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Unfortunately, It Was Paradise

Selected Poems
By Mahmoud Darwish
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Unfortunately, It Was Paradise is a comprehensive collection of Mahmoud Darwish's poetry, showcasing nearly four decades of his work. Widely regarded as one of the most significant poets in the Arabic language, Darwish’s poems blend ancient literary traditions with innovative poetic forms. This volume captures his distinctive voice, reflecting the personal, political, and philosophical dimensions of his life and his people. With new translations and a foreword by Fady Joudah, it offers an immersive experience into Darwish's enduring legacy and cultural significance.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$5699
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This book will resonate with readers interested in poetry, Middle Eastern literature, and cultural studies. It is ideal for those who appreciate profound lyrical exploration of identity, politics, and history through verse, as well as academics and general readers seeking insight into an iconic Arab poet's work.

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The author is a literary rarity: at once critically acclaimed as one of the most important poets in the Arabic language, and beloved as the voice of his people. A legend in Palestine, his lyrics are sung by fieldworkers and schoolchildren. This collection spans his entire career, nearly four decades, revealing a range of expression and form.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Tilda Swinton’s Top Ten Favourite Books for T: The New York Times Style Magazine

Mahmoud Darwish is a literary rarity: at once critically acclaimed as one of the most important poets in the Arabic language, and beloved as the voice of his people. A legend in Palestine, his lyrics are sung by fieldworkers and schoolchildren. He has assimilated some of the world's oldest literary traditions while simultaneously struggling to open new possibilities for poetry.

This collection spans Darwish's entire career, nearly four decades, revealing an impressive range of expression and form. A splendid team of translators has collaborated with the poet on these new translations, which capture Darwish's distinctive voice and spirit.

Fady Joudah’s foreword, new to this edition, addresses Darwish’s enduring legacy following his death in 2008.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise this collection for its fluid and precise translations, highlighting Darwish's complex engagement with contested places both physical and mental. Publishers Weekly notes the exactness of the translation work. American Poet describes it as a gift to poets and lovers of poetry alike, and a valuable contribution to cultural and political discourse. The Journal of Palestine Studies calls it a beautiful and important rendering of a key figure in modern Arab culture, while PopMatters lauds its dynamic balance of the personal and political, experimental and lyrical, philosophical and prayerful.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780520273030

Publisher: University of California Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 April 2013

Country: United States

Imprint: University of California Press

Contributors:

  • Edited by Sinan Antoon
  • Edited by Amira El-Zein
  • Translated by Munir Akash
  • Translated by Carolyn Forché
  • Foreword by Fady Joudah

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 272g

Pages: 224

Collections

Arts & Culture Mahmoud Darwish Non-Fiction Poetry

About the Author

Mahmoud Darwish (1941 - 2008) was the author of over thirty books of poems, including Memory for Forgetfulness: August, Beirut, 1982 (California, 1995), The Adam of Two Edens (2001), and Psalms (1994). He received the 2001 Prize for Cultural Freedom from the Lannan Foundation. Munir Akash is a founding editor of Jusoor, The Arab American Journal of Cultural Exchange, and coeditor of The Adam of Two Edens (2001) and Post Gibran: Anthropology of New Arab American Writing (2000). Carolyn Forche is Professor of English at George Mason University and author of The Angel of History (1994). Sinan Antoon is coeditor of Arab Studies Journal. Amira El-Zein is the author of Bedouin of Hell (1992) and The Book of Palm Trees (1973). Fady Joudah is a prize-winning poet, translator, and physician. He is the author of The Earth in the Attic (2008) and Alight (2013), and the translator of two volumes of Mahmoud Darwish's poetry, The Butterfly's Burden (2007) and If I Were Another (2009).

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