Anjumin, Blogger at Muslimah

Stand with Palestine: Books unveiling history, culture, and narratives

23 December 2023

Step into the rich tapestry of Palestine through the pages of these compelling books, each offering a unique lens into the history, culture, and narratives that shape this historic land. From intimate personal accounts to rigorous historical analyses, these reads promise to deepen your understanding and provide diverse perspectives on the multifaceted issues surrounding Palestine. 

Books to read on Palestine:

Introduction
1. The Question of Palestine by Edward W. Said
2. The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017 by Rashid Khalidi
3. The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe
4. 10 Myths About Israel by Illan Pappe (Free eBook here)


History
1. Rediscovering Palestine: merchants and peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700-1900 by Beshara Doumani
2. Revolt in Palestine in the Eighteenth Century: The Era of Shaykh Zahir al-Umar by Ahmad Hasan Joudah
3. The 1936-39 revolt in Palestine. Committee for Democratic Palestine by Ghassan Kanafani
4. Palestinian identity: The construction of modern national consciousness. Columbia University Press by Rashid Khalidi
5. Before their diaspora: a photographic history of the Palestinians, 1876-1948. Institute for Palestine Studies by Walid Khalidi
6. The Balfour Declaration: empire, the mandate and resistance in Palestine by Bernard Regan


Nakba
1. An Oral History of the Palestinian Nakba by Nahla Abdo and Nur Masalha
2. Palestine Rising: How I survived the 1948 Deir Yasin Massacre by Dawud Assad
3. All that remains: The Palestinian villages occupied and depopulated by Israel in 1948. Institute for Palestine Studies by Walid Khalidi, Sharif S. Elmusa, and Muhammad Ali Khalidi
4. Nakba: Palestine, 1948, and the claims of memory by Ahmad H. Sa'di and Lila Abu-Lughod


Post Nakba
1. The Politics of Dispossession: The struggle for Palestinian self-determination, 1969-1994 by Edward W. Said
2. Beyond occupation: Apartheid, colonialism and international law in the occupied Palestinian territories by Virginia Tilley
3. Gaza in Crisis: Reflections on Israel's war against the Palestinians by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe


Activism and Social Movements
1. BDS: Boycott, divestment, sanctions: The global struggle for Palestinian rights by Omar Barghouti
2. In our power: US students organize for justice in Palestine by Nora Barrows-Friedman
3. Freedom is a constant struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the foundations of a movement by Angela Y. Davis
4. Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics by Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell Plitnick


Autobiographies and Memoirs
1. I saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti
2. In search of Fatima: A Palestinian story by Ghada Karmi
3. My people shall live: The autobiography of a revolutionary by Leila Khaled and George Hajjar
4. Out of place: A memoir by Edward W. Said
5. They called me a lioness - A Palestinian girl's fight for freedom by Ahed Tamim and Dena Takruri


Novels and Fiction
1. Minor Detail by Adania Shibli (Free eBook here with 30 days free trial)
2. The Woman from Tantoura by Raḍwa Ashur
3. The Secret Life of Saeed: The Pessoptimist by Imil Habibi
4. Palestine's children: returning to Haifa & other stories by Ghassan Kanafani and Barbara Harlow
5. Gate of the Sun by Elias Khoury
6. A little piece of ground by Elizabeth Laird and Sonia Nimr
7. In My Mother's Footsteps by Mona Hajer Halaby
8. My first And Only Love by Sahar Khalifeh
9. The Parisian by Isabella Hammad
10. Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad
11. Men in the Sun by Ghassan Kanafani


These books offer starting points and vast indepth understanding of the rich history of Palestine, its people, and their ongoing struggle for self-determination. As you delve into these narratives, consider the perspectives they provide and the questions they raise. Let these works inspire you to engage in meaningful conversations about Palestine and its enduring relevance in the world today.


For emergency relief, please donate to the following charities that are currently on the ground providing aid:

UNRWA
Islamic Relief
Medical Aid for Palestine and JustGiving: MAP
International Development & Relief Foundation (IDRF)
HCI
MATW Project

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