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Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear
Poems from Gaza
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Check link for latest rating. ( 3,804 ratings, 847 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Description
Winner of the American Book Award, the Palestine Book Award, and Arrowsmith Press's 2023 Derek Walcott Poetry Prize
National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry Finalist
"Written from his native Gaza, Abu Toha's accomplished debut contrasts scenes of political violence with natural beauty." - The New York Times
In this poetry debut, Mosab Abu Toha writes about his life under siege in Gaza, first as a child and then as a young father. A survivor of four brutal military attacks, he bears witness to a grinding cycle of destruction and assault, yet his poetry is inspired by a profound humanity.
These poems emerge directly from the experience of growing up and living in constant lockdown, and often under direct attack. Like Gaza itself, they are filled with rubble and the ever-present menace of surveillance drones policing a people unwelcome in their own land. They are also suffused with the smell of tea, roses in bloom, and the view of the sea at sunset. Children are born, families continue traditions, students attend university, and libraries rise from the ruins as Palestinians go on about their lives, creating beauty and finding new ways to survive.
Accompanied by an in-depth interview conducted by Ammiel Alcalay, Abu Toha discusses life in Gaza, his family origins, and how he came to poetry.
Praise for Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear:
"Mosab Abu Toha is an astonishingly gifted young poet from Gaza, almost a seer with his eloquent lyrical vernacular... His poems break my heart and awaken it, at the same time. I feel I have been waiting for his work all my life." - Naomi Shihab Nye
"Though forged in the bleak landscape of Gaza, he conjures a radiance that echoes MiΕosz and Kabir. These poems are like flowers that grow out of bomb craters, and Mosab Abu Toha is an astonishing talent to celebrate." - Mary Karr
"Mosab Abu Toha's Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear arrives with such refreshing clarity and voice amidst a sea of immobilising self-consciousness. It is no great feat to say a complicated thing in a complicated way, but here is a poet who says it plain: 'In Gaza, some of us cannot completely die.' Later, 'This is how we survived.' It's remarkable. This is poetry of the highest order." - Kaveh Akbar
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Recognized for its profound exploration of life in Gaza, Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear by Mosab Abu Toha is lauded for its juxtaposition of natural beauty and political strife. Critics highlight the collection's vivid imagery and emotional depth, illustrating the harsh realities of conflict alongside moments of grace. Praised for its raw and evocative poetry, the book offers a poignant glimpse into resilience and lament amidst adversity. The work's ability to balance scenes of violence with a sense of enduring hope is widely commended, marking it as a significant contribution to contemporary Palestinian literature.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780872868601
Publisher: City Lights Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 09 June 2022
Country: United States
Imprint: City Lights Books
Illustration: 15 color photos
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 127.0mm
Height: 177.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 100
Collections
About the Author
Mosab Abu Toha is a Palestinian poet, scholar, and librarian who was born in Gaza and has spent his life there. He is the founder of the Edward Said Library, Gaza's first English-language library.Things You May Find Hidden in My Earis his debut book of poems. The collection won an American Book Award, a 2022 Palestine Book Award and was named a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry, as well as the2022 Walcott Poetry Prize.
In 2019-2020, Abu Toha was a Visiting Poet in the Department of Comparative Literature at Harvard University.
Abu Toha is a columnist for Arrowsmith Press, and his writings from Gaza have also appeared inThe NationandLiterary Hub. His poems have been published inPoetry,The Nation, the Academy of American Poets' Poem-a-Day,Poetry Daily, and theNew York Review of Books, among others.
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