Best Palestinian Novel - Men in the Sun by Ghassan Kanafani

[@sgayathri7180]

Terrible what Israel did and continues to do to Palestinians. How can you dislocate and persecute a people based on a biblical story? Loved your review. I have tears in my eyes just listening to you. Dare not read the novel, for what it will do to me.

[@snakey934Snakeybakey]

It's terrible what the Israeli government has done, and continues to do to its own people to appease the Palestinians.

[@bocilmurka7501]

That's true because the bible is from devil

[@anthonyfrias5533]

Well, the people who protest for them really support their oppressors and are antisemitic.

[@mounia128]

Everything in this world can be robbed and stolen, except one thing; this one thing is the love that emanates from a human being towards a solid commitment to a conviction or cause. Thank you so much sir 🙏🙏🙏

[@yazanshrouf619]

Great review of a masterpiece, but I can't entirely agree with you regarding the novel being "non-political"; even though Kanafani hasn't talked about politics in this novel, it's still very political. The main reason these fictional men "were" in Iraq and wanted to go to Kuwait is the Zionist occupation of our homeland, Palestine. They are Palestinian refugees being where they don't belong, and this wasn't their choice. Kanafani was trying to express this without being too political in this novel. But it is political. We as Palestinians always describe the destiny of our people being either the sea or the desert (exile), and this novel is not an exeption. Kanafani was later assassinated by the Israeli Mossad in Beirut, alongside his 17yo niece, "Lamis", who was with him in his car. Excuse my imperfect English, it's my second language.

[@nkhoury1]

Beautiful summary! It is indeed a beautiful book that speaks volumes of human suffering. Couple the experience of the Palestinian refugee experience with their quest for a better life, and you get a bigger message. Everyone deserves a place- even Palestinians.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you for your comment. Yes, it is a masterpiece.

[@talismann44]

I have tears in my eyes just listening to you.

[@MuhammadAlaraby-yh4we]

Many thanks for considering one of the Arabic literature 's gems in the 20th centurty. Modern Arabic literature is on of the less appecieted lieteratures, I recommend Naguib Mahfouz's epic novel "Al Harafish" to be on your list.

[@andoyus2108]

Checkpoint in the border reminds me with checkpoints in West Bank. Israeli can come and go freely but the Palestinians have to wait for hours for doing nothing in queue, and the checkpoint guards sometimes threatened the Palestinians just for fun.

[@fh1952]

He didn't die in a car incident. Tell the truth when you are anyway talking about Kanafani. He was murdered by MUSAD by planting a bomb in his car.

[@MultiAmmar2000]

My personal favorite Arabic work of fiction. God bless Kanafani and Palestine.

[@yaseensharawi8034]

Nice review I advice you to read the ( land of the sad orange) to the same Author it is so good and short maybe 90 page

[@CatApocalypse]

Oof, even just the synopsis has me nearly in tears. Borders are tremendously cruel. 😿

[@Fiction_Beast]

Couldn’t agree more. I wonder if the internet can abolish border one day completely :)

[@stevemiddendorf5284]

Haven't watched yet but I have long been convinced that all borders are one of the primary sources of evil in the world.

[@hebaelaiwah4496]

Agreed, but in the Palestinian cause, the Israeli occupation is the problem.

[@sharontheodore8216]

Sad ending for illegal immigration, whether in the M.E., Vietnam or The U.S. I just finished reading ‘The Sympathiser’, a novel written by an American Vietnamese and came to learn about the boat people where hundreds of thousands died trying to emigrate. Heart breaking.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Yes it’s hear breaking. You feel for people trying to escape danger or for better life. I’m actually reading a Vietnamese classic now so video coming up soon.

[@PotatoMussab]

I disagree with saying that the novel isn't political. I think one of the messages of the novel is political. Especially considering the three people who are being smuggled. All of them being affected by the war against Israel in some way. Their death and them being buried in the desert could be interpreted as Ghassan Kanafani saying "This is the ending for people who try to escape instead of fighting back." Their silence in the tank leading to their death and burial in a desert might be Kanafani saying "This is what will happen if you do not speak up". There are also some other lines that I interpreted as political messages. One example is one of the refugees being a war veteran that lost his "manhood" in an injury (this is the expression used in the original Arabic). This obviously refers to the man's penis, but can also refer to his "manhood" in a metaphorical sense. The man lost his will to fight after the injury so he is no longer a man; he lost his manhood. Regardless, very nice video.

[@carsonwallace4086]

I understood their silence as a testament to the desperation of their situation. That they would rather die with dignity on the journey than return to their situations at home. Marwan was a child who had to provide for his family, but could only afford to do so in Kuwait. Assad was a political dissident who was becoming well-known by authorities. Abu Qais was clinging on to his last hope for some sort of peace in the final years of his life. It seems the three of them had no options, they had to immigrate or die trying.

[@PotatoMussab]

@@carsonwallace4086 The way you view it also makes sense. But I think that would still fit with the narrative of "This is the end for leaving your home. You will die alone as if you were buried in the middle of a desert."

[@Push_your_limit6]

​@@carsonwallace4086 yes. I see it this way

[@Push_your_limit6]

​@@PotatoMussab i don't think so, many people successed crossing the borders. It highlights the struggles of immigration. Additionally, I believe Ghassan was refering to the metaphorical manhood. As an Arab person, I know very well manhood has a big value in the society specially as a veteran. If he had an injury that won't allow him to fight back, he would see it as a dead end to his manhood and rules

[@19174975]

The point is that Palestinians are put in such situation by the creation of a European colonial settler state on their lands, Palestine,that they (a driven people out of their land) take such measures to get themselves in places favourable for earning a living for their families, who are scattered in refugee camps . Today we are witness to the same desperate and deadly attempts by peoples in south/central America, Africa and Asia who due to imperialist wars, the looting and pillaging of their lands cross borders and waters to go to places that their robbed wealth is concentrated, for security…

[@gudrunassmann6705]

Wonderfu Videol Never Forget Ghassan Kanafani

[@suharaat]

Khanafani conwaying feeling very brilliantly.. like this novella very much from my childhood..

[@giash1]

I watched a film when I was a child, I'm sure based on tbis novel. I was wishing those guys survive...so sad, left feeling so heavy, can still feel it now. Must've been over 25 years ago maybe

[@astroman0500]

Says the novel is "non political" and ends up talking about the unfairness of national borders. What is that if not the topic of politics? Politics is not just about politicians, parties and trade agreements. Even culture is affected by politics.

[@ahmedibraheem2050]

Culture can be effected by politics & not effected aswell

[@mariaek8640]

free 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

[@joe-xd8qc]

There is no such thing as non-political fiction. Specially in the Palestinian context. The roads are for the military and the bourgeoisie, and people are stranded in their places as an undesirable neighbor occupy their lands. This characters are moving in order to find jobs, money and better conditions for their families... saying this is non-political is pure ignorance.

[@BoredBookAddict]

Love the video. Looking for more books from the middle east.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you! I have reviewed a few books from Middle Eastern countries like Iran, Lebanon, and North African like Egypt, Sudan .you can find the videos here.

[@BoredBookAddict]

@@Fiction_Beast Awesome. Any plans for countries like Israel, El Salvador, South Africa and Uruguay?

[@Fiction_Beast]

For Israel I reviewed sapiens by Harari not a novel but maybe in the future will do a novel. For other of those countries I haven’t got anything planned yet. Will for sure cover them. Any suggestions?

[@BoredBookAddict]

@@Fiction_Beast For Uruguay I recommend Horacio Quiroga, he is a gothic short story writer whose work is often set in the jungle. For El Salvador Senselessness by Horacio Castellanos Moya. Then for Israel, Yoel Hoffmann's Katschen & the Book of Joseph. Then there is Rubem Fonseca, a Brazilian crime writer who was former cop.

[@Fiction_Beast]

All these names are new to me so I will check them out. Once I decided, you will see the video here. It will be a while. I’ve got a long list of countries :)

[@simonpantermuller6997]

thanks for spoiling the plottwist

[@Hadef_11]

From the river to the sea Palestine will be free

[@lelianlilian1252]

Thank you so so much 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

[@rayaneammor1240]

Excellent! Thank you

[@Fiction_Beast]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@alecengelstein5385]

👍

[@imaneedrissi4239]

thank you so much

[@Fiction_Beast]

You're welcome!

[@IsehakeNoory]

Bro spoiler alerts

[@soulaimanben-sbih939]

Perfect

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thanks

[@tarekahmad8884]

All of his works are magnificent

[@jordisalvadobuque1803]

Thanks for information 🌐👍🐱🎇🎇🎇

[@saminagulzar8622]

Oh no..this is so upsetting...

[@alexkkallweit3202]

Are you seriously playing this music in the background?

[@TK-kt8rb]

Boarders are a consequence not the instigator of todays reality, if you are looking for culprits maybe you should look in your mirror like I..._

[@nathelondon3719]

Wow! A Palestinian novel. No Israeli novel. No Yiddish novels. No Jewish novels. You aren't biased are you.

[@Fiction_Beast]

I discussed sapien by yuval harari for Israel. Check it out here.

[@nathelondon3719]

@@Fiction_Beast it’s hardly a novel. It’s social philosophy. You really are perverse! You didn’t include Sartre’s novel because he was a philosopher and want to defend your lack of Hebrew and Yiddish writers by mentioning Sapiens! Are you feeling ok?

[@Fiction_Beast]

I chose books I like. Make your channel and see what you choose. I will your first sub

[@kekica11]

@Fiction_Beast Hats off to a classy response 👏 Have you read the Walking Drum by Louis L’Amour? It’s historical fiction whose protagonist travels from Western Europe to the Middle East, taking place during the Middle Ages. Beautifully written and depicts a thirst for knowledge about various cultures, languages, and philosophies. Highly recommend it.

[@parthianbactrian4073]

What's the problem? 99,9999999% of every media is pro israel, but you come here to write