Jerusalem Stands Alone

Mahmoud Shukair is a Palestinian writer of short stories and novels for adults and teenagers. He is the author of forty-five books, six television series, and four plays. His stories have been translated into several languages, including English, French, German, Chinese, Mongolian, and Czech. In 2011, he was awarded the Mahmoud Darwish Prize for Freedom of Expression. He has spent his life between Beirut, Amman, and Prague and now lives in Jerusalem. Nicole Fares teaches world literature at the University of Arkansas and is a doctoral candidate in comparative literature and cultural studies. She has translated novels, short stories, and poetry from Arabic to English, including the novel 32, by Sahar Mandour.

In these poetic, interconnected microfictions, Shukair excels in capturing the political, social, and historic tensions of an ancient city under occupation. A contemplative feast of deep, subtle undertones, Shukair's writing mobilizes an intimate, calm narrative to explore the convulsions lurking beneath the strained surface of Jerusalem.-- "Hisham Bustani, author of The Perception of Meaning" Shukair's literary work is an elegant reflection of Jerusalem as a place called 'home' in the eyes of Palestinians who are living there. Fares' professional translation into English is an enhancement to this reflection, preserving the lyrical flow of the original work.-- "Middle East Librarians Association" Intricately weaving past and present, humour and pain, love and loss, Jerusalem Stands Alone is a beautiful homage to a living, breathing city so often reduced to nothing more than a pawn in political games.-- "Middle East Monitor" Shukair tenderly and brilliantly explores the city's deep soul, through gorgeous lyrical portraits of its inhabitants. Poets will love this book. Reading it feels like a healing. . . . Jerusalem Stands Alone will be the enduring truth, not the pitiful passing news.-- "Naomi Shihab Nye, author of 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East"