A poignant and relevant story set in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.
Samir El-Youssef Book order
Samir El-Youssef is a Palestinian writer recognized for his work as both a journalist and a novelist. His literary output often delves into themes pertinent to the Middle East, shaped by his personal background and experiences. El-Youssef is noted for his dedication to fostering peace and freedom of expression, establishing him as a notable voice in contemporary literature.
- 2008
- 2004
Gaza Blues
- 140 pages
- 5 hours of reading
These two new voices from Israel and Palestine have no common political agenda (they don't talk about politics to each other), but share a stated desire to make the conflict more complex for their readers. Complex as human life is complex: maddening, contradictory, filled with conflicting emotions, weaknesses, dreams, failings. For those who have not travelled to this region, your only recourse is literature, which addresses why the conflict is so intractable and why the dehumanisation of the enemy through slogans makes the desired resolution so impossible. The wit, daring, and sheer bloody-minded audacity of these marvellous stories makes it, for me, the book of the year for anyone who prefers to listen to the voices of the people of this region instead of the sound of their own rhetoric.
