SKU: 65194209980

The Words of My Father: Love and Pain in Palestine

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The Words of My Father: Love and Pain in PalestineA Palestinian American activist recalls his adolescence in Gaza during the Second Intifada, and how he made a strong commitment to peace in the face of devastating brutality in this moving, candid, and transformative memoir that reminds us of the importance of looking beyond prejudice, anger, and fear. Captivating. Robin Wright, The New Yorker Yousef Bashir's story begins in Gaza, on a verdant ten acre farm beside an Israeli settlement and military

A Palestinian-American activist recalls his adolescence in Gaza during the Second Intifada, and how he made a strong commitment to peace in the face of devastating brutality in this moving, candid, and transformative memoir that reminds us of the importance of looking beyond prejudice, anger, and fear.

Captivating.--Robin Wright, The New Yorker

Yousef Bashir's story begins in Gaza, on a verdant ten-acre farm beside an Israeli settlement and military base. When the soccer-mad Yousef was eleven, the Second Intifada exploded. First came the shooting, then the occupation. Ordered to leave their family home, Yousef's father refused, even when the Israeli soldiers moved in, seizing the top two floors. For five long years, three generations of the Bashir family were virtual prisoners in their own home. Despite this, Yousef's father--a respected Palestinian schoolteacher whose belief in coexisting peacefully with his Israeli neighbors was unshakeable--treated the soldiers as honored guests. His commitment to peace was absolute.

Though Yousef's family attracted international media attention, and received letters of support from around the world, Yousef witnessed the destruction of his home, his neighborhood, and the happy life he had known with growing frustration and confusion. For the first time he wondered if his father's belief in peace was justified and whether he was strong enough--or even wanted--to follow his example. At fifteen, that doubt was tested. Standing in his front yard with his father and three United Nations observers, he was shot in the spine by an Israeli soldier, leaving him in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down, for a year.

While an Israeli soldier shot him, it was Israeli doctors who saved Yousef and helped him eventually learn to walk again. In the wake of that experience, Yousef was forced to reckon with the words of his father. And like the generous, empathetic man who raised him, he too became an outspoken activist for peace.

Amid the tragedy of the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, The Words of My Father is a powerful tale of moral awakening and a fraught, ferocious, and profound relationship between a son and his father. Bashir's story and the ideals of peace and empathy it upholds are a soothing balm for these dangerous and troubled times, and a reminder that love and compassion are a gift--and a choice.

--Yossi Klein Halevi, author of the New York Times bestseller Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Published: 05/26/2020
ISBN: 9780062917331
Pages: 240
Weight: 0.45lbs
Size: 8.10h x 5.60w x 0.60d
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SKU: 65194209980

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Skylar
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Emma
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Talia Bhatt’s Trans/Rad/Fem is a powerful and thought-provoking collection of essays that delves deep into the intersection of radical feminism and trans liberation. This book challenges the idea that trans and radical feminism are at odds, instead arguing that transfeminism is a natural extension of radical feminist thought. Bhatt’s sharp, compelling writing makes the case that a materialist, radical transfeminism is key to dismantling the oppressive structures of patriarchy. What makes Trans/Rad/Fem such a captivating read is the way Bhatt blends academic analysis with personal narrative. Her essays are intellectually rigorous, yet accessible and relatable, striking a perfect balance between theory and lived experience. The electrifying prose has the profound impact of books like Stone Butch Blues. There’s something incredibly powerful in the way Bhatt’s words cut through, offering fresh perspectives on issues that often feel tangled or misunderstood. The essays feel like a conversation with someone who’s been thinking deeply about these subjects for a long time, offering not just insight but a vision for a different, more inclusive future. Some readers have noted that familiarity with radical feminist theory will enhance the experience, but even for newcomers, the book offers eye-opening and challenging ideas. Trans/Rad/Fem has clearly made a mark. Bhatt’s ability to engage readers while encouraging critical thought is part of what makes this collection so important. Whether you’re a seasoned feminist theorist or someone looking to understand more about the intersections of gender and social justice, this book is an essential read.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2025
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Phoebe Cook
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
this is the book you’re looking for
Format: Paperback
I’d just finished reading Jules Gil-Peterson’s A Short History and felt a little unsatisfied and uncomfortable with all the orientialism. I picked this up and was immediately sure I had the antidote. Bhatt is clear, direct, and uncompromising. She avoids filler and gets right to the heart of things—“how is this not like blackface?” gets dealt with more thoroughly and decisively than I have ever seen it within the first few pages. She reveals the transmisogyny lurking in even nominally queer social and intellectual movements, and also finds pockets of beautiful solidarity and common ground in some surprising places. Above all, her love for women shines through every word. This book cleared up some misconceptions I had, made me cry, and will make me a better partner and comrade to trans women. Buy it.
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Samrat Basani
Carnegie, US
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Excellent essays in a brilliant book
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This is a really excellent book. A lot of anthologies of essays have great essays in them, as this one does, but not all of them work as well as a cohesive text as Trans/ Rad/Fem does. I'd recommend this for anyone interested in transfeminism, even if you'd already read individual essays from Bhatt's newsletter by the same name. As with the essays in their newsletter format, The Third Sex and The Questions Has an Answer were my favorite. Bhatt's writing has such force and clarity that I look forward to reading whatever she chooses to write about next.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2025
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Jade
Birmingham, US
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An absolute tour de force reckoning with decades of feminist scholarship and theorizing about trans feminine bodies and motivations. Succinctly and pithily describes the hegemonic culture’s understanding of transsexual women and demands an accounting from the hegemony’s enablers on their treatment of all marginalized queer and especially trans people.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2025

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