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Stories, Words, and Wounds of Palestine
by Francesca Albanese
The first woman to serve as United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territory conveys the spirit of a people through 10 unforgettable stories of resilience and humanity.
Francesca Albanese is the most lucid voice against Israel's apartheid policies in Gaza and the West Bank, a voice that has been heard around the world when it comes to speaking the truth about the Palestinian genocide. In the wake of October 7, 2023, and Israel's retaliatory war, the renowned Italian jurist has become a lightning rod for her staunch defense of human rights.
Reflecting on her years living in Jerusalem and her personal and professional journey toward understanding the Palestinian struggle, Albanese pays tribute to 10 people whose profoundly affecting stories opened her eyes, from Hind Rajab, a young Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces, to the remarkable Jewish scholars who acted as Albanese's mentors: forensic architect Eyal Weizman, trauma expert Gabor Maté, and Holocaust historian Alon Confino.
When the World Sleeps is a courageous testimony of the harsh reality that Palestinians face. It raises critical questions about the past, present, and future of Palestine: What are the consequences of the occupation? Where is a refugee's home? In what conditions do Palestinians live? With the uncertain end of the war, will there be a Palestinian state? Will Palestinians have the right to self-determination, and will they be able to live in peace, free at last from the coercion of Israel?
"Incisive, heart-wrenching…an indispensable, at times deeply sickening, overview of the situation on the ground in Palestine." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A trenchant call for justice in the face of 'the ferocity suffered by the Palestinian population.'" —Kirkus Reviews
"Albanese's chronicle humanizes the history that led to the October 7 attacks and the decimation that continues via a resonating chorus of global voices…The urgent necessity of Albanese's reports is inarguable." —Booklist
"Braving a tidal wave of calumny, Francesca Albanese has not only upheld international law during a nihilistic assault on it by leaders of the world's democracies. She has also helped keep alive the idea of individual conscience during an extensive moral and intellectual breakdown among writers and journalists. With its bold and lucid truths about the rich and powerful, and profound compassion for their victims, When the World Sleeps reminds us, in a dark time, of a still achievable nobility of the life of the mind." —Pankaj Mishra, author of The World After Gaza
"Francesca Albanese is an outstanding international civil servant, a passionate jurist, and a formidable champion of Palestinian rights. Her humanity shines through everything she writes, notably her reports to the UN. In this book she writes with characteristic generosity of spirit about the people who helped her open her eyes and act for Palestine. A remarkable book by a brilliant, energetic, and exceptionally courageous woman." —Avi Shlaim, emeritus professor of International Relations at Oxford University and author of Genocide in Gaza: Israel's Long War on Palestine.
This information about When the World Sleeps was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Francesca Albanese is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. A jurist, lecturer, and scholar, she has more than a decade of experience in human rights. She has worked with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. In these roles, she has advised the United Nations, governments, and civil society in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.
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