles. There is a story in this book called #awhiteflowerfordavid by the amazing #ghareebasqalani which it’s quite the literary achievement. #asqalani among all the writers in this collection do not pretend to paint a simplistic and black/white situation in Gaza. That’s not the world they live in…. These compelling stories do not need more than 5 pages to force you to go beyond the media headlines and empathize with people as human as you and me. #highlyrecommended #englishpenaward#commapress #atefabusaif#artscouncilengland #gazacity #blockade#nowayout #gazan #palestinianliterature