That line—“a couple of things only I can do”—has been looping in my mind since I read it. It names something I’ve felt but struggled to articulate: the quiet call to stay loyal to my particular shape of service, even when the world feels too loud, too broken, too uncertain for subtle offerings.
I loved seeing your book lists on ig, but I am also avoiding meta platforms, so I am super excited that you’re continuing them here!! I have a few of these books, and I’ll definitely be adding all the rest to my list. Thank you for these recommendations and for the time spent putting them together!
Thank you for sharing the list! There are many familiar titles and some new recommendations I am eager to explore. Rashid Khalid 100 Years War on Palestine really helped to create a proper historical background to the current events and a very sad realisation that there is nothing new under the sun regarding the injustice towards Palestinians. But also it gave me hope knowing that they have endured so many things and still exist and resist with now a very strong community around the world who fight the struggle with them. From fiction I would definitely recommend Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa. Wonderfully written and again covers many generations of one Palestinian family starting from Nakba until present.
Thanks for sharing, Mariam! And I read that book! I forgot to put it on the list. I leant it to a friend so it wasn’t on my shelves when I did this. Thank you for sharing it here ❤️🔥
I'm currently reading The Hundred Years' War on PALESTINE by Rashid Klakidi. Just started so can't speak to it yet. Next, I'll be reading In My Mother's Footsteps by Mona Hajjar Halaby. Looking forward to that read! Thank you & have a blessed day.
A beautiful list of recommendations! May I add two more please:
"Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine" by Noura Erakat
and
"The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey" by Laila El-Haddad. This book is so much more than a cookbook. On top of brilliant recipes, there's so much history and a window into what life under occupation and blockade means for food and different aspects of everyday life.
Love the recommendations and thank you for all you do!
I love this message and how you’re using your voice on this platform- especially for the Palestinian cause.
My dear friend I met 25 years ago, Hasan, is Palestinian and gave me the most beautiful cobalt blue“man” to hang in my new car after I wrecked my old one. It’s been with me every single day, on every single car I’ve ever owned (to protect me from harm). I hardly knew him at the time, but grew a tremendous friendship after. My heart goes out to all afflicted in this conflict, and other conflicts around the world. Politics is full of hate; but the humans affected are full of love. May we all hold space for them💖💖
Thank you for sharing this story with us, what a beautiful gift. And yes, I can’t live on and ignore truth and reality. Palestine in forever in my heart.
I love book lists, and I've read a few of these but can always use more! "I Saw Ramallah" by Mourid Barghouti has stayed with me since I read it early on the start of this horrific madness.
As always your lists are the very best!! I had heard of a lot of these but excited to see some new ones too. I’ve read Homeland and haven’t finished Hundred Years War on Palestine just yet.
For children’s books we love Sitti’s Bird and A Map for Falasteen!
Thank you, Juliet! I'd also like to recommend two other books of poetry, Things You May Find Hidden in my Ear and Forest of Noise, both by Mosab Abu Toha.
This is a beautiful list! I've read many of these, but Minor Detail has haunted me since I first read it. I'm currently in the middle of One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Egyptian-Canadian author Omar El Akkad.
Thanks, Juliet! I read Mornings in Jenin, the first published novel by Susan Abulhawa (a great story, not such a great novel mainly because of the writing style) and Salt Houses (beautifully written, yet I had to put i down several times because as an immigrant, it triggered many strong emotions regarding identity, the notion of ‘home’, inter generational trauma, as well as family dynamics. As for cookbooks, I checked out several from our public library and own “The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian culinary journey”, by Laila el-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, which weaves together recipes and stories and was the focus of a cookbook book club I joined last year. It includes many traditional recipes brought to the area by people displaced from villages that no longer exist and several that are uniquely Gazan, influenced by the diversity of products that historically were traded through its port (unlike most Middle Eastern cuisine, Gazan cuisine is VERY hot 🥵) I have incorporated many recipes and techniques from those books in my cooking, as a form of resistance against the ethnic cleansing efforts of the occupation.
That line—“a couple of things only I can do”—has been looping in my mind since I read it. It names something I’ve felt but struggled to articulate: the quiet call to stay loyal to my particular shape of service, even when the world feels too loud, too broken, too uncertain for subtle offerings.
@Amanda Rios-Place won the cookbook ❤️🔥
Many thanks for sharing this list. There's so much to learn from other voices.
I loved seeing your book lists on ig, but I am also avoiding meta platforms, so I am super excited that you’re continuing them here!! I have a few of these books, and I’ll definitely be adding all the rest to my list. Thank you for these recommendations and for the time spent putting them together!
Thank you for sharing the list! There are many familiar titles and some new recommendations I am eager to explore. Rashid Khalid 100 Years War on Palestine really helped to create a proper historical background to the current events and a very sad realisation that there is nothing new under the sun regarding the injustice towards Palestinians. But also it gave me hope knowing that they have endured so many things and still exist and resist with now a very strong community around the world who fight the struggle with them. From fiction I would definitely recommend Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa. Wonderfully written and again covers many generations of one Palestinian family starting from Nakba until present.
Thanks for sharing, Mariam! And I read that book! I forgot to put it on the list. I leant it to a friend so it wasn’t on my shelves when I did this. Thank you for sharing it here ❤️🔥
So many amazing books! I hope I get the chance to read many of them. The cookbook looks amazing as well
❤️🔥
I'm currently reading The Hundred Years' War on PALESTINE by Rashid Klakidi. Just started so can't speak to it yet. Next, I'll be reading In My Mother's Footsteps by Mona Hajjar Halaby. Looking forward to that read! Thank you & have a blessed day.
Hi Julie! Really good books ❤️🔥
Thank you!
You’re welcome, Bona 🖤
A beautiful list of recommendations! May I add two more please:
"Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine" by Noura Erakat
and
"The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey" by Laila El-Haddad. This book is so much more than a cookbook. On top of brilliant recipes, there's so much history and a window into what life under occupation and blockade means for food and different aspects of everyday life.
Thanx, Ramona! Excited to check these out ❤️🔥
Love the recommendations and thank you for all you do!
I love this message and how you’re using your voice on this platform- especially for the Palestinian cause.
My dear friend I met 25 years ago, Hasan, is Palestinian and gave me the most beautiful cobalt blue“man” to hang in my new car after I wrecked my old one. It’s been with me every single day, on every single car I’ve ever owned (to protect me from harm). I hardly knew him at the time, but grew a tremendous friendship after. My heart goes out to all afflicted in this conflict, and other conflicts around the world. Politics is full of hate; but the humans affected are full of love. May we all hold space for them💖💖
(And your voice is💖🫶😍💪)
Thank you for sharing this story with us, what a beautiful gift. And yes, I can’t live on and ignore truth and reality. Palestine in forever in my heart.
I love book lists, and I've read a few of these but can always use more! "I Saw Ramallah" by Mourid Barghouti has stayed with me since I read it early on the start of this horrific madness.
❤️🔥
As always your lists are the very best!! I had heard of a lot of these but excited to see some new ones too. I’ve read Homeland and haven’t finished Hundred Years War on Palestine just yet.
For children’s books we love Sitti’s Bird and A Map for Falasteen!
I appreciate that, Jacobi!
Thank you, Juliet! I'd also like to recommend two other books of poetry, Things You May Find Hidden in my Ear and Forest of Noise, both by Mosab Abu Toha.
Hi Amanda! The cookbook is yours. Just pulled your name from the jar ❤️🔥 please email me your address at support@iamjulietdiaz.com
Thank you, Amanda! I’ll check those out! I believe I have the first one in my TBR. Will check. 😌
This is a beautiful list! I've read many of these, but Minor Detail has haunted me since I first read it. I'm currently in the middle of One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Egyptian-Canadian author Omar El Akkad.
Yessss agree.. I go back to, Minor Detail often. And thank you for sharing ❤️🔥 I’ll look into that book 😌
Thank you for this.
❤️🔥
Thanks, Juliet! I read Mornings in Jenin, the first published novel by Susan Abulhawa (a great story, not such a great novel mainly because of the writing style) and Salt Houses (beautifully written, yet I had to put i down several times because as an immigrant, it triggered many strong emotions regarding identity, the notion of ‘home’, inter generational trauma, as well as family dynamics. As for cookbooks, I checked out several from our public library and own “The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian culinary journey”, by Laila el-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, which weaves together recipes and stories and was the focus of a cookbook book club I joined last year. It includes many traditional recipes brought to the area by people displaced from villages that no longer exist and several that are uniquely Gazan, influenced by the diversity of products that historically were traded through its port (unlike most Middle Eastern cuisine, Gazan cuisine is VERY hot 🥵) I have incorporated many recipes and techniques from those books in my cooking, as a form of resistance against the ethnic cleansing efforts of the occupation.
Thank you for sharing, Lalita. I’ll take at look that cookbook —sounds great!