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rheandante's review against another edition
4.0
Here, on this slice of historic Palestine, two generation of Palestinians have been born and raised under occupation. They have never known another—normal—life. Their memories are filled with images of hell. They see their tomorrow slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go that heaven. They stay because they are afflicted with hope.
— Mahmoud Darwish.
•••
I am ashamed, honestly, this is my very first time reading a book about Palestine. Sebelum baca buku ini juga baru bisa menyempatkan diri untuk nonton film dokumenter seperti 5 Broken Cameras, Born in Gaza, dan Jenin Jenin—yang setiap kisahnya membuat aku kaget, kehilangan kata-kata, dan berujung nangis.
Betapa sibuknya manusia akan 'hiruk-pikuk' dunia sampai dia melupakan dan cenderung tidak peduli dengan apa yang sebenarnya—selama ini—terjadi di Palestina.
Dari semua berita dan film dokumenter yang aku cerna, buku ini seolah membantu aku untuk melihat lebih dekat lagi—dari sudut pandang para turis, termasuk penulis berdarah Palestina. Nah, beberapa penulis dalam buku ini bilang—kira-kira begini: kita mau nulis apa kalo nggak terjun langsung?
Karena ini bukan buku fiksi, warna-warni highlight pun mulai bermunculan sejak membaca tulisan Selamat Datang oleh Mahmoud Darwish. Sepanjang membaca buku tuh: Oh, begini perasaan mereka. Oh—perbuatan bejat ini bukan pertama kali. Oh, aku baru tahu.
Penulis dalam antologi ini bukan cuma penulis fiksi, tapi juga ada penyair, dan jurnalis. Mereka nggak segan-segan menuliskan secara gamblang tentang Palestina, begitu juga tentang Israel (omong-omong ada penulis zionis yahudi di sini)
Puisi kesukaanku dua di antaranya karya Suheir Hammad, tapi aku bakal masukin salah satu potongan puisi lain
Dua dari puluhan fakta dalam buku ini:
Apa sih yang orang-orang Palestina pengen kita lakukan? Boikot. Mereka nyebut itu berkali-kali.
Bener gak sih orang Palestina gak pernah mengutuk zionis? Ya, di sini diceritakan secara singkat.
— Mahmoud Darwish.
•••
I am ashamed, honestly, this is my very first time reading a book about Palestine. Sebelum baca buku ini juga baru bisa menyempatkan diri untuk nonton film dokumenter seperti 5 Broken Cameras, Born in Gaza, dan Jenin Jenin—yang setiap kisahnya membuat aku kaget, kehilangan kata-kata, dan berujung nangis.
Betapa sibuknya manusia akan 'hiruk-pikuk' dunia sampai dia melupakan dan cenderung tidak peduli dengan apa yang sebenarnya—selama ini—terjadi di Palestina.
Dari semua berita dan film dokumenter yang aku cerna, buku ini seolah membantu aku untuk melihat lebih dekat lagi—dari sudut pandang para turis, termasuk penulis berdarah Palestina. Nah, beberapa penulis dalam buku ini bilang—kira-kira begini: kita mau nulis apa kalo nggak terjun langsung?
Karena ini bukan buku fiksi, warna-warni highlight pun mulai bermunculan sejak membaca tulisan Selamat Datang oleh Mahmoud Darwish. Sepanjang membaca buku tuh: Oh, begini perasaan mereka. Oh—perbuatan bejat ini bukan pertama kali. Oh, aku baru tahu.
Penulis dalam antologi ini bukan cuma penulis fiksi, tapi juga ada penyair, dan jurnalis. Mereka nggak segan-segan menuliskan secara gamblang tentang Palestina, begitu juga tentang Israel (omong-omong ada penulis zionis yahudi di sini)
I don't succeed in escaping; always worrying for my family and thinking of the death that seeks them. We were born during war and we die during war. What we live are moments stolen from the devouring mouth of death.
— Atef Abu Saif.
Puisi kesukaanku dua di antaranya karya Suheir Hammad, tapi aku bakal masukin salah satu potongan puisi lain
International law is clearly for internationals only.
By now, a seven-year-old in Gaza have survived three wars already, and you're still talking about talks, and sending John Kerry to the Middle East and thanking Egypt for facilitating nothing.
There's more blood than water today in Gaza.
—Jehan Bseiso.
Dua dari puluhan fakta dalam buku ini:
Apa sih yang orang-orang Palestina pengen kita lakukan? Boikot. Mereka nyebut itu berkali-kali.
Bener gak sih orang Palestina gak pernah mengutuk zionis? Ya, di sini diceritakan secara singkat.
White phosphorus.
The lights with a flare and six burning stars fall to the ground and one lands on you, you're running but it's on you and your skin and you smell it burning smell your flesh singeing and water won't help water won't put it out it just burns and burns deeper through you.
No.
We need a new language. The old one has been corrupted.
They have engineered the Red Cow.
Burning gas falls from the sky.
They are building.
We need a new language.
Negotiated settlement, natural expansion, security barrier, internal refugees, defense forces, seam zone, blockade, conflict, humanity, democracy, dialogue, peace.
—Omar Robert Hamilton.
... the notion that Palestinians are not human beings at all, not even animals, but germs, or a virus that must be isolated and destroyed.
—Jamal Mahjoub.
semiconservative's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.0
reads2cope's review against another edition
5.0
“The reality is that PalFest and boycott movements and
confrontations don't play as lone strikers and do not seek to
monopolise the struggle. There need to be midfield players, defenders holding the back lines - everyone has to find their role in the collective effort if we're to have results.”
Like all collections from different artists, some gripped me stronger than others. The poetry made an especially strong impact, and I look forward to reading more from many of these authors. As others have noted, the reflections from many of the Western authors who grew up in pro-Zionist atmospheres and did little to challenge their beliefs about Palestinian liberation became tiresome to read. However, the pieces from Palestinians and other perspectives kept the collection from becoming too repetitive. I have followed PalFest organizers and attendees on social media, and hearing from organizers and attendees across the years in this book gave me a deeper appreciation for the work and impact art has.
Like all collections from different artists, some gripped me stronger than others. The poetry made an especially strong impact, and I look forward to reading more from many of these authors. As others have noted, the reflections from many of the Western authors who grew up in pro-Zionist atmospheres and did little to challenge their beliefs about Palestinian liberation became tiresome to read. However, the pieces from Palestinians and other perspectives kept the collection from becoming too repetitive. I have followed PalFest organizers and attendees on social media, and hearing from organizers and attendees across the years in this book gave me a deeper appreciation for the work and impact art has.
aislingmoconnell's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
misspalah's review
5.0
As i just finished this book, i cant help but wonder how much longer people will take to notice thats what happened in Palestine is a modern day apartheid. If western medias and countries can denounce South Africa during their apartheid days, why not keeping the same energy on Palestine? I found this on Big Bad Wolf Book Sales last year and contemplating to get it or not. Then i saw few of my favorite authors that i recognized on the cover like Raja Shehadeh, Pankaj Mishra and Mohammed Hanif. A prominent activist like Alice Walker also contributed a piece of her mind in this. Overall, this book comprised of a cluster of thoughts, proses, poems and stories written by the authors who joined Palestinian Literary Festivals, shared a common hatred towards zionism and wants a peaceful lives for Palestinian.
shamssss's review
3.0
2.5 stars
I really wanted to like this a bit more.
Some of the poems (usually ones written by Arabs/Palestinians) were amazing
"We don't need another book
explaining the situation
we need a lesson plan
to stop the next bomb
from dropping.
silence is complicity
over-intellectualisation tells us
to theorise on the power of art
while farmers are kicked off land
children are stoned
on the way to school
people are caged in
beaten and split
from loved ones
blasted and broken
in blockaded dungeons
bought and paid for
with our tax dollars
we are part of the problem
that is not theoretical"
However most of the book was about a bunch of white authors visiting occupied Palestine and sharing their experiences. (Which ended up being very VERY repetitive)
I really wanted to like this a bit more.
Some of the poems (usually ones written by Arabs/Palestinians) were amazing
"We don't need another book
explaining the situation
we need a lesson plan
to stop the next bomb
from dropping.
silence is complicity
over-intellectualisation tells us
to theorise on the power of art
while farmers are kicked off land
children are stoned
on the way to school
people are caged in
beaten and split
from loved ones
blasted and broken
in blockaded dungeons
bought and paid for
with our tax dollars
we are part of the problem
that is not theoretical"
However most of the book was about a bunch of white authors visiting occupied Palestine and sharing their experiences. (Which ended up being very VERY repetitive)