Soul in Exile

by Fawaz Turki

Poet and essayist Fawaz Turki begins his search for answers in the hallways of the 1983 Palestine National Council meeting in Algiers. He then recalls his family's flight into Lebanon when he was eight, childhood in a refugee camp and the streets of Beirut, and years spent in Australia, France, and the United States in search of his identity, both personal and national. In describing this journey, Fawaz Turki also relates the stories of family, friends, and comrades, those who fought the battles and those who walked away from them. Together, these episodes comprise a panoramic history of a generation formed in exile, of a homeless people caught in the violent storm of Middle East politics.

Genres: History

206 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1987

Reviews

[Jennifer Abdo · Rating 5 out of 5]

From 1988. There's something about these older books. You get a bit more detail because these historical events of 1976 or 1982 so long ago are fresh in the author's mind. And in this particular one, you will learn about Palestinians' experience in Lebanon, being expelled from there too and Israeli involvement and Arab countries' impotence or antagonism.

There are several passages that echo Israelis Oct 7 - April bombardment - execution of healthcare workers, so many children losing both parents, traumatized children walking and walking, libraries reduced to rubble. But there are also accounts of Turki's UN speeches and Palestinian congess involvement, so it isn't all gruesome detail. 

I think this could help someone understand Palestine today or how to decipher the American propaganda.