Discover Palestine: Must-Read Books by Palestinian Authors
This article spotlights prominent Palestinian authors and their influential books, offering a deep dive into the rich history and vibrant culture of Palestine as narrated by its own people. These works not only shed light on the daily life and heritage of Palestinians but also echo their enduring quest for freedom and liberation. Through these pages, we journey into the heart of Palestinian resilience and aspirations, understanding their struggles and hopes for a liberated future.
𝐆𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐢
Kanafani was a Palestinian author and poet who wrote many books about Palestine and its struggle for liberation. He was also a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a revolutionary organization that fought against Israel and its occupation. He was assassinated by Mossad in 1972.
Kanafani is widely regarded as one of the most influential and important Palestinian writers of the 20th century. His works have been translated into many languages and have inspired generations of readers and activists. He is also remembered as a symbol of the Palestinian cause.
➡️ One of his books about Palestine is called “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟗𝟑𝟔-𝟏𝟗𝟑𝟗 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞”. It is a historical and analytical study of the mass uprising that took place in Palestine against British colonialism and Zionist immigration. Kanafani examines the political, social and economic factors that led to the revolt, the role of different factions and leaders, the tactics and strategies of the rebels, and the reasons for its failure. He also draws parallels between the revolt and the contemporary Palestinian resistance movement. Get a 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬.
➡️Another book by Kanafani that deals with Palestine is “𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧”. It is a novel that tells the story of three Palestinian refugees who try to find work in Kuwait. They face many hardships and dangers along the way, and eventually die of suffocation in a water tank while crossing the Iraqi border. The novel explores the themes of alienation, exploitation, and the loss of identity and homeland among the Palestinian diaspora. Get a 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬.
➡️ Kanafani also wrote many short stories, such as “𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐟𝐚”, “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬”, and “𝐔𝐦𝐦 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐝”. These stories depict the lives and experiences of ordinary Palestinians who suffer from the Nakba, the exile, the occupation, and the resistance. They also reflect Kanafani’s political and artistic vision, which was influenced by his own background, his involvement in the PFLP, and his admiration for other Arab and international writers.
𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡
Darwish Was a Palestinian poet, he was born in al-Birwa in Galilee, a village that was occupied and later razed by the Israeli army. Darwish and his family were considered “internal refugees”. Darwish lived for many years in exile in Beirut and Paris. He is the author of over 30 books of poetry and eight books of prose and earned the Lannan Cultural Freedom Prize from the Lannan Foundation, the Lenin Peace Prize, and the Knight of Arts and Belles Lettres Medal from France.
➡️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐲’𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧: This is a bilingual collection of his poetry containing his books “The Stranger’s Bed”, “A State of Siege”, and “Don’t Apologize for What You’ve Done”. His book “Memory for Forgetfulness” has been translated into English. A French anthology of his work “Poesie: La Terre nous est étroite” was published in March 2000 by Gallimard.
➡️ 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: This is a book of prose and poetry that reflects on Darwish’s life, his homeland, his exile, and his identity. It is considered one of his most important and profound works, as it expresses his longing for a homeland that is both present and absent and his hope for a future of peace and justice.
➡️ 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥: This is a long poem that Darwish wrote after undergoing a life-threatening heart surgery in 2001. It is a meditation on life and death, love and loss, and the meaning of existence. It is also a tribute to his friends and fellow poets who died, such as Edward Said, Joseph Brodsky, and Yehuda Amichai.
𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬
➡️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐀 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 — 𝐀𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐦𝐢, 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐫𝐮𝐫𝐢 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏)
A memoir by Ahed Tamimi, a young activist who became a symbol of resistance against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. The book tells the story of Tamimi’s life, from her childhood in the village of Nabi Saleh, where she witnessed the daily violence and injustice of the Israeli military, to her arrest and imprisonment at the age of 16, after she slapped a soldier who had shot her cousin in the face. The book is a powerful and inspiring testimony of courage, resilience, and hope, from one of the most prominent voices of the Palestinian cause.
➡️ 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧 — 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐚 (𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟎)
Following the Abulhejas — a forcibly displaced Palestinian family in 1948 — Mornings in Jenin explores their longings of freedom, peace, and home, as they are moved into the Jenin refugee camp. Originally published as The Scar of David, the book is deeply compelling in its depiction of Palestinian humanity, the costs of war, and hopes for reconciliation.
➡️ 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 — 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢 (𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕)
Minor Detail is a meditation on violence, displacement, and memory, as it explores Palestinian suffering during Al-Nakba (literally, The Catastrophe) — events that included the Palestinian exodus that occurred during the 1948 War with Israel, denial of the right to return of Palestinians and the forcible collapse of Palestinian society. Focusing on a brutal crime that occurs during these historical events, Minor Detail follows a young woman in Ramallah, much later in the future, who becomes obsessed with this “minor detail.”
➡️ 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 — 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐀𝐥𝐲𝐚𝐧 (𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕)
A multi-generational saga that spans four generations of a family hailing from Palestine, Salt Houses humanises the catastrophic consequences of political violence and displacement. Narrated from multiple perspectives of the same family, Palestinian author Hala Alyan’s novel explores themes of survival, hope, tradition, and the costs of war.
➡️ 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 — 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐚 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎)
Narrated by Nahr, a political prisoner who is incarcerated in the harsh conditions of The Cube (an Israeli prison), Against the Loveless World tells the story of Nahr’s current predicament, while winding back through time to explain her heartbreaking history.
➡️ 𝐌𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 — 𝐒𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐡 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏)
My First and Only Love is a poetic account of Palestinian resistance through the perspective of a young woman, Nadal. Returning to occupied Palestine, for the first time since the Nakba displaced her entire family, Nadal’s journey in learning about her past is a moving, urgent exploration into history, political urgency, humanity, and home.
Final Word
The books and voices of these Palestinian authors provide us with more than just stories; they offer windows into a world often misunderstood. Their stories of resilience, hope, and the unyielding pursuit of freedom are not only crucial for understanding Palestine’s past and present but also for envisioning a future of peace and liberation.
