A review by kathleenitpdx
Journal of an Ordinary Grief by Mahmoud Darwish
3.0
I have to put this book in historic perspective. Darwish was a Palestinian born in 1941. As a child he lived through the foundation of Israel. This book was first published in Arabic in 1973 after the Six Days War, forty years ago. It explores the author's attempt to understand what it means to be an Israeli Arab.
Darwish was a poet. As a right-brained person who lives in the U.S., I had difficulty understanding parts of the book. I layered in some biographical information on Darwish and reviewed modern Middle East history as well as the translator's forward and notes. I was able to understand much. For me the strongest parts were the "interviews" of Israeli Arabs in prison, the difficulty that Darwish had trying to obtain travel documents and his explanation of the position of Israeli Arabs in Israel.
This book gives a excellent perspective on the Middle East conflict. I also heard echoes of the situation of occupied peoples in the U.S.
Darwish was a poet. As a right-brained person who lives in the U.S., I had difficulty understanding parts of the book. I layered in some biographical information on Darwish and reviewed modern Middle East history as well as the translator's forward and notes. I was able to understand much. For me the strongest parts were the "interviews" of Israeli Arabs in prison, the difficulty that Darwish had trying to obtain travel documents and his explanation of the position of Israeli Arabs in Israel.
This book gives a excellent perspective on the Middle East conflict. I also heard echoes of the situation of occupied peoples in the U.S.