When entire archives, libraries, and bookshops are deliberately destroyed, the preservation of stories becomes crucial. That’s how Sundus Abdul Hadi, the founder of MAKTABA, an independent bookshop opened in 2022, frames the urgency of reading Palestine. As an Iraqi, we have witnessed our knowledge institutions being burnt and looted by occupying forces, from the Mongols to the Americans. As a writer, a reader, and a bookshop owner, I know that the preservation of our stories and the dissemination of our history in our own voices, is crucial. “Books become tools of preservation,” she tells MILLE. “For Palestinians, who represent one of the most literate societies in the Arab world, the loss of these spaces is enormous—another form of oppression that will affect generations to come.” In this context of ongoing genocide, reading becomes both an act of memory and resistance.
At MAKTABA, reading is not just about information, but intention. “When we intentionally read Palestinian authors, in their diversity, we craft a multidimensional understanding of not just the Palestinian cause, but of liberation and the struggle for self-determination for all oppressed people worldwide,” the founder says. In other words, a book can be more than a story. It can be a tool for collective care, solidarity, and imagining new futures.
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And books don’t stop there. “The beautiful part about books is that they have a life of their own, with the potential to change hearts and minds and educate curious people who may otherwise know nothing about a subject other than what they’ve been fed from the mainstream media.” It’s why MAKTABA has carried a dedicated Palestine section since day one, alongside categories like Everything is Political, Black Power, and Indigenous Futures. The space is as much a curatorial project as it is a bookshop, positioning itself as a hub for critical thinking and purposeful, intentional reading.
Which brings us to the reading list. Guided by the belief that books can preserve memory, challenge erasure, and reclaim narratives, MAKTABA has shared a list of books by Palestinian authors that speak across generations, genres and geographies. Here’s where to begin:
‘Men in the Sun’ by Ghassan Kanafani (Short stories, fiction)
All reading on Palestine must begin with the works of Ghassan Kanafani. The spirit of resistance is omnipresent in both his fiction and non-fiction works. What is most special about this collection of short stories is Kanafani’s ability to challenge the monolith of Palestinian stories with his multidimensional characters and their lives.
‘Perfect Victims’ by Mohamed El Kurd (Non-fiction)
Young Kanafani, AKA Mohamed El Kurd, wrote one of the most significant books since the genocide. We recommend this book endlessly, as it helps to articulate the shifting language necessary in the struggle for liberation. Carving out a new narrative for Palestinian resistance, El Kurd throws out tired arguments and replaces them with an unapologetic assertion of Palestinian humanity, even if!
‘Orientalism’ by Edward W. Said (Non-fiction)
Thanks to Edward Said’s efforts in the study of Palestine at Columbia University decades ago, the encampment movement was able to find its wings. No other cultural theorist has articulated the Palestinian cause as effectively as Said, speaking truth to power with eloquence and grace. While we could recommend any of his works, his seminal work Orientalism quite literally changed the (academic) game. It’s a must-read, even if you can’t get past the introduction.
‘They Called me a Lioness’ by Ahed Tamimi and Dena Takruri (Memoir)
In many ways, Ahed Tamimi represents the future of Palestine. Strong, steadfast, rooted in the land, and focused on liberation. While Ahed writes about life in her village and her experience of being jailed in an Israeli prison as a teenager, Dena Takruri gives the reader the political and historical context for a deeper understanding of the Palestinian struggle.
‘Palestinian Walks’ by Raja Shehadeh (Memoir)
One of my favourite books on Palestine, Raja Shehadeh takes you along with him on his walks across the vast landscapes of Falastin with such detail you can close your eyes and feel the ancient ground beneath your feet. A self proclaimed peripatetic (def: someone who loves walking) and human rights lawyer, this book is about the Palestinian connection to land in both theory and practice.
‘In The Presence of Absence’ by Mahmoud Darwish (Poetry and prose)
A giant of Palestinian literature, “The National Poet of Palestine,” my mothers favorite writer, close friend of Edward Said… what can we say about Mahmoud Darwish? He gave words to feelings we didn’t even know we had, adding layers to the definitions of exile and belonging. Everyone must read Darwish, not only to understand the Palestinian experience, but the experience of being human.
‘Minor Detail’ by Adania Shibli (Fiction)
While the book is categorized as fiction, this novel is based on a true story, masterfully told by Adania Shibli in painful, terrifying, visceral prose. While this book is tiny, it is huge in its impact. If you are able to stomach intense descriptions of sexual violence, this book is an unforgettable read, worthy of literary awards being cancelled for her myth-busting depiction of “the most moral army in the world.”
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