Brutally Honest Exploration of Taboo Subjects in Empty Cages
A novel that explores taboo subjects with exceptional craftsmanship, while reconstructing the “self” from pain and fragmented identities.
Book Reviews
Without Women, the 2011 Revolution Might Have Never Been
The long history of Egyptian women's activism created the intellectual and political background for revolution.
Hope Without Hope: Rojava and Revolutionary Commitment
Matt Broomfield's new book explores the history of the Rojava revolution in Syrian Kurdistan as a model for global liberation movements.
Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah—a Review
Gurnah's new novel, "Theft," is a post-colonial exploration of Tanzania, immigration, and the relationship between Africa and the west.
In Nasser Rabah’s Poetry, تقول القصيدة كلمتها
Nasser Rabah and other poets of Gaza are still writing — still sending their poems to us, because Palestine is literature.
Palestine’s Places and Memorials Are Not Forgotten
A profound meditation on the Palestinian landscape, on loss, neglect and the ravages of time, by Raja Shehadeh and Peggy Johnson.
The Book Censor’s Library by Bothayna Al-Essa—a Review
A tale set in the near-future exploring the world of banned books, repressed imaginations, dreams, and desires.
Memoricide Voided by Four Palestinian Women Diarists
"Voices of Resistance" stands as a vital work of testimonial literature that refuses to be forgotten, writes Francesca Vawdrey.
The Evin Prison Bakers’ Club — Review
Sepideh Gholian's book demonstrates that freedom, even in confinement, is a state of mind, where choosing life is part of the struggle.
Interview: Joe Sacco on Gaza
Joe Sacco uses his graphic storytelling in "War on Gaza" to reflect on the events in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.
An Intimate History of Violence: Beirut Under Siege in Nejmeh Khalil Habib’s A Spring that Did Not Blossom
Nejmeh Khalil Habib's latest teaches us that while there are and will always be survivors of horrors, the trauma is never forgotten.
The End of Civilization as We Know It—a Catastrophology
A review of how some of history’s greatest civilizations' collapse presents ominous parallels with our present predicament.
A World in Crisis: Deep Vellum’s Best Literary Translations 2025
This anthology, while celebrating last year's best literary translations, aims to highlight writing from and about a world in crisis.
Djinns Unveils Silence in the Home
Djinns emerge in a fractured home in Istanbul, reflecting the intercultural and intergenerational tensions in Fatma Aydemir’s family saga.
Hassan Blasim’s Sololand features Three Novellas on Iraq
Hassan Blasim’s work is not imitation. His is a voice forged in exile, and steeped in the paradoxes of displacement.