Description
Translated from Arabic, Trees for the Absentees is a relatable coming-of-age tale of young love, meddling relatives, and heart-to-heart connections. Philistia is an ordinary university student with an extraordinary life. She has no idea when her father will be released from prison, and works part-time washing women's bodies in the ancient Ottoman hammam in Nablus. A midwife and corpse washer in her time, Philistia can't help but reminisce about her late Grandma Zahia, who taught her the ritual ablutions and the secrets of life and death. In the enthralling darkness of the hamman in occupied Palestine, Philistia falls in love and embarks on a magical journey through her country's history, one of loss and centuries of oppression. As trees are uprooted around her, Philistia searches for a place of refuge, a place where she can plant a memory for the ones she's lost. Also available in an Arabic language paperback edition.
About the Author
Ahlam Bsharat grew up in Tammun in Palestine and now lives in Ramallah. Following a master's degree in Arabic, she worked as a teacher for several years. An award-winning author of poetry, picture books, short stories, novels, memoirs, and TV and radio scripts, she also works for the Ministry of Culture in Ramallah. Her literary craft has taken her to Belgium and France, where she was artist in residence. Her book, Code Name: Butterfly, was shortlisted for the 2017 Palestine Book Award. Ruth Ahmedzai-Kemp is a British literary translator working from German, Russian and Arabic into English. She graduated from Oxford University and completed an MA in Translation and Interpreting at Bath University. She most of all loves translating fiction, nonfiction (particularly history, travel and nature) and children's books. Sue Copeland is a British translator working from Arabic, French, Italian and Spanish into English. Since graduating from the University of Exeter in 1977, she has spent most of her career working for the UK government as a multi-lingual translator and researcher. For the past two years has been a freelance translator. She enjoys translating fiction and non-fiction, particularly that associated with human rights and refugees.
Reviews
A most ordinary, magical, devastating story: What Trees for the Absentees shares with works by authors like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jorge Louis Borges is that it finds a way within fiction to beautifully express what the 'real' somehow cannot. -- Dr Nora Parr Life in a West Bank village from the point of view of a teenage girl, Philistia. Her multi-layered stories of daily life give an elegant insight into life under the current occupation and some of the historical context. -- Mike Scott-Baumann
Awards
Short-listed for Etisalat Award For Arabic Children's Literature 2013.
Book Information
ISBN 9781911107231
Author Ahlam Bsharat
Format Paperback
Page Count 96
Imprint Neem Tree Press Limited
Publisher Neem Tree Press Limited
Weight(grams) 100g
Dimensions(mm) 178mm * 111mm * 7mm
About the Author
Ahlam Bsharat grew up in Tammun in Palestine and now lives in Ramallah. Following a master's degree in Arabic, she worked as a teacher for several years. An award-winning author of poetry, picture books, short stories, novels, memoirs, and TV and radio scripts, she also works for the Ministry of Culture in Ramallah. Her literary craft has taken her to Belgium and France, where she was artist in residence. Her book, Code Name: Butterfly, was shortlisted for the 2017 Palestine Book Award. Ruth Ahmedzai-Kemp is a British literary translator working from German, Russian and Arabic into English. She graduated from Oxford University and completed an MA in Translation and Interpreting at Bath University. She most of all loves translating fiction, nonfiction (particularly history, travel and nature) and children's books. Sue Copeland is a British translator working from Arabic, French, Italian and Spanish into English. Since graduating from the University of Exeter in 1977, she has spent most of her career working for the UK government as a multi-lingual translator and researcher. For the past two years has been a freelance translator. She enjoys translating fiction and non-fiction, particularly that associated with human rights and refugees.
Reviews
A most ordinary, magical, devastating story: What Trees for the Absentees shares with works by authors like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jorge Louis Borges is that it finds a way within fiction to beautifully express what the 'real' somehow cannot. -- Dr Nora Parr Life in a West Bank village from the point of view of a teenage girl, Philistia. Her multi-layered stories of daily life give an elegant insight into life under the current occupation and some of the historical context. -- Mike Scott-Baumann
Awards
Short-listed for Etisalat Award For Arabic Children's Literature 2013.
Book Information
ISBN 9781911107231
Author Ahlam Bsharat
Format Paperback
Page Count 96
Imprint Neem Tree Press Limited
Publisher Neem Tree Press Limited
Weight(grams) 100g
Dimensions(mm) 178mm * 111mm * 7mm
