About the Book
Writers from Alice Walker to Michael Ondaatje to Claire Messud share their thoughts on one of the most vital gatherings of writers and readers in the world.
The Palestine Festival of Literature was established in 2008 by authors Ahdaf Soueif, Brigid Keenan, Victoria Brittain and Omar Robert Hamilton. Bringing writers to Palestine from all corners of the globe, it aimed to break the cultural siege imposed by the Israeli military occupation, to strengthen artistic links with the rest of the world, and to reaffirm, in the words of Edward Said, "the power of culture over the culture of power."
This Is Not a Border is a collection of essays, poems, and sketches from some of the world's most distinguished artists, responding to their experiences at this unique festival. Both heartbreaking and hopeful, their gathered work is a testament to the power of literature to promote solidarity and hope in the most desperate of situations.
Contributing authors include J. M. Coetzee, China Miéville, Alice Walker, Geoff Dyer, Claire Messud, Henning Mankell, Michael Ondaatje, Kamila Shamsie, Michael Palin, Deborah Moggach, Mohammed Hanif, Gillian Slovo, Adam Foulds, Susan Abulhawa, Ahdaf Soueif, Jeremy Harding, Brigid Keenan, Rachel Holmes, Suad Amiry, Gary Younge, Jamal Mahjoub, Molly Crabapple, Najwan Darwish, Nathalie Handal, Omar Robert Hamilton, Pankaj Mishra, Raja Shehadeh, Selma Dabbagh, William Sutcliffe, Atef Abu Saif, Yasmin El-Rifae, Sabrina Mahfouz, Alaa Abd El Fattah, Mercedes Kemp, Ru Freeman.
About the Author :
Ahdaf Soueif is the author of Aisha, Sandpiper, and In the Eye of the Sun. Her bestselling novel The Map of Love was shortlisted for a Booker Prize. The founder of PalFest, she is a key political commentator on Egypt and Palestine. Soueif lives in London and Cairo. ahdafsoueif.com
Omar Robert Hamilton co-founded PalFest and has written for the Guardian, the London Review of Books, and Guernica. His debut novel, The City Always Wins, is forthcoming from Farrar, Straus. orhamilton.com
Review :
The writers express the belief that words will be the things with feathers that will eventually bring attention--and peace . . . A chorus of lyrical voices singing hopefully about a most contentious, divisive, and violent situation.
Commemorating 10 extraordinary years of PalFest, the Palestine Festival of Literature, mother-son cofounders Soueif and Hamilton gathered 47 literary luminaries to create this essential testimony . . . Throughout this gathering of essays, poetry, reportage, and confessions, certain words--apartheid, erasure, pain, powerlessness, complicity, waiting, wasting, humiliation, absurdity--repeatedly resonate. But what linger longest are hope, expectation, and the demand for peace.
In This Is Not a Border: Reportage & Reflections from the Palestine Festival of Literature, an impressive, global team of writers reflect on their experiences traveling to the Palestinian Occupied Territories . . . fascinating, intimate and brutally candid . . . This Is Not a Border transcends politics to reveal the common humanity of our world, to uncover optimism and hope in the most hopeless of places. Ultimately, the collection is a testament to the enduring power of art to unite people.
A stirring collection . . . This eclectic batch of reports and reflections challenges us to enact the spiritual practice of connections as we explore the links between imperialism, occupation, justice, art, and freedom . . . These essays and poems open many emotional doors, drawing us closer to these ravaged survivors who cling to hope even though it is in short supply.
Every literary act, whether it is a great epic poem or an honest piece of journalism or a simple nonsense tale for children is a blow against the forces of stupidity and ignorance and darkness . . . The Palestine Festival of Literature exists to do just that--and I salute it for its work. Not only this year but for as long as it is necessary.
A literary festival as well as a journey . . . it has made me quite poignantly aware of what the occupation means to people and of their determination to speak up for the writers and musicians who feel that the occupation has taken their voice away . . . An eye-opening experience.
PalFest is not only the most powerful and important literary festival it's ever been my privilege to attend, it's one of the most powerful and important things I've experienced, full stop.
PalFest has quickly established itself a much-loved international festival. As a charity, it is unique in bringing creativity, beauty, partnership, and tolerance into all our lives, and I can't think of many cultural institutions more deserving of our full support.
It's a festival like no other. It is so much more than a festival. Stimulating and enjoyable -- I hope so anyway! -- for the Palestinians, it is an eye-opening and moving educational experience for the visiting participants . . . A vital part of the cultural and political calendar.
The festival is a recognition of the independent life of the Palestinian people. Coming through the invisible barrier of fear has actually filled me with hope. I found deep humanity on the other side.
PalFest's uniqueness stems from the fact that during the day it allows writers to carry out that most important of writerly tasks--bear witness . . . We go to PalFest to feel ourselves part of the world.
PalFest is a necessary, confronting and enlightening event for anyone with an interest in writing, freedom and human rights . . . A life-changing experience.
Thanks for being who you are and for giving us such exposure to wonderful people. Palestine is proud of you.
Truly life-changing . . . As a human being and as a writer, this was a revelatory experience.
Packed with so much genius and courage and heart I don't know what to say except thank you and I have new favourite writers.
The most rewarding -- and challenging -- literary festival a writer could hope to take part in.
One of the most affecting trips of my life.
PalFest is a visionary enterprise, there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world that I know of, the radiant intimacy of writing, live audiences, bodies and souls touching, all in a land surviving under occupation.
