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Mornings in Jenin
Mornings in Jenin: A Novel | Susan Abulhawa
Mornings in Jenin is a multi-generational story about a Palestinian family. Forcibly removed from the olive-farming village of Ein Hod by the newly formed state of Israel in 1948, the Abulhejos are displaced to live in canvas tents in the Jenin refugee camp. We follow the Abulhejo family as they live through a half century of violent history. Amidst the loss and fear, hatred and pain, as their tents are replaced by more forebodingly permanent cinderblock huts, there is always the waiting, waiting to return to a lost home.The novel's voice is that of Amal, the granddaughter of the old village patriarch, a bright, sensitive girl who makes it out of the camps, only to return years later, to marry and bear a child. Through her eyes, with her evolving vision, we get the story of her brothers, one who is kidnapped to be raised Jewish, one who will end with bombs strapped to his middle. But of the many interwoven stories, stretching backward and forward in time, none is more important than Amal's own. Her story is one of love and loss, of childhood and marriage and parenthood, and finally the need to share her history with her daughter, to preserve the greatest love she has. Set against one of the twentieth century's most intractable political conflicts, Mornings in Jenin is a deeply human novel - a novel of history, identity, friendship, love, terrorism, surrender, courage, and hope. Its power forces us to take a fresh look at one of the defining conflicts of our lifetimes.
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lil1inblue
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 (3.75/5)

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 3w
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🖤🐾🖤 3w
18 likes2 comments
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maich
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First reading outside on the sun this year.
I'm #currentlyreading Mornings in Jenin and it is a sad story. About war between Palestine and Isralel set after world war II. Usually I avoid that kind of books because they destroy me emotionaly but a friend insisted that I need to read it. It is a hearbreaking novel and I'm only at 30%.😢

#morningsinjenin #slovenianedition

lil1inblue I'm reading this right now too, and I paired it with The Hundred Years' War on Palestine. It's heartbreaking. 💔 1mo
maich @lil1inblue it is heartbreaking. I can't believe that right now in 2024 that kind of things still happen. As if we didn't nothing learn from our history. 1mo
38 likes2 comments
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Beccaf
Pickpick

What a beautifully written book. A harrowing account of a subject that is sadly too true. Left me really interested in knowing more about the history of these countries.

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JulieAly
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Pickpick

This was one of the most heartbreaking reads, I cried several times. I highly recommend.

Cathythoughts I really enjoyed this one too 💔 2y
JulieAly Have you read “Against The Loveless World” by the same author? It was really good 2y
6 likes2 comments
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jenniferw88
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#ukkindledeal #readingasia2021

Any UK Littens looking for #palestine? This book is on offer today.

@Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

Cathythoughts Such a good book 💔 I loved it (edited) 3y
39 likes1 comment
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thevagabondlawyer
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Pickpick

This book is deeply unsettling on every level as it is thrumming with suffering, violence, and injustice. But this is a story of resilience and survival, and, ultimately, love. I really admire the unrelenting bravery of this book. Susan Abulhawa writes passionalety and lyrically about the ugly realities of war as well as the beauty of family, friendship and community. 👇

thevagabondlawyer She writes her characters with unwavering hopefulness in a way that is challenging and inspiring. She does not shy way from the horror and brutality, nor does she forget her true function as a storyteller: to give voice to the voiceless, to remember what has been forgotten, even if it means breaking our hearts. Published in 2006, this book resonates so much today with moral urgency and sense of humanity. 🙏👊 3y
Cathythoughts An excellent book ❤️ 3y
44 likes2 comments
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Currey
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Pickpick

#palestine #Readaroundtheworld So much pain in this multigenerational story of a people torn from their land and from the arms of those that they love. I learned so much from this very personal perspective on the Israel/Palestinian conflict. Thank you so much for the recommendation.

Cathythoughts Such a good book. ❤️💔 3y
Simona Sounds interesting! I finished .... but I‘m still not sure if I liked it or not 🤷‍♀️ 3y
BarbaraBB @Simona Looking forward to your review of that one. As I said earlier I loved it but I was 18 when I read it!
3y
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BookwormM
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Pickpick

#ReadAroundtheWorld #Palestine
5⭐️
This book taught me so much about the Israel - Palestine problem covering the formation of the State of Israel, the 6 day war, the massacre of Sabra and Shatila up until 2002. This was all told through the triumphs & tragedies of 1 Palestinian family.

For me this really highlighted the tragedy of such an important religious area being the centre of such violence 👇

BookwormM It also provided insight into the side of the conflict that Western news tends to ignore. That said there are 2 sides to every story and this only gives the Palestinian view. Not a criticism just an observation. I really appreciated this story even if it did have me in tears a few times. 3y
Cathythoughts Such a good book ❤️💔 3y
rockpools Ooh, 5🌟! 3y
Currey I have not started it yet, but it is up soon...looking forward to it now 3y
Megabooks I loved this too!! 3y
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jenniferw88
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Librarybelle Thanks for posting! 3y
44 likes1 comment
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UnabridgedPod
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Pickpick

I read Susan Abulhawa's Mornings in Jenin as part of a #buddyread with @readwithtoni. Wow. I learned so much and felt just as much. The novel spans decades, beginning with a brief moment, a woman named Amal kneeling with a gun to her head, and then flashing back to a time right before the creation of Israel. Most of the book centers on a Muslim family who had lived on a single piece of land for 40 generations, ⬇️

UnabridgedPod a family so intertwined with that land that their identity is inseparable from it. When they are displaced through violence, forced to flee into makeshift refugee camps in neighboring Syria, they hope--at first--to one day return. Eventually, they become aware that their displacement is permanent and that they must begin to understand themselves as permanently cast out. ⬇️ 4y
UnabridgedPod The story alternates seamlessly between chapters told from the first-person point of view of Amal, one of the daughters of the central family, and a third-person point of view with a more omniscient understanding of events. This latter perspective allows ample foreshadowing, which builds a sense of dread as the novel's events unwind. ⬇️ 4y
UnabridgedPod It is this point of view that offers insight into the reasons for the Zionists' actions but also that places them firmly in the context of the Muslim viewpoint. ⠀

While I had read about the creation of Israel from a more objective perspective and one informed more by the United States' side of events, this new contextualization was a revelation. ⬇️
4y
UnabridgedPod (I've since purchased a novel from the perspective of a Jewish family from the same time period, as I'm anxious to think about the events from multiple points of view.) This is only my third buddy read, but I'm so grateful for the thorough and thoughtful discussion in that group, which illuminated the novel even more. ⬇️ 4y
UnabridgedPod What books have you read that have set your understanding of something on its head? Have you read any books about this area of the world that you‘d recommend? Any books about the creation of Israel specifically? 4y
13 likes5 comments
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UnabridgedPod
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@ readwithtoni. Christmas decorating is consuming my family. The lateness of Thanksgiving (we always decorate after that holiday) means that I feel as if we're running behind. I'm trying to be okay with it! We've watched Elf, the boys have had their traditional spats about who's putting up which ornament, and now we're sitting back and admiring the tree.⠀


I'm also trying to fit in some reading, of course. ⬇️

UnabridgedPod Today, I'm reading Susan Abulhawa's Mornings in Jenin for my #buddyread over on Instagram with @ readwithtoni. So far, I'm loving this epic story of a Muslim family in Palestine who is displaced in the 1940s during the creation of Israel. It's fascinating, with an array of complex characters, and I'm learning so much about this region of the world. I can't wait to discuss the first half of the book next week.⠀

What are you reading today?
4y
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Petelord
Pickpick

Amazingly powerful novel. It‘s one of my all time favourites. Highly recommend just makes sure you have lots of tissues

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KellyHunsakerReads
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#Palestine. If you are interested in reading books set in each country of the world, please join us in #ReadingTheWorld on Goodreads.

CafeMom Maybe you want to post the Bingo card here for Reading the World? We can play the actual card here. 5y
KellyHunsakerReads Fun idea. I will give it a go! 5y
25 likes1 stack add2 comments
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LittleBug
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#SisforSeptember Day 10: #Sunrise

Maybe a bit farfetched, but hey, after #sunrise it‘s morning, right?😁😜😁

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Sarz
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#friyayintro @jesshowbooks

1. Pink!
2. The Alienist
3. Until it was pointed out that there was a glossary in the back.
4. Tomato sauce/ketchup
5. I'm planning to use this long weekend to finish my #makerswap project and watch Netflix. The weather forecast is frightful.

Cinfhen Tagged book sounds very interesting 6y
12 likes1 comment
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BookaholicNatty
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This is my online book clubs April read. I found a copy at the thrift store after class today!!!!! I can‘t wait to dive in and read it!!!! Anyone read this? It is set in a refugee camp and follows Amals life story of loss, struggle and survival through over 60 years of Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Haunting and hear t wrenching! If you read it already, what did you think?

Becker It has been on my TBR for several years. I think it sounds excellent but I will look forward to some feedback. 6y
RebelReader I just discovered this book today at Barnes and Noble, but I didn‘t buy it. I‘m on a book ban except library sales this month. 6y
LeeRHarry I really liked this one - I borrowed it from the library and then decided that I needed my own copy, eventually found it a couple of years later at a charity shop 😊 Enjoy! (edited) 6y
Avidan I have just started reading it and...I have thoughts. 6y
BookaholicNatty @Avidan I haven‘t finished it all the way yet!!! I need to!! I am enjoying it though! And I have been learning a lot I didn‘t know 6y
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PoloRaccoon
Pickpick

This book was an upsetting read. The characters suffer and it takes a heartless soul not to feel for them, whatever your political beliefs. The writing style is clunky at times but I got a lot out of this book. Saying I 'enjoyed' it feels cheap.

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Cathythoughts
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@Kalalalatja #BOOKISHWOULDYOURATHER
1. Cafe
2. Fave character
3. Always cry & laugh
4. 1000 + pages
5. Always read back cover. 🙏

Kalalalatja 👏👏 7y
13 likes1 comment
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erzascarletbookgasm
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I've only read The Forty Rules of Love, the rest on my TBR.
#bookssetinthemiddleeast #readingwomenmonth @thereadingwomen

readingjedi I really enjoyed The Map of Love! 7y
60 likes1 stack add1 comment
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thereadingwomen
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For Ramadan, Sumaiyya, one of our favorite bookstagrammers, gave us a list of of amazing book recs of Middle Eastern and Muslim Women's fiction. Check it out on the blog!

https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/blog/2017/6/5/guest-post-middle-eastern-musl...

You can find more of Sumaiyya's book recommendations on her Instagram or Litsy @sumaiyya.books.⠀

#thereadingwomen
///⠀
#ReadingWomenMonth #women_writers #readwomen

ephemeralwaltz One of my favorite bookstagrammers! 7y
sumaiyya.books 😍❤️❤️❤️ 7y
Chrissyreadit I‘m so glad I was looking up Mornings in Jenin. These book recommendations look great. 6y
107 likes8 stack adds3 comments
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Michellesibs
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Pickpick

I'm ashamed to say I know little on the Israel / Palastine conflict and this book is a good introduction to the topic. Books like this always throw me a little as the timeline is so recent, in our lifetime but we remain oblivious
This is the story of Amal, who was born into a refugee camp in Jenin, and her family. It's horrifying to know this story is not fiction for some people out there today. This book is not enjoyable but should be read.

Cathythoughts I loved this book. Beautifully written & a powerful story 7y
2 likes1 comment
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HiddenGemBooks
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Forcibly removed from the olive-farming village of Ein Hod by the newly formed state of Israel in 1948, the Abulhejos are displaced to live in canvas tents in the Jenin refugee camp. We follow the Abulhejo family as they live through a violent history. Amidst the loss and fear, hatred and pain, as their tents are replaced by more forebodingly permanent cinderblock huts, there is always the waiting, waiting to return to a lost home.

#TBR 😱📚

LeeRHarry Great read! 7y
53 likes8 stack adds1 comment
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AndjoSant
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Pickpick

A harrowing account of 4 generations of a displaced Palestinian family, Mornings in Jenin describes the incredible hardships of the Palestinian people in often brutal detail. Strongly recommend as a background to the current political situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories 🇵🇸🇵🇸

LeeRHarry I loved this one!!! 😊 6y
8 likes1 comment
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SoAustentatious
Pickpick

This book nearly broke my heart. I'm not a weeper, but I wept, so have a box of tissues handy. Also, be prepared to potentially be pissed off at the one-sided history you've learned of the war between Israel and Palestine.