Description
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE ENGLISH PEN AWARD Walid Dahman is going home. Returning to Gaza after nearly four decades in exile, he looks forward to embracing his mother and reconnecting with the people and place he once left behind. Boarding the flight from London, Walid's life intersects with that of Dana, an Israeli actress, on her way back to Tel Aviv. As the night sky hurtles past, what each confides and conceals will expose the chasm between them in the land they both call home. The Lady from Tel Aviv a powerful and poetic story of love, loss and belonging.
Trade Review'Takes you to the height of reading pleasure' Elias Khoury 'Al-Madhoun brings Gaza vividly to life.' Selma Dabbagh 'Madhoun's depiction of the loving, claustrophobic, violent, beautiful, steadfast, endangered place that is Gaza is enthralling. - The Lady from Tel Aviv is an elegantly-written, intriguing, moving book. It is a surprisingly easy and enjoyable read, given the subject matter, but is also a valuable addition to the literature tackling themes such as Palestinian exile, occupation and homecoming. Whether one is looking for a striking piece of summer reading or a thought-provoking exploration of the Palestinian situation, this novel is a good place to start.' Electronic Intifada The Lady from Tel Aviv lays bare the harsh realities of dispossession, exile and occupation ... What is on offer is a serious but quirky slice-of-life conveyed by Madhoun's inventive imagery, wry humour and prose that lurches from the poetic to parody - Poignant - The Lady from Tel Aviv is a mature, honest appraisal of the meaning of estrangement and belonging - and all the nuances in between.' Jordan Times 'It would be a mistake to approach The Lady from Tel Aviv as either an exemplar of contemporary Arabic literature or as a literary discussion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It is both, but to start reading with that in mind risks constraining one's appreciation of the book as a novel. - The Lady from Tel Aviv has almost as many layers as baklava, albeit not all of them sweet - Clever and lyrical - The Lady from Tel Aviv provides insights that newscasts, documentaries and articles can't. And al-Madhoun has a message that is worth learning: no matter how intractable a conflict may seem, there is always a lady from Tel Aviv.' Asian Review of Books 'The Lady from Tel Aviv is a story full of non-fulfilling meetings and memories - on both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian spectrum.' Chronicle
