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East Jerusalem Noir (Akashic Noir)

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2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available

In East Jerusalem Noir—published simultaneously with West Jerusalem Noir—the Akashic Noir Series turns its gaze to one of the world's most fascinating locales, in this volume from the perspective of Palestinian writers; translated from Arabic

"East Jerusalem's thorny politics run through each of the thirteen stories comprising this sturdy entry in Akashic's long-running regional noir series, which is being published simultaneously with West Jerusalem Noir . . . Written with passion and empathy, the volume's strength lies in giving voice to the varied experiences of Palestinians who live, work, and write in one of the world's most complicated cities. It's a fascinating glimpse of life under occupation." —Publishers Weekly

FROM THE EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION: "When you move through the streets of Jerusalem today, you will notice that history surrounds you from all sides. You hear Adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin from the Dome of the Rock; you hear the bells of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where the Christians pray, accompanied by the voices of the Jewish worshippers at the Wailing Wall. You are filled with awe and stand helpless to do anything except feel both joy and sadness at the same time. Your feelings mingle, your thoughts get confused, and you peer at the sky waiting for God's mercy and relief . . . The stories here are varied, and I did not interfere with the writers' content. I asked them to portray the city of Jerusalem as they live it, as they feel it, as they appreciate it, as they fear it, as they want it to be, and as they imagine it in the past, the present, and the future . . . And now we put the black box in your hands! Kindly open it to reveal the secrets of Jerusalem and its people, who wake up to the sound of a forgotten rooster from a previous era to declare the beginning of a new dawn, so that life will not stop recording its new diary entries."

Featuring brand-new stories by: Nuzha Abu Ghosh, Ibrahim Jouhar, Osama Alaysa, Rahaf al-Sa'ad, Ziad Khadash, Mahmoud Shukair, Iyad Shamasnah, Rafiqa Othman, Dima al-Samman, Majid Abu Ghosh, Muhammad Shuraim, Jameel al-Salhout, and Nuzha al-Ramlawi.

Translated from Arabic by: Roger Allen, Marilyn Booth, Catherine Cobham, Raphael Cormack, Sawad Hussain, Dr. Nazih Kassis, Nancy Roberts, and Max Weiss.

East Jerusalem Noir is being published simultaneously with West Jerusalem Noir, edited by Maayan Eitan. The companion volume explores the city with brand-new stories by Israeli authors.

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    • Library Journal

      September 1, 2023

      Edited by novelist and short story writer Burbura (I Do Not Want To Get Used to You), chief inspector director of Arabic at the Ministry of Education, this new volume in Akashic's long-standing city-based noir series brings readers to East Jerusalem via newly minted stories by Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, all translated from the Arabic. To be published simultaneously with West Jerusalem Noir. Prepub Alert.

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Kirkus

      October 1, 2023
      Editor Burbara presents 13 wrenching tales of life in a city "established 7,000 years ago" that "has been attacked 52 times, occupied 44 times, besieged 23 times, and destroyed twice." Ziad Khadash documents the long history of dangers faced by Jerusalem's occupants in "Fleeing From the Assyrian Soldiers." But most of the stories here deal with more contemporary threats faced by Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. Nuzha Abu Ghosh chronicles the miseries of living under constant surveillance in "The Ceiling of the City." The agony of negotiating military checkpoints is the focus of "Noble Sanctuary" by Muhammad Shuraim and "Checkpoints of Death" by Nuzha al-Ramlawi. In "Between the Two Jerusalems," Osama Alaysa recounts the dangers that face Palestinians who, even unwittingly, cross those boundaries unchecked. The simplest tasks, like obtaining health insurance, are impossibly complicated in a city under occupation, as Majid Abu Ghosh illustrates in "This Is Jerusalem." And owning a home is nearly impossible, as "The Scorpion" by Ibrahim Jouhar, "In an Extraordinary City" by Rahaf al-Sa'ad, and "An Astronaut in Jerusalem" by Iyad Shamasnah all demonstrate. The burden of grief carried by those who live in East Jerusalem is poignant and palpable. Such a sharp focus on the misery of the occupation creates a certain constriction in the range of storylines. But Burbara's contributors are clearly willing to sacrifice the chance to showcase the color and variety of the ancient city in order to tell a harrowing tale of its current distress. Heartfelt and heart-wrenching.

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      October 16, 2023
      East Jerusalem’s thorny politics run through each of the 13 stories comprising this sturdy entry in Akashic’s long-running regional noir series, which is being published simultaneously with West Jerusalem Noir. The stories, each by a Palestinian author, mostly focus on everyday life for the city’s Arab Palestinian residents as they contend with the realities of Israeli occupation, including land confiscation, displacement from their neighborhoods, and travel restrictions. Stories by Ibrahim Jouhar (“The Scorpion”) and Rahaf Al-Sa’ad (“In an Extraordinary City”) deal with the anger and despair families face as they’re forced to relocate before Israeli authorities demolish their homes. In Iyad Shamasna’s “An Astronaut in Jerusalem,” a young boy’s dream of becoming an astronaut is dashed when he bumps against the limitations of movement imposed on his Arab family. Nuhza Abu Ghosh’s “The Ceiling of the City” sees a native of East Jerusalem jailed because he forgot his ID on the way to pray at a local mosque. Crime is largely absent from the collection, which derives most of its conflict from political tensions, but in standard noir tradition, few of the selections have happy endings. Written with passion and empathy, the volume’s strength lies in giving voice to the varied experiences of Palestinians who live, work, and write in one of the world’s most complicated cities. It’s a fascinating glimpse of life under occupation.

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