These fascinating and diverse stories reflect the everyday concerns of Palestinians living under occupation. Writers who were children during the first intifada appear alongside those who remember the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war. They offer compassionate, often critical, insight into their society in times of hardship and turmoil, drawing upon the warmth of human relations and the hope that better times will come. Qissat is a rare showcase of Palestinian women writers across generations and places, including Gaza, Ramallah, the United States and the Gulf. ‘Raw and honest ... lyrical and beautifully written’ Sunday Times ‘Layered, haunting, sensuously rich’ The Times ‘In turn lyrical, sensuous, comic and ironic ... it is the quality of subtle, evocative writing here that makes Qissat remarkable.’ Independent
Review
'... in turn lyrical, sensuous, comic and ironic ... valuable ammunition against the impoverished imagination of political discourse ... it is the quality of subtle, evocative writing here that makes [Qissat] remarkable.' The Independent 'A humane, richly rewarding read ... no two women share the same perspective, but the kaleidoscope effect of so many visions serves to illuminate rather than blur.' Vogue '... raw and honest ... Themes of domesticity, burgeoning sexuality and the experience of being a woman in Arab society are dealt with ... Beautifully written, they give us a different perspective on life in Palestine.' The Sunday Times ' ... many layered, haunting, sensuously rich and often threatening to the status quo ... subversion and fragmentation, exile and return, echo through ... Such moments show more than a thousand news broadcasts.' The Times 'The writing feels precious, but also main-stream and relevant.' Scotland on Sunday
About the Author
Jo Glanville is a journalist and radio producer. She has made a number of well-received documentaries about the Middle East and has contributed to many newspapers and magazines on the subject. She has also contributed her own fiction and essays to a number of anthologies.
Description:
These fascinating and diverse stories reflect the everyday concerns of Palestinians living under occupation. Writers who were children during the first intifada appear alongside those who remember the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war. They offer compassionate, often critical, insight into their society in times of hardship and turmoil, drawing upon the warmth of human relations and the hope that better times will come. Qissat is a rare showcase of Palestinian women writers across generations and places, including Gaza, Ramallah, the United States and the Gulf. ‘Raw and honest ... lyrical and beautifully written’ Sunday Times ‘Layered, haunting, sensuously rich’ The Times ‘In turn lyrical, sensuous, comic and ironic ... it is the quality of subtle, evocative writing here that makes Qissat remarkable.’ Independent
Review
'... in turn lyrical, sensuous, comic and ironic ... valuable ammunition against the impoverished imagination of political discourse ... it is the quality of subtle, evocative writing here that makes [Qissat] remarkable.' The Independent 'A humane, richly rewarding read ... no two women share the same perspective, but the kaleidoscope effect of so many visions serves to illuminate rather than blur.' Vogue '... raw and honest ... Themes of domesticity, burgeoning sexuality and the experience of being a woman in Arab society are dealt with ... Beautifully written, they give us a different perspective on life in Palestine.' The Sunday Times ' ... many layered, haunting, sensuously rich and often threatening to the status quo ... subversion and fragmentation, exile and return, echo through ... Such moments show more than a thousand news broadcasts.' The Times 'The writing feels precious, but also main-stream and relevant.' Scotland on Sunday
About the Author
Jo Glanville is a journalist and radio producer. She has made a number of well-received documentaries about the Middle East and has contributed to many newspapers and magazines on the subject. She has also contributed her own fiction and essays to a number of anthologies.