All Faces But Mine - (Middle East Literature in Translation) by Samih Al-Qasim (Paperback)

About the Book

A collection of poems from a celebrated resistance poet whose passionate call for independence inspired a generation of writers.

Book Synopsis

All Faces but Mine gathers selected poems from the acclaimed Palestinian poet Samih Al-Qasim (1934-2014). A contemporary of Mahmoud Darwish, Al-Qasim was a celebrated resistance poet whose passionate call for independence inspired a generation of poets. In this award-winning volume, poems are drawn from fourteen of the poet's collections published over the last twenty years in addition to some of his final works. Lu'lu'a's fluid translation captures both Al-Qasim's innovative style and the emotional tenor of his poetry.

Review Quotes

The lucidly translated poems of Samih Al-Qasim highlight the great value of freedom for Palestinians under Israeli oppression. They also reveal a glimmer of hope for the intractable conflict when human suffering and injustice are acknowledged.-- "Issa J. Boullata, Professor Emeritus of Arabic Literature, McGill University"

Translations are acts of 'treason' only incidentally. An ultimate 'betrayal' is the act of cultivating chasms between cultures, which translations routinely endeavor to bridge. This book fills a gap in the literature but can also help build a bridge--aided by the understanding and empathy poetry can create--between two peoples in conflict.-- "Riad Nourallah, Director of Research, London Academy of Diplomacy"

About the Author

Samih Al-Qasim was a critically acclaimed poet, essayist, and journalist. An outspoken advocate of Palestinian rights, he was imprisoned several times for his writing. He published numerous poetry collections, including Sadder Than Water: New and Selected Poems, the only other book-length English translation of his work.

`Abdulwahid Lu'lu'a is an Iraqi writer based in the United Kingdom, whose previous translations have won a range of literary prizes. He has published twelve books in Arabic and forty-two books in translation, all on literary subjects.