Join us for a special evening with Gazan author Atef Abu Saif who will introduce this groundbreaking new publication, ‘The Book of Gaza’. This anthology features ten Palestinian writers translated into English for the first time. Atef will be joined by one of the contributing short story writers, Abdallah Tayeh.

Bringing together ten of Palestine’s most exciting fiction writers, ‘The Book of Gaza’, sets contemporary stories against the backdrop of arguably one of the world’s most beleaguered cities. Together, these stories enable its readers to go beyond the news headlines, and enter into the daily life of ordinary characters struggling to live with dignity in what has been called ‘the world’s largest prison’.

Contributors range from highly acclaimed authors to exciting new voices in Arabic literature, including the ‘Father of the Palestinian’ short story, Zaki Al Ela, and a new generation of award-winning young bloggers and journalists, like Mona Abu Sharikh and Yousra al Khateeb.

This anthology is not political, rather it is a compilation of human stories from Gaza. It allows us to see how the world’s most embattled and besieged city affects the daily life of its citizens, and how despite the context, humour and grace still abide.

Atef Abu Saif (editor and contributor) was born in Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip in1973. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Birzeit and a masters’ degree from Bradford. He is the author of four novels: Shadows in the Memory (1997), The Tale of the Harvest Night(1999), Snowball (2000), and The Salty Grape of Paradise (2003 & 2006). He also published a collection of short stories entitled Everything is Normal.

Abdallah Tayeh is a founding member and Deputy President of the Palestinian Writers’ Union and Vice President of the Afro-Asian Writers’ Organization in Palestine. He has published five collections of short stories: Who Knocks the Door (1997), The Circles are Orange (1991), Searching is a Continuous Rhythm (1997), Waves Slipping Away (2001) and Soldiers Who Don’t Like Butterflies (2003) and five novels: Those Who Search for the Sun (1979), The Car and the Night (1982), The Prickly Pear is Ripening Soon (1983), Faces in Hot Water (1996) and The Moon in Beit Daras.

Supported by English Pen through its Pen Promotes! grant scheme.
www.englishpen.org

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