Reviews

I Saw Ramallah by مريد البرغوثي, Mourid Barghouti

thecloudthief's review against another edition

5.0

I finished reading I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti today. Even though I read it slowly, it is a short read. It is a memoir written by a late Palestinian poet. The memoir mainly revolves around his visit to his homeland after years, but also mentions parts of his life, recalled memories and some major events.

It offers a very humane perspective on the subject of displacement and belonging, laced with the author's own experiences and observations. It shows daily nuances of Palestinians, their lives and their struggles. It is a powerful rendering of the human aspects of the Palestinian predicament.

The poet Mourid Barghouti spent thirty years in exile, shuttling among the world’s cities, yet secure in none of them; separated from his family for years at a time; never certain whether he was a visitor, a refugee, a citizen, or a guest. His memoir gives us a glimpse of Barghouti’s emotions, fears, thougths and questions. You are able to get the sense of displacement all over the book, and it helps you grasp what it really feels like.

I really like its poetic language, it is well-written. It’s a good account of dispossession and exile. It’s really good, powerful and poignant. I definitely want to read his other memoir, considered a sequel to I Saw Ramallah, ‘I Was Born There, I Was Born Here’.

The book reminded me some lines from a song of Emel Mathlouthi's:
"No tengo lugar. Y no tengo paisaje. Yo menos tengo patria."
I have no place. I have no landscape. I have no homeland.

I loved the book!
5⭐️

beroreads's review against another edition

5.0

رأيت رام الله هي تجربة الوجع، تجربة الفلسطيني المشرد، العائش في الغربة في كل الأماكن والأزمنة حتى في غرفته التي عاش فيها كل حياته، رأيت رام الله تروي معنى أن تكون مغتربًا منفيًا، أن تعيش بعيدًا عن جميع ما تريد وجميع ما تحب، أن تفكر بجميع الاحتمالات والمصائب التي حدثت لمجرد ان يرن الهاتف، أن تحمل همك وتتنقل به من بلادٍ لأخرى وذلك لا لسبب ولا لذنبٍ افترفته بل لأنك فلسطيني، رأيتُ رام الله تحكي عن عجزنا، عن استسلامنا، عن جُبننا نحن العرب، كيف تركنا إخواننا يعيشون كل هذه المعاناة؟ كيف تركنا إسرائيل تدعي مظلوميتها؟ كيف صمتنا لكل هذا الظلم؟
رأيت رام الله تُشعرك بالخزي، بتأنيب الضمير، بالقهر والوجع
وانت تقرأ تشعر بأنها مكتوبة بوجع، بحزن، بحنين، بألم، بعزة، بفخر، بيأسٍ ونصر، تشعر بأنها مكتوبةٌ بالأضداد!
حقًا رواية موجعة تشعر بأنك تتجول في عقل مريد وهو يتجول في أنحاء العالم وليس فقط رام الله في فلسطين!

kamckim's review against another edition

3.0

Fiction draws me into the story. This book is memoir, so it didn't speak to me about the Palestinian feeling of displacement as other works have. However, there is something deeply moving, at once a sense of being shamed and being ashamed, that Barghouti is able to capture. For example, at one point he wonders why the people of Ramallah didn't take better care of the "refugees" who fled there from the coast in 1948. Now, suddenly, he finds he can identify with their displacement in a city he had thought was his home. You cannot say you've read Palestinian literature without having read this book. It will speak volumes, to some more strongly than to others. For a really good review of the contents and style of the book, check out this review from THE GUARDIAN: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2004/apr/17/highereducation.biography

daliafarra's review against another edition

ليس لدي كلمات لوصف هذا الكتاب. قمة في الروعة والبلاغة. شعوري وكأن المؤلف يعرف كل افكاري ومشاعري - عن زياراتي لفلسطين، عن الغربة، عن الشتات والمهجر، حتى عن الخوف من رنة الهاتف.

ciarrareads's review

challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.0

Beautifully written, a haunting take on what it means to be displaced. Absolutely horrified to see when this was published and how it could have been written today... how things have only gotten worse.

lillianj160's review against another edition

5.0

Absolutely gorgeous. A wonderful introduction to the Palestinian experience.

coriandercake's review against another edition

This was an incredibly impactful book and took quite awhile to read despite being under 200 pages. It's a heavy topic and Barghouti does an excellent job of invoking feelings of nostalgia, loss, and bitterness.

brettie's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

blob809's review

dark emotional medium-paced

4.25

dogearreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0