Winner of the 2022 Palestine Book Award
“An artistic triumph that will stand as an enduring testament to the spirit of the Palestinian people. Mohammad Sabaaneh is a master.”--Joe Sacco, winner of the American Book Award for Palestine
What does freedom look like from inside an Israeli prison?
A bird perches on the cell window and offers a deal: “You bring the pencil, and I will bring the stories,” stories of family, of community, of Gaza, of the West Bank, of Jerusalem, of Palestine. The two collect threads of memory and intergenerational trauma from ongoing settler-colonialism. Helping us to see that the prison is much larger than a building, far wider than a cell; it stretches through towns and villages, past military checkpoints and borders. But hope and solidarity can stretch farther, deeper, once strength is drawn of stories and power is born of dreams. Translating headlines into authentic lived experiences, these stories come to life in the striking linocut artwork of Mohammad Sabaaneh, helping us to see Palestinians not as political symbols, but as people.
"A bird perches on the cell window and offers a deal: 'You bring the pencil, and I will bring the stories,' stories of family, of community, of Gaza, of the West Bank, of Jerusalem, of Palestine. The two collect threads of memory and intergenerational trauma from ongoing settler-colonialism. Helping us to see that the prison is much larger than a building, far wider than a cell; it stretches through towns and villages, past military checkpoints and borders. But hope and solidarity can stretch farther, deeper, once strength is drawn of stories and power is born of dreams. Translating headlines into authentic lived experiences, these stories come to life in the striking linocut artwork of Mohammad Sabaaneh, helping us to see Palestinians not as political symbols, but as people" -- Provided by publishe
“Devastating and outrage-inducing; the spare language and poetic illustrations convey the scope of a long, slow genocide. . . . Sabaaneh presents a world in which injustice is unending, but so is the strength of his people. This testament will remind readers of the human toll of political conflict, but also how humanity can never fully be taken.” —Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
“The illustrations powerfully convey the bleak atmosphere and quality of life, and while the stories alone would be incredibly moving, the art makes them even more so . . . their dark, surreal style representing the turmoil and hopelessness felt in the prison.” —Booklist
“A tour de force for the eyes and intellect. Piercing through iron bars of ideological dogma and liberating the humanity of Palestinians in a way that no book has before it.” —Khaled A. Beydoun, Author of American Islamophobia
“Proof of art’s capacity to make visible what oppressors want the world to forget” —Molly Crabapple. Author of Brothers of the Gun (with Marwan Hisham) and Drawing Blood
“Truly an astonishing work. The images move and come to life through the darkness. They demand that we look at them and that we do not turn away.” —Sarah Glidden, Author of the NYTimes Bestselling book Rolling Blackouts
“Mohammad Sabaaneh has made a book with unparalleled power and poetry. A book about Palestine, about his home and his own personal experiences. About the world we all live in and the fight for freedom which we all face.” —Ethan Heitner, Co-editor of World War 3 Illustrated
“A surreal fever dream twisting with horror and hope. An essential read for anyone, anywhere in the world.” —Sarah Mirk, Author of Guantanamo Voices
