Reviews

how do you rate a book like this? izzeldin abuelaish’s life has been marked by tragedy, oppression and humiliation, like that of every palestinian living in gaza. i read this just a few weeks after the israeli supreme court rejected abuelaish’s 13-year-long appeal for an apology and compensation for his daughters’ deaths, citing that the idf cannot be held responsible for war time actions. it is true that the cycle of violence, revenge and mutual demonization is extremely unproductive, but suggesting that both sides have equal capacities for forgiving each other seems a bit short-sighted to me, considering the vastly different situations of palestinians and israelis. dialogue is important but near impossible to sustain if one side is fighting for survival every day - there are many things that need to be addressed before abuelaish’s approach can realistically take hold. i feel like more than an appeal for compassion, this book is a way of coping with grief. everyone deals with grief - personal, communal, historical in nature - differently, and abuelaish chose hope and forgiveness. though this attitude may not be enough to solve the conflict on an intersocietal level, he as a person must be commended for that.

catronky's review against another edition

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5.0

A beautiful book I hope to read multiple times and will lend out to anyone who'll take it. I do wish he had mentioned Nadia a little more and included her perspective, but of course that wasn't as feasible with her untimely death.

pnelson384's review against another edition

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5.0

I'm so glad I read this book. We read it for book club and discussed it tonight, and almost everyone felt the same. One member suggested that it should be required reading in middle or high school. The conflict in Palestine/Israel is a topic that I know too little about, and this story of a Palestinian doctor who grew up in Gaza and raised his children there for a long time gives the reader enormous insight into what some of the more modern history of the area is. It is embarrassing that I was so unaware of the realities of Palestinians, and I'm very grateful for that history lesson in reading the book. I'm also grateful to read about the amazing outlook of this man who has every reason to hate, but instead chooses to love and look for peace and finding a way to live side by side. Great book. Great story. Great book club discussion.

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