Mornings in Jenin
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Review
'It's a touching and sometimes funny portrait of rural life ... her (Susan Abulhawa) blend of fiction and documentary is on of the books strenghts.' -- Times
Product Description
Palestine, 1941. In the small village of Ein Hod a father leads a procession of his family and workers through the olive groves. As they move through the trees the green fruits drop onto the orchard floor; the ancient cycle of the seasons providing another bountiful harvest. 1948. The Abulheja family are forcibly removed from their ancestral home in Ein Hod and sent to live in a refugee camp in Jenin. Through Amal, the bright granddaughter of the patriarch, we witness the stories of her brothers: one, a stolen boy who becomes an Israeli soldier; the other who in sacrificing everything for the Palestinian cause will become his enemy. Amal's own dramatic story threads its way through six decades of Palestinian-Israeli tension, eventually taking her into exile in Pensylvania in America. Amal's is a story of love and loss, of childhood, marriage and parenthood, and finally the need to share her history with her daughter, to preserve the greatest love she has. Richly told and full of humanity, "Mornings in Jenin" forces us to take a fresh look at one of the defining political conflicts of our lifetime. It is an extraordinary debut.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I absolutely loved this book - I had chosen it for a book club read and we all loved it, although using the word "love" to describe a story so tragic may be a little trite. One of the reviews mentioned that the writing was too simplistic - I felt that the story was simply told, but that this simplicity and lack of detailed desription of all the horror made it all the more poignant and credible. There is only one bit right at the end (when you read it you will know what I am referring to!) that was unsatisfying to read as it did not ring true with the rest of the novel, and was not really necessary to add. I finished the book thinking that I had a much clearer understanding of why people would be driven to do some of the extreme things we read about in the papers, and it gave a Palestinian perspective on the troubles in their beautiful country. I also think that a lot of the book was about love and family and humanity. I cannot believe that it is not a world-wide best seller!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
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Beautifully written, I was hooked by the first page. The story of the Abulheja family and their friends is written with such humour and warmth that you feel that you know them personally. The horror of the Israeli invasion and the terror that these people have lived through was something that I wasn't properly aware of before. To my shame, I have to admit that I had no knowlege of the atrocities committed against the Palestinians by the settlers and the Israeli government.
Susan Abulhawa writes with such compassion and understanding that it is impossible not to be drawn to her characters; what particularly impressed me was the humanity in her writing - it is not a simple case of good v bad which a lesser author might have fallen into the trap of - there is a section near the end of the book when Amal is confronted by a young Israeli soldier who presses his gun against her forehead. Abulhawa writes
"The power he holds over life is a staggering burden for so young a man. He knows it and wants it lifted. He is too handsome not to have a girlfriend nervously waiting for his return. He would rather be with her than with his conscience. With his burden or with me."
This is a book I will keep and re-read and save for when my daughter is old enough to read it. This book deserves to be a best seller and should be read widely - not just for its honest account of the middle east but also for it's beauty and as an introduction to the poetry of Khalil Gibran.
Susan Abulhawa writes with such compassion and understanding that it is impossible not to be drawn to her characters; what particularly impressed me was the humanity in her writing - it is not a simple case of good v bad which a lesser author might have fallen into the trap of - there is a section near the end of the book when Amal is confronted by a young Israeli soldier who presses his gun against her forehead. Abulhawa writes
"The power he holds over life is a staggering burden for so young a man. He knows it and wants it lifted. He is too handsome not to have a girlfriend nervously waiting for his return. He would rather be with her than with his conscience. With his burden or with me."
This is a book I will keep and re-read and save for when my daughter is old enough to read it. This book deserves to be a best seller and should be read widely - not just for its honest account of the middle east but also for it's beauty and as an introduction to the poetry of Khalil Gibran.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this book a while ago and was totally entranced and read it quickly because I wanted to know what happened. I know some reviewers don't think much of the literary style but why should that get in the way of this wonderful story. I've ordered multiple copies of this book for my bookshop and I recommend it to customers. For anyone wanting to know about this conflict it gives a perspective the (mainline) media do not report.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Heartbreaking but must be read
This book is amazing, simply written and with such feeling, I couldn't put it down. Although this is a novel, the timeline is accurate and it is heartbreaking to think this... Read more
Published 5 days ago by Don
A desperately sad but thoroughly enjoyable read
This book really moved me and I can't recommend it enough. I hadn't heard of the book so had no expectations on starting it. Read more
Published 1 month ago by RCM888
A brilliant, insightful read
I absolutely loved this book, panning several generations fluidly, it gives you such an insight into the difficult times of Palestine and the experiences people have suffered. Read more
Published 11 months ago by T Frostic
A Must Read
Even if you have no prior knowledge of the Palestine/Israeli conflict, Mornings in Jenin offers you the perfect introduction to this complex situation, giving many insights into... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Lovely Treez
`Life was mercurial and fickle, not to be trusted.'
The village of Ein Hod in north Palestine, where this novel opens in the 1940s, has been an olive growing community for centuries. Read more
Published 18 months ago by J. Cameron-Smith
Disappointing
I got this book expecting a touching story from Palestine, a story of generations growing up torn apart by conflict (Pretty much how the book is advertised really) What I found... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Gogol
Summarizes the tragedy of Palestinian refugees in one story
A must read book for those who interested in the Palestine/Israel conflict. This is not a real story. However, the historical events are real. Read more
Published 19 months ago by aya
Spectacular!
Mornings in Jenin is a wonderful book. Setting a narrative within the Israel/Palestinian conflict is an interesting and brave move. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Ben Whitehouse
Really great book
Mornings in Jenin is a very special book. Not only does it present the Palestinian narrative with great skill and compassion, but it is also extremely readable. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Pam Parsons
moving account of a Palestinian families perpetual displacement and...
Mornings in Jenin is a astonishing book, a moving account of the Abulheja family spanning six decades whose lives are skillfully set against the backdrop of many significant... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Georgee
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