A Map of Absence

Reviews / Votes

'A Map of Absence is a remarkable collection of some of the finest examples of [Palestinian] literature ... It is the details hidden in each piece of writing - occasionally hopeful, often heartbreaking - that lend this collection its personality' -- The National 'An essential collection of vital voices ... Palestinian literature and thought are defiantly alive and pushing boundaries in fiction, poetry, memoir and reportage' -- Bidisha 'Throughout this book, it is the human experience that stands out, elsewhere discarded to make space for the politics that have disrupted and ruptured Palestinian lives' -- Middle East Monitor `In this crucial anthology, Palestine's greatest classic and contemporary writers use the poetry and rigour of their words to delineate both the trauma of the past and the continuities of exile, oppression and resistance' -- Molly Crabapple `This anthology brilliantly brings together seminal writings on the Nakba. It will be of interest to students of literature as well as those wishing to learn about Palestine for a long time to come' -- Yasir Suleiman, University of Cambridge and the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies `This collection sings of more than just suffering - remembrance and beauty, too' -- Fatima Bhutto `A Map of Absence is a remarkable collection of some of the finest examples of [Palestinian] literature ... It is the details hidden in each piece of writing - occasionally hopeful, often heartbreaking - that lend this collection its personality' -- The National `Core questions are addressed throughout: injustice, memory, resistance, longing for peace and a normal life, and especially return to the homeland ... A Map of Absence has the makings of becoming a classic, due to its documentation of a seminal event and the beauty and intensity of the writing. In the words of Atef Alshaer, "Nowhere has the voice of Palestine resonated more powerfully than in the literature of Palestinians"' -- The Jordan Times `A Map of Absence is a tribute to the power and elegance of the Arabic language and to the sensitivity of the editor. Some of the contributors write in English but most are beautifully translated from the original Arabic. Above all, the book is a reminder of the suffering and bravery of many of today's refugees in their fight to find a new identity and deal with the fact that they can never forget their home, their land and the identity they have lost' -- 7D News