Come learn about and hear stories from young writers from Gaza. All proceeds from book sales will go toward rebuilding a library in Gaza.

Join Liberation is Lit and Honky Tonk Farms & Apothecary for a special public reading of excerpts from Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine edited by Refaat Alareer. Attendees will participate in roundtable discussions about the work and how they are supporting efforts for Gaza in their community.

Readings start at 7:30

All proceeds from book sales will go toward rebuilding a library in Gaza (read more about that project here).

About the Book:

Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine, edited by Refaat Alareer is a compelling collection of short stories from fifteen young writers in Gaza, members of a generation that has suffered immensely under Israel’s siege and blockade. Their experiences, especially during and following Israel’s 2008-2009 offensive known as “Operation Cast Lead”, have fundamentally impacted their lives and their writing. Indeed, many of these writers saw the war as a catalyst for their writing, as they sought an outlet and a voice in its aftermath. They view the book as a means of preserving Palestinian memories and presenting their own narratives to the world without filters. Their words take us into the homes and hearts of moms, dads, students, children, and elders striving to live lives of dignity, compassion, and meaning in one of the world’s most embattled communities. (Some of the stories also take us with courage and empathy into the imagined world of Israelis living just on the other side of the great barriers Israel has built in and around Gaza and the West Bank to wall the Palestinians in.)

In 2014, contributors Rawan Yaghi, Refaat Alareer, and Yousef Aljamal (pictured below) toured numerous cities around the United States to share their experiences as Gaza Palestinian writers.

These stories are acts of resistance and defiance, proclaiming the endurance of Palestinians and the continuing resilience and creativity of their culture in the face of ongoing obstacles and attempts to silence them.