The Book of Disappearance By Ibtisam Azem, Sinan Antoon (Translator)

Alaa is deeply haunted by his grandmother’s memories of being displaced from Jaffa and becoming a refugee in her homeland after the Nakba. Ariel, Alaa’s neighbor and friend, is a liberal Zionist—critical of the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, yet faithful to the project of Israel. One morning, Ariel wakes up to find that all Palestinians have mysteriously vanished. This unexpected event propels him on a quest to uncover the secret behind their collective disappearance.

Through Ariel’s search and introspection, the narrative intimately explores the deep-seated fissures surrounding the Palestinian question. Interwoven with the lives of Alaa and Ariel are the voices of the people from Jaffa and Tel Aviv—café patrons, radio commentators, flower-cutters—whose ordinary lives reflect the broader tensions and questions of identity, memory, and belonging.

Why You Should Read The Book of Disappearance

• A Unique Perspective: Offers an unforgettable glimpse into contemporary Palestine, exploring both the memory of loss and the loss of memory.
• Thought-Provoking Themes: Delves into identity, displacement, friendship, and political conflict with depth and nuance.
• Critically Acclaimed: Highly praised in Arabic for its spare yet evocative prose and intelligent interplay of perspectives.
• Rich Character Development: Through Alaa and Ariel’s contrasting views, the novel sheds light on complex socio-political dynamics.
• Evocative Storytelling: The narrative’s structure and reflective storytelling will linger in the reader’s mind long after the final page.