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On the Hills of God NewSouth Books Winner of the PEN Oakland Award for Excellence in Literature June 1947 was the eve of the end of the world for eighteen-year-old Yousif Safi, for Yousif is a Palestinian. On the Hills of God describes the year-long journey of a boy becoming a man, while all that he has known crumbles to ashes. When we first encounter Yousif, he is filled with hopes for his education abroad to study law and with daydreams of his first love, the beautiful Salwa. As the future of Palestine looks bleak due to the pressure on the United Nations from the international Zionist movement, Yousif is compelled to think like a man. He is frustrated by his fellow Arabs’ inability to thwart the Zionist encroachment and by his own inability to prevent the impending marriage of Salwa to an older suitor chosen by her parents. As Palestinians face the imminent establishment of Israel, on May 15, 1948, Yousif resolves to face his own responsibilities of manhood. Despite the monumental odds that are against him, Yousif vows to win back both his loves—Salwa and Palestine—and create his world anew.
Reviews “For anyone who is interested in the roots of the Middle East crisis, Ibrahim Fawal’s brilliant novel is a must read.” “The depth of feeling emanating from Ibrahim Fawal in this powerful work leaves the reader with so much to consider and react to after the last page is turned that one cannot escape the realization that this is truly a stunning creation.” “In a novel that appeals to our humanity, Fawal begs us to find within ourselves the capability to treat one another with a compassion transcending religious dogma and political cant.” “This passionate and deeply human narrative should capture anyone interested in the origins of the Middle East conflict, or in the power of a well-told story.” “Highly engaging . . . Fawal’s novel is a warning to those who glibly advocate comprehensive solutions to complicated situations. It provides a portrait of lives destroyed for ostensibly noble purposes.” “Anyone who is fascinated by the ethnic and religious roots of the Middle East conflict will be intrigued.” “Fawal’s novel is a tale of love and loss, of a young man’s dream and a nation’s despair.”
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