"It’s astonishing to me that, despite the blizzard of barbarism currently being visited on them, Palestinians continue to produce such stunning writing. This excellent compilation is essential reading.” The above are the words of praise Brian Eno, long-time activist and one of the most consequential musicians of our time (as evidenced by his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Roxy Music; and that doesn't even touch on his contributions to electronica and ambient music), heaped on Sumūd: A New Palestinian Reader. Co-edited by Malu Halasa and Jordan Elgrably of The Markaz Review, a literature and arts from the center of the world and the diasporas of the Middle East and North Africa, this volume gives voice to the culture of Palestinians and its relationship to political resistance. On this edition of Parallax Views, Malu Halasa joins us to discuss Sumūd: A New Palestinian Reader and the collection of poetry, visual art of all kinds (from conceptual art to posters), literary criticism, and even speculative fiction/science fiction contained within it. Although many, especially since the war in Gaza, have become aware of the political dimensions of the Palestinian people, Sumūd: A New Palestinian Reader highlights the cultural dimension that is sometimes overlooked. However, that is not to say that the poltiical dimension is ignored in book. In fact, Sumūd: A New Palestinian Reader illustrates the connection, the ties that bind, between the cultural and the political for Palestinians. Contributors to the book include Israeli New Historian Ilan Pappe, noted Gaza expert Sara Roy, Palestinian-American poet Noor Hindi, Paris-based journalist Olivia Snaije, British-Palestinian writer Ahmed Masoud (whose speculative fiction/sci-fi short story "Application 39" is featured in the book and a topic of discussion in our conversation), Gaza's Theater for Everybody founder Hossam Madhoum, and many, many more! We'll discuss a number of topics in this conversation including Gaza, political resistance, Palestinian humor, allowing Palestinian voices to speak for themselves, and much, much more!
