Latest news with #IbtisamAzem
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
And then there were none: Wknd interviews Palestinian author Ibtisam Azem
What is the fate of Gaza? What will it be? North Gaza in May. (Reuters) In the 77 years since the formation of Israel, there have been no clear answers. The newest plan for its future envisions another gleaming city in the desert, one that is being called a 'Riviera of the Middle East'. Images from the news show starving children and bombed-out hospitals. A media tent has been bombed and journalists killed. There is now talk of Israel seizing Gaza City. Eleven years ago, when the Palestinian journalist and writer Ibtisam Azem wrote her work of speculative fiction about the sudden disappearance of all Gazans, she couldn't have predicted that AI-generated images of this region, cleared of its people and populated instead by luxury high-rises and berths for yachts, would be posted online by the President of the United States. In her book, nonetheless, she takes what she calls that 'one ardent wish' to its final conclusion: all Palestinians vanish one day. The Book of Disappearance was written in 2014, translated from the Arabic by the Iraqi writer Sinan Antoon (also, incidentally, Azem's husband), released in the UK in 2024, and longlisted for the International Booker Prize this year. In it, the protagonist Alaa Assaf, a cameraman, vanishes along with all other Palestinians, halfway through the narrative. From then on, the tale is taken over by Ariel Levy, an Israeli journalist who lived next door to him. 'Storytelling is part of surviving,' says Ibtisam Azem. After the vanishings, Levy goes into his neighbour's home and finds a diary that contains his memories, the memories of his grandmother, and details of the life of a Palestinian in Israel, with all its contradictions and agonies. This is Azem's second novel. Her first, The Sleep Thief (2011), was about the absurdities and microaggressions faced by a young Palestinian man in Jerusalem. The author now lives in New York City. One reason she writes fiction, she says, is to preserve her history, which is not reflected in official history books. 'Storytelling,' she adds, 'is also part of surviving.' Excerpts from an interview. * How did the idea for this book come about? In New York, in 2010 or 2011, I heard the then mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat (now minister of economy) say on TV that Palestinians and Israelis are treated as equals in that city. It infuriated me when the Western journalist he was speaking to didn't challenge this false claim. I started to write an article, but felt it was more suited as a novel. I was reminded of Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin saying, in 1992, 'If only the sea would swallow Gaza.' I remembered a 2004 interview with Haaretz newspaper in which Israeli historian Benny Morris said that Zionist militant groups should have finished the job of ethnically cleansing all Palestinians in 1948. And I thought: What would the Israelis do, as a settler colonial society, if their so-called enemy were to suddenly disappear? But I didn't want to write a novel that only dealt with the colonisers, and this is where Alaa's memories come into play. The Gaza Strip in June. (AFP) * Was there a reason you chose Jaffa in particular as the setting? I grew up in a small town called Taybeh, about 30 km north of Jaffa. Like Alaa, my mother was born in Jaffa in 1947 and internally displaced with her family in 1948. So, as a child, I grew up hearing stories of displacement and of what Jaffa used to be. On visits to Jaffa with my grandmother, she would tell me about places and neighbourhoods that no longer existed because they had been taken over and occupied by Israelis. Because I grew up hearing these histories from my parents and grandparents, I had a wealth of material already. But I also had to do a lot of research about the city and other issues to be on firm ground. * What do those of us on the outside not understand about the loss of Jaffa? This was one of the most important cities in Palestine. It had about 100,000 residents, the majority of whom were Palestinians, with some Jewish inhabitants. In 1948, most of the Palestinian inhabitants were displaced. Only 4,000 or so remained. The ones who were displaced left for other parts of Palestine or for neighbouring countries. Many of those living in Gaza today are children and grandchildren of Palestinian refugees from Jaffa and other cities and villages. In all, 750,000 Palestinians were displaced. Palestinian society was taken apart. Despite a UN Resolution legalising the right of the Palestinian people to return, they were not permitted to do so. Large parts of their land had been confiscated. * Through history, marginalised peoples have turned to storytelling as a final act of resistance — a way to keep from being forgotten, or erased. You've said that is how you feel too… Writing fiction, especially for the colonised, allows us a space for our alternative history, as it is not reflected in official history books. Writing novels is also liberating since it accommodates oral history, passed down from our grandparents or survivors. We are adding our voices to those that came before us, and also wrote; and we bequeath our voices to those who will come after us. It was through my reading of other Palestinians' works that I began to understand my place in the world. Reading the works of other colonised peoples helped me understand how others have also suffered, and helped me feel less alone. Growing up, my parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, would sit around and tell stories of how things had been, passing down our history and preserving our memories. Often, in the worst stories, there would be dark humour, to help themselves and others process what had happened or was happening. With time, I realised that storytelling is also part of surviving. * Is the war in Gaza the disappearance you feared? The Palestinian people, like all other people, are resilient and continue to resist and fight for justice. We will not disappear! The disappearance in the book is a metaphor for how Palestinians lead an invisible existence. It was an attempt to capture the internal conflicts: What does it mean to live in this place and try to decolonise yourself? What does it mean to try to tell your story in a world in which you are neither seen nor heard? Let me say that no one could have predicted the magnitude and scale of the horrors taking place in Gaza.
Express Tribune
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Writing against erasure
In February, the much-awaited 2025 International Booker Prize was announced and to our delight, one of the thirteen titles selected for the list was The Book of Disappearance by Palestinian author, Ibtisam Azem. At this violent and tumultuous time for the country's people, this selection has shone a necessary light upon the rich landscape of Palestinian literature. Here are five notable works by Palestinian authors that offer profound insights into life in the country they call home: 'The Book of Disappearance' To begin with the current lighthouse of Palestinian literature, Ibtisam Azem's The Book of Disappearance (2014) teeters between utopia and dystopia. Translated from the original Arabic by Sinan Antoon last year, the novel presents a speculative narrative where, overnight, all Palestinians in Israel vanish without a trace. This sudden disappearance plunges Israeli society into chaos, prompting introspection about identity, memory, and the intricate ties between the two peoples. The novel, set in the author's hometown of Jaffa, alternates between the perspectives of Alaa, a Palestinian man, and his Israeli friend Ariel, who discovers Alaa's diary post-disappearance. Through this imaginative premise married with tight sentences that flow from one to another without beginning or end, Azem challenges readers to contemplate the visibility and erasure of Palestinian existence. The novel's innovative approach and profound themes led to its longlisting for the International Booker Prize in 2025, with judges lauding it as an "exceptional exercise in memory-making and psycho-geography." To date, Azem has published two novels in Arabic titled The Sleep Thief (2011) and The Book of Disappearance, of which the latter has also been translated into German and Italian. And we have reason to hope for more because her first collection of short stories, City of Strangers, is forthcoming in the summer of this year. 'Minor Detail' Adania Shibli's Minor Detail (2017) is a poignant exploration of violence, and the lingering shadows of history. The novel is bifurcated into two narratives set decades apart. The first, rooted in 1949, details a harrowing incident involving Israeli soldiers in the Negev Desert, culminating in the assault and murder of a Bedouin girl. The second narrative, set in present-day Ramallah, follows a young woman who becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind this "minor detail" of history. Shibli's sparse and evocative prose delves into the complexities of personal and collective memory, illustrating how past atrocities continue to resonate in the present. The novel was longlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2021, with judges praising its "austerely beautiful" narrative that casts light on ethnic conflicts and cleansing worldwide. 'Velvet' Huzama Habayeb's Velvet (2016) offers an intimate portrayal of life within the Baqa'a refugee camp in Jordan. The story centres on Hawwa, a skilled seamstress who finds solace and identity in her craft amidst the camp's oppressive environment. Through Hawwa's eyes, readers witness the struggles of Palestinian women, their resilience, and the intricate dynamics of love and tradition. The novel's title symbolises both the luxurious fabric Hawwa adores and the contrasting harshness of her reality. Velvet received the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature in 2017, recognised for its cinematic narrative style and deep exploration of the human condition beyond political narratives. 'Among the Almond Trees' Among the Almond Trees (2004) is a reflective memoir by Hussein Barghouthi, penned during the final stages of his life as he battled terminal illness. Returning to his native Palestine after years abroad, Barghouthi embarks on a journey through the transformed landscapes of his homeland. The memoir intertwines personal reflections with observations on the socio-political changes wrought by occupation, offering a meditative narrative on identity, belonging, and the inexorable passage of time. Posthumously published in Arabic in 2004 and translated into English in 2022, the work was honoured with the Palestine Book Awards in 2023, celebrated for its profound introspection and lyrical prose. 'Wild Thorns' Sahar Khalifeh's Wild Thorns (1976) is a groundbreaking Palestinian novel that offers a raw, unflinching look at life under Israeli occupation. Set in the early 1970s, the novel follows Usama, a young Palestinian who returns to the West Bank after years abroad, expecting to find his people united in resistance. Instead, he discovers a society fractured by survival - some Palestinians are forced to work in Israeli factories, while others engage in armed struggle. Regarded as one of the first feminist Palestinian novels, Wild Thorns also foregrounds the roles of women in resistance, challenging male-dominated narratives of liberation. Khalifeh's work remains vital today, offering a nuanced, human-centred perspective on occupation and resilience. It has been widely translated and continues to be a cornerstone of Palestinian literary history.
Express Tribune
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Palestinian story lands on Booker Prize longlist
Palestinian author Ibtisam Azem's fictional story The Book of Disappearance is longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025. The author and the novel's publisher, And Other Stories Publishing, announced the feat on Instagram on Tuesday. Originally published in Arabic, the book is translated into English by Sinan Antoon. Following the lives of Palestinian character Alaa and his liberal Zionist neighbour Ariel, the story imagines a what-if scenario where all Palestinians suddenly disappear from the world. It, therefore, speculates how Israelis would react to the mysterious occurrence. "Spare yet evocative, intensely intelligent in its interplay of perspectives," describe the Booker Prize judges on the website. "The Book of Disappearance – which was critically acclaimed in its original Arabic edition – is an unforgettable glimpse into contemporary Palestine as it grapples with both the memory of loss and the loss of memory." After the release of the translated version, Azem spoke to The National about the inspiration behind her acclaimed fiction. Born in Jaffa, the author later moved to Germany due to educational pursuits and then set off for New York. She told the publication that the story's foundations are rooted in her personal experiences. "For me, it all became too much – politically and socially. I had to leave. But when I started writing, I took that feeling of being invisible quite literally. I couldn't get this thought – of what would happen if Palestinians in Israel actually did disappear – out of my mind," she said. "If you call it a fantasy, I guess that's a place where I could have a lot of freedom to talk about how things are, as well as how they could be. The opportunities were limitless," she added. The novel is listed with twelve other entries, including books translated from ten original languages. The longlist hence comprises eleven novels and two collections of short stories. Among those listed are Under the Eye of the Big Bird, a Japanese novel set in a distant world where human extinction seems imminent, and Solenoid, which follows the mundane life of a diarist and is the competition's first Romanian entry. A companion award to the flagship Booker Prize, which recognises entries penned in English, the International Booker Prize awards translated works. The shortlist for the 2025 competition will be announced in April. The final winner will be awarded £50,000 at a ceremony in London in May. The judging panel for this year is led by English writer Max Porter and includes publisher Sana Goyal and Nigerian author Caleb Femi.
The National
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Fantasy novel about a world without Palestinians makes International Booker Prize 2025 longlist
A fantasy novel that imagines what would happen if all Palestinians disappeared is on the longlist for the 2025 International Booker Prize. Originally written in Arabic, The Book of Disappearance is Palestinian author Ibtisam Azem's second novel and was first published to wide acclaim in 2014. It has been translated into English by Sinan Antoon. While revealing the longlist of 13 books for this year's International Booker Prize – 11 novels and two collections of short stories – on Tuesday evening, judges called The Book of Disappearance 'an unforgettable glimpse into contemporary Palestine as it grapples with both the memory of loss and the loss of memory'. 'Speculative and haunting, this is an exceptional exercise in memory-making and psycho-geography,' they said in a statement. Speaking to The National in 2019, after the translated version of The Book of Disappearance was first published, Azem, who was born in Jaffa but later moved to Germany to study and then to New York, said the inspiration came out of her own personal experiences. 'For me, it all became too much – politically and socially. I had to leave. But when I started writing, I took that feeling of being invisible quite literally. I couldn't get this thought – of what would happen if Palestinians in Israel actually did disappear – out of my mind,' she said. 'If you call it a fantasy, I guess that's a place where I could have a lot of freedom to talk about how things are, as well as how they could be. The opportunities were limitless.' Azem's novel opens with Alaa, a young Palestinian man who recounts the death of his grandmother. She had survived the Nakba of 1948, but was displaced from her birthplace of Jaffa. Alaa's friend, Ariel, a liberal Zionist, is critical of the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza yet faithful to the project of Israel. One day, Ariel wakes up to find that all Palestinians have suddenly vanished and begins investigating their collective disappearance. The International Booker Prize, which recognises works translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland, is a companion award to the flagship Booker Prize, which awards works written in English. A further shortlist of six books will be announced on April 8, with the final winner of the £50,000 prize to be revealed at a ceremony in London on May 20. This year's judging panel, chaired by English writer Max Porter, includes Nigerian author Caleb Femi; publisher Sana Goyal; South Korean writer Anton Hur and English singer-songwriter Beth Orton. – The Book of Disappearance by Ibtisam Azem, translated from Arabic by Sinan Antoon – On the Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle, translated from Danish by Barbara J Haveland – There's a Monster Behind the Door by Gaelle Belem, translated from French by Karen Fleetwood and Laetitia Saint-Loubert – Solenoid by Mircea Cartarescu, translated from Romanian by Sean Cotter – Reservoir Bitches by Dahlia de la Cerda, translated from Spanish by Heather Cleary and Julia Sanches – Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated from French by Helen Stevenson – Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa, translated from Japanese by Polly Barton – Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from Japanese by Asa Yoneda – Eurotrash by Christian Kracht, translated from German by Daniel Bowles – Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated from Italian by Sophie Hughes – Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi – On a Woman's Madness by Astrid Roemer, translated from Dutch by Lucy Scott – A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre, translated from French by Mark Hutchinson
