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Fugitive Dreams
“Tell me more about the Israelis,” whispers five-year-old Ksenya to her dad on a visit to her grandparents in Palestine. Sameer immediately feels a weight descend upon his shoulders. How to tell her the truth without “its bloodied shadow staining the course of her life?” Join Sameer on a personal journey through the last five decades of the Palestinian experience.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2022
About the author
Ramsey Hanhan
3 books5 followersRamsey Hanhan (رمزي حنحن) left a leading science career of 27 years because he had a story to tell. What became Fugitive Dreams (Fomite, 2022) began as a letter to his daughter, and “to a world gone deaf,” recording his Palestinian experience. He has since written numerous stories, poems, and essays, some of which are included in his latest book, Palestine Bleeds For You (Fomite, 2026). Ramsey writes in search of Truth, the only anchor in today’s rough seas of “civilization”. Nature is where he seeks solace, healing, and a spirituality that respects life in all its forms. When not writing he runs, hikes, engages in his local community, or speaks about Palestine and literature. Forthcoming works address the digital prisons we have built around us and how, with love, we can break free.
Ramsey’s works have appeared in The Harvard Advocate, Fikra magazine, Scene48, Mondoweiss, and other publications. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and resides near Baltimore, Maryland.
Ramsey’s works have appeared in The Harvard Advocate, Fikra magazine, Scene48, Mondoweiss, and other publications. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and resides near Baltimore, Maryland.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 6, 2022
In this long and lean, unafraid and bold, intricate and lyrical novel, Ramsey Hanhan achieves something that really is not supposed to work for those schooled in the culture of harsh individualism and nurtured in a world where it is usual to anticipate a brilliant spark of individuality shining through everyone. In Fugitive Dreams, Ramsey Hanhan breaks the convention of bringing a personal, individual story to the forefront. Instead, he chooses to focus on the collective set of experiences, the collective story of a mass, and the voices of many.
The author uses personal anecdotes in the book to paint a picture of life under Israeli rule over the course of half a century. The narrative follows Sameer B.R. Zaitoun, a Palestinian-born man, as he makes his way to the United States in search of a fresh start. Seeing little chance in military-ruled Palestine, Sameer, like many of his peers, had his sights set on immigrating to the United States. His immigration story in post-9/11 America is replete with references to school shootings, police brutality, human rights violations, and protests, all of which echo the unrest he left behind in Palestine.
Fugitive Dreams by Ramsey Hanhan was like a muffled scream. A scream that comes from the mouths of an entire generation. A generation, lost in time and space, of a handful of Palestinian men, women, and children who have migrated to a distant land with a distant dream. This book is full of shocking, poignant, and sublime moments, and it is delightfully fascinating, vividly evocative, and emotionally honest throughout. In addition to this, it is very generous as it is brimming with life, ideas, and characters, and it sheds light on the kinds of immigrant experiences that so many people go through but which are so seldom depicted in contemporary literature.
While this had a compelling story, it was the exploration of immigrant experience on a globalised scale that really drew the reader in. We are witnesses to how challenging it is to first obtain the appropriate documents in order to travel legally to these countries; once there, how people will treat you as different; exploitation; the difficulties of finding work; as well as the enormous issues concerning race and identity and how these are experienced. After all, it's the plight of one, the quest of one, and the triumph of one that appeals to us.
Fugitive Dreams, like many other great novels, is a collection of the author's observations on himself, others around him, and their circumstances. Because he had immigrated to the United States from Palestine when he was a teenager, Ramsey Hanhan had first-hand knowledge of the Israeli occupation of his home country as well as the challenges of starting a new life in a foreign land. These insights are portrayed through the perspective of the book's primary character.
There was so much to feel, understand, and think about in this magnificent book that I'm having a hard time gathering my thoughts into one cohesive whole. And maybe this is precisely what needs to be understood. The life that is shown here is completely chaotic, and there is nothing cohesive about it. The characters are all fleeting constructions of their own imaginations, their own desires for survival, and their own need for validation. They are continually evolving, changing, re-evaluating, adjusting, and transforming into the persons they ultimately become, yet they are still always just a little bit short of their goals. The world, in all of its cruelty and unpredictability, is continuously driving them to bend, until some of them break in two while others bounce back even more strongly.
It was heartening to hear an outsider's unfiltered and inspiring perspective on American politics, racial issues, relationships, education, and immigration. The all-encompassing empathy of the author for all human plights, for our idiosyncrasies and failures of the imagination, for our grit and stubbornness in the face of injustice, were encouraging. This book serves as a poignant reminder that each immigrant in the United States has a unique and often tangled history. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.
The author uses personal anecdotes in the book to paint a picture of life under Israeli rule over the course of half a century. The narrative follows Sameer B.R. Zaitoun, a Palestinian-born man, as he makes his way to the United States in search of a fresh start. Seeing little chance in military-ruled Palestine, Sameer, like many of his peers, had his sights set on immigrating to the United States. His immigration story in post-9/11 America is replete with references to school shootings, police brutality, human rights violations, and protests, all of which echo the unrest he left behind in Palestine.
Fugitive Dreams by Ramsey Hanhan was like a muffled scream. A scream that comes from the mouths of an entire generation. A generation, lost in time and space, of a handful of Palestinian men, women, and children who have migrated to a distant land with a distant dream. This book is full of shocking, poignant, and sublime moments, and it is delightfully fascinating, vividly evocative, and emotionally honest throughout. In addition to this, it is very generous as it is brimming with life, ideas, and characters, and it sheds light on the kinds of immigrant experiences that so many people go through but which are so seldom depicted in contemporary literature.
While this had a compelling story, it was the exploration of immigrant experience on a globalised scale that really drew the reader in. We are witnesses to how challenging it is to first obtain the appropriate documents in order to travel legally to these countries; once there, how people will treat you as different; exploitation; the difficulties of finding work; as well as the enormous issues concerning race and identity and how these are experienced. After all, it's the plight of one, the quest of one, and the triumph of one that appeals to us.
Fugitive Dreams, like many other great novels, is a collection of the author's observations on himself, others around him, and their circumstances. Because he had immigrated to the United States from Palestine when he was a teenager, Ramsey Hanhan had first-hand knowledge of the Israeli occupation of his home country as well as the challenges of starting a new life in a foreign land. These insights are portrayed through the perspective of the book's primary character.
There was so much to feel, understand, and think about in this magnificent book that I'm having a hard time gathering my thoughts into one cohesive whole. And maybe this is precisely what needs to be understood. The life that is shown here is completely chaotic, and there is nothing cohesive about it. The characters are all fleeting constructions of their own imaginations, their own desires for survival, and their own need for validation. They are continually evolving, changing, re-evaluating, adjusting, and transforming into the persons they ultimately become, yet they are still always just a little bit short of their goals. The world, in all of its cruelty and unpredictability, is continuously driving them to bend, until some of them break in two while others bounce back even more strongly.
It was heartening to hear an outsider's unfiltered and inspiring perspective on American politics, racial issues, relationships, education, and immigration. The all-encompassing empathy of the author for all human plights, for our idiosyncrasies and failures of the imagination, for our grit and stubbornness in the face of injustice, were encouraging. This book serves as a poignant reminder that each immigrant in the United States has a unique and often tangled history. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.
November 1, 2022
Depicting a half century of existence in Palestine under Israeli occupation, Fugitive Dreams by Ramsey Hanhan is a literary memoir with a touch of fiction. The creative and heartfelt manner in which Ramsey Hanhan incorporates personal anecdotes into the storyline of the novel provides an insightful look at the experience of being an immigrant in modern America.
The novel Fugitive Dreams is disguised as a straightforward narrative, but at its core, it is an examination of many forms of oppression and the systemic inequity that underlies them. Ramsey shines in his depiction of social commentary, which includes the ordinary settings and conversation that disclose so much about the issues that fascinate him (immigrants, police brutality, human rights violations, activism, etc.).
This book is insightful, powerful, and written really well. It has several authentic character traits of individuals from diverse backgrounds, and it possesses a super-sound interpretation of some of the most intricate details pertaining to the United States and Palestine. You will have a difficult time finding another author who is so in touch with modern politics and who creates wonderful stories that provide a vision of the world from a variety of different points of view.
The novel Fugitive Dreams is disguised as a straightforward narrative, but at its core, it is an examination of many forms of oppression and the systemic inequity that underlies them. Ramsey shines in his depiction of social commentary, which includes the ordinary settings and conversation that disclose so much about the issues that fascinate him (immigrants, police brutality, human rights violations, activism, etc.).
This book is insightful, powerful, and written really well. It has several authentic character traits of individuals from diverse backgrounds, and it possesses a super-sound interpretation of some of the most intricate details pertaining to the United States and Palestine. You will have a difficult time finding another author who is so in touch with modern politics and who creates wonderful stories that provide a vision of the world from a variety of different points of view.
November 11, 2022
Fugitive Dreams by Ramsey Hanhan is a wonderful book about a Palestinian man's self-realization growing up under Israeli occupation, his move to the US, and life there. Ramsey's intelligence, insight, honesty, humor, and life force infuse every page. I appreciate how the story unfolded, jumping from Palestine to America and back again, and the author's effective and expert use of temporal juxtaposition.
It's not the story itself that drew me in, but the settings, the personalities, and the internal thoughts of the main characters, as well as the seemingly effortless and fluid writing, all of which together are fabulous. Ramsey Hanhan does an amazing job of conveying what his characters experience while leaving and returning to Palestine and their unique perspectives on the US.
At times, Fugitive Dreams reads more like an astute and well-crafted series of character studies and anecdotes on the immigrant experience than a plotted novel. It's a book that is rewarding to have finished, and so it's worth sticking with for the ride.
It's not the story itself that drew me in, but the settings, the personalities, and the internal thoughts of the main characters, as well as the seemingly effortless and fluid writing, all of which together are fabulous. Ramsey Hanhan does an amazing job of conveying what his characters experience while leaving and returning to Palestine and their unique perspectives on the US.
At times, Fugitive Dreams reads more like an astute and well-crafted series of character studies and anecdotes on the immigrant experience than a plotted novel. It's a book that is rewarding to have finished, and so it's worth sticking with for the ride.
November 11, 2022
Fugitive Dreams by Ramsey Hanhan is a novel about life in Israeli-occupied territories, about immigration, dislocation, and isolation, a social satire on contemporary American life, and much more. This book does what a good novel should: it makes you think about things in a different way, challenges the reader's preconceived notions about the world, and takes you to places and cultures you have never explored before.
The story revolves around Sameer, a Palestinian who finds his way to America to rebuild his life. Slowly but surely, the story takes us on a profound journey through Sameer's intriguing and complex life, from his childhood in occupied Palestine to his time as an immigrant in the United States. Sameer is perceptive, strong, fragile, ambitious, passionate, intelligent, and kind.
Rest assured, this is a near-flawless novel that speaks truths about which others choose to remain silent. If you have never read a story that is fearless in its approach to issues in Palestine and America, you will learn immensely, as I have.
The story revolves around Sameer, a Palestinian who finds his way to America to rebuild his life. Slowly but surely, the story takes us on a profound journey through Sameer's intriguing and complex life, from his childhood in occupied Palestine to his time as an immigrant in the United States. Sameer is perceptive, strong, fragile, ambitious, passionate, intelligent, and kind.
Rest assured, this is a near-flawless novel that speaks truths about which others choose to remain silent. If you have never read a story that is fearless in its approach to issues in Palestine and America, you will learn immensely, as I have.
January 23, 2023
A Courageous Honest Memoir
What an experience! Having lived in Palestine for 6 years and attending the same school (and at the same time) as the author during the 80’s, I found myself, for the first time, revisiting my own experiences and analyzing my personal beliefs. Beautifully written, this creatively detailed memoir is one shared by many Palestinians but rarely documented. This is a must read for anyone seeking a truthful understanding of the life of a Palestinian living under a military occupation as well as abroad.
What an experience! Having lived in Palestine for 6 years and attending the same school (and at the same time) as the author during the 80’s, I found myself, for the first time, revisiting my own experiences and analyzing my personal beliefs. Beautifully written, this creatively detailed memoir is one shared by many Palestinians but rarely documented. This is a must read for anyone seeking a truthful understanding of the life of a Palestinian living under a military occupation as well as abroad.
March 17, 2024
This one is a fictionalized account, so it has the feel of a memoir and tracks with actual historical events. Centered is the Palestinian Christian story, which I think USians don't usually consider when they think Palestine. This seems like a good place to start. (I would recommend.)
It covers all facets - from the Nakba, Israeli war crimes and genocide from its beginning, schooling and practicing any religion under occupation, the physical borders (and ruminations on all borders), admiration and disillusionments with his birth country and his adopted country, going home, change, being a child, having a child. It's all here. The universal human experience but with the added danger and pressure cooker of occupation by a settler colonial power still trying to this day to ethnically cleanse the land AND control the narrative.
In the last few chapters there is a lot to think about. Hanhan talks about identity, not letting victimhood define you, and peace - both regional and personal.
It covers all facets - from the Nakba, Israeli war crimes and genocide from its beginning, schooling and practicing any religion under occupation, the physical borders (and ruminations on all borders), admiration and disillusionments with his birth country and his adopted country, going home, change, being a child, having a child. It's all here. The universal human experience but with the added danger and pressure cooker of occupation by a settler colonial power still trying to this day to ethnically cleanse the land AND control the narrative.
In the last few chapters there is a lot to think about. Hanhan talks about identity, not letting victimhood define you, and peace - both regional and personal.
December 4, 2022
A beautifully written memoir of pain, anguish, hope and hopelessness. Ramsey takes the reader on a journey through Palestine with all of its complicated routes. It’s a country with breathtaking landscapes but one that was stolen and more land is stolen by day. Palestinians are left with an apartheid wall that tears and fragments their communities. To get around you have to go through dehumanizing military checkpoints. The Palestinian Authority has no real authority over anything on the ground. People are crammed into an anarchy of concrete-built neighborhoods with no green space. Nature is only accessible to the Israeli occupier who keeps stealing land and building more illegal ‘stolements.’ It’s illegal under international law, but they proceed with their crimes unhindered.
Ramsey is a Palestinian who emigrated in his early adulthood, but Palestine lives inside him. Hence, the recurring trips he keeps making back home. The Western world may have found him a more peaceful home on the outside. But the occasional racism Palestinians like him face can’t be ignored. In academia one would think institutions would be more transparent. But it’s quite the opposite. Anti-Palestine propaganda is institutional and any voice who speaks up against Zionists is silenced.
As a Palestinian from Gaza who’s denied visiting historic Palestine or Jerusalem, I tried to form a mental picture through the lovely intricate details of topography Ramsey paints. But as my kids say, we want to see the places for real.
Ramsey is a Palestinian who emigrated in his early adulthood, but Palestine lives inside him. Hence, the recurring trips he keeps making back home. The Western world may have found him a more peaceful home on the outside. But the occasional racism Palestinians like him face can’t be ignored. In academia one would think institutions would be more transparent. But it’s quite the opposite. Anti-Palestine propaganda is institutional and any voice who speaks up against Zionists is silenced.
As a Palestinian from Gaza who’s denied visiting historic Palestine or Jerusalem, I tried to form a mental picture through the lovely intricate details of topography Ramsey paints. But as my kids say, we want to see the places for real.
November 10, 2022
Ramsey Hanhan’s book, Fugitive Dreams, brings to life the ethos of the lived Palestinian experience in full form, encompassing the gargantuan hardships Palestinians have had to face under the genocidal regime of Zionist settler colonialism for over 100 years; a heart-wrenching truth still denied by far too large a segment of global public perception.
I felt a multitude of emotions while reading the story Ramsey has so truthfully woven together, because his characters are beautifully and vulnerably crafted to represent such nuanced realities of the heartache involved in surviving our modern world as a Palestinian. His book touches on real history, and is so thoroughly researched I found myself consistently amazed by how he was able to seamlessly write a history so often intentionally hidden by those intent on sabotaging the truth of persecution against Palestinians while also embracing the readers heart with lovable characters.
You’ll find everything you need in this book. Knowledge, rare historical evidence, education, inspiration, and even resolution as you’re carried through the evolution of the protagonists life journey of life under the illegal Israeli occupation. The book is both colloquial and global, abandoning neither the generalist reader nor the Palestinian kindred spirit. It’s also pertinent in that it brings to light Palestinian perspectives that are often omitted from mainstream media coverage of the Palestinian narrative.
This is a tender, honest and brave work of art. I hope it soothes you with its validating truths and uplifts you with its foundations of sumood as it did me.
Ramsey, I admire you greatly.
Thank you for putting your heart into this.
Free Palestine.
I felt a multitude of emotions while reading the story Ramsey has so truthfully woven together, because his characters are beautifully and vulnerably crafted to represent such nuanced realities of the heartache involved in surviving our modern world as a Palestinian. His book touches on real history, and is so thoroughly researched I found myself consistently amazed by how he was able to seamlessly write a history so often intentionally hidden by those intent on sabotaging the truth of persecution against Palestinians while also embracing the readers heart with lovable characters.
You’ll find everything you need in this book. Knowledge, rare historical evidence, education, inspiration, and even resolution as you’re carried through the evolution of the protagonists life journey of life under the illegal Israeli occupation. The book is both colloquial and global, abandoning neither the generalist reader nor the Palestinian kindred spirit. It’s also pertinent in that it brings to light Palestinian perspectives that are often omitted from mainstream media coverage of the Palestinian narrative.
This is a tender, honest and brave work of art. I hope it soothes you with its validating truths and uplifts you with its foundations of sumood as it did me.
Ramsey, I admire you greatly.
Thank you for putting your heart into this.
Free Palestine.
October 31, 2022
It was an excellent read on the historical background of Palestine as well as details of everyday life under occupation. The author’s book shares the colorful culture & identity of Palestine & touches on every aspect of their families challenges. I know people will enjoy this well written book as I did, and will take away from it what it means to have courage, resiliency, and hope after all; as does the author.
January 26, 2023
I thought I had stayed current with the Palestinian/Israeli conflict in the sixties, seventies, and eighties but as it wore on, I probably let it fade out of my active consciousness. I had been to the Middle East but had never walked in the footsteps of someone who had been born into this miasma of oppression, frustration, fear, futility, and hope that is Palestine. I never had to experience what it was like to grow up stateless and mired in the constant struggle to exist in a world that needs everyone tied to a place with either real or institutional walls.
I was engaged front the start of the book and had to see how it would end, even in a world where there is no end in sight. Hanhan's suggestions toward the end would serve all of us, no matter what your challenges may be. I recommend this read to all who want to understand and honor all of the 'others' who people this Earth.
I was engaged front the start of the book and had to see how it would end, even in a world where there is no end in sight. Hanhan's suggestions toward the end would serve all of us, no matter what your challenges may be. I recommend this read to all who want to understand and honor all of the 'others' who people this Earth.
November 3, 2025
What Ramsey did in his book is both took me back to the Palestine that I had the privilege of knowing, and also so so significantly (and beautifully) expanded the feeling of what it was like, obviously, not only to be there but to grow up there, and how it's been changed by the occupation. It just such a lovely memoir that you want to savour and to hope that what Ramsey recalls could still be somehow returned to.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews