Interlink Publishing

Sharing this great review of Adania Shibli’s TOUCH by ***rreads
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Touch by Adania Shibli (translated by Paula Haydar) shows us the world through the eyes of a young Palestinian girl. It’s split into five sections containing short vignettes that focus on colours, silence, movement and language as the girl observes the world around her and tries to make sense of it.

This book is beautiful and I’d go as far as to call it philosophical. When I first started reading it I had to shake off the urge to read literally in favour of putting myself in the shoes of a child who doesn’t yet understand everything that’s going on around her, from the mundane to big historical events. As a result she makes associations and attempts to derive meaning from colours, silence, movement and language, often misunderstanding conventional meaning and coming to her own conclusions - like mishmashing a phrase together into a completely new word, missing its literal meaning but ascribing it a new one based on context or sentiment surrounding its use.

All of this is written in Shibli’s beautiful prose. In one scene the girl helps her father shave, watching the water get dirtier as her father’s chin gets cleaner and later observing his newly exposed face muscles as he eats. This curious way of observing and reasoning is also applied to trying to understand massacre. As she watches the news about the Sabra and Shatila massacre, she sounds out the unfamiliar words, associating them with words she does know like ‘sabr’ meaning cactus. Throughout that day, she tries to make sense of what’s happening. Just as a cactus is green, she discovers that the colour green crops up repeatedly as a backdrop to conversations she can’t understand and wonders if this is a clue to the meaning of Sabra and Shatila. She compares this to another unknown word, Palestine, which she only knows is forbidden.

This is a beautiful book unlike anything I’ve read before and one that I will certainly be rereading. 🇵🇸

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We are so thrilled to introduce our READ THE WORLD BOOK CLUB. Literature is the gateway to a people’s soul; it tells you what history books hide; and contributes to making our world a better place.

Your $200 annual subscription will bring you great literature—from Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen to Nigeria, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Chile, Brazil, and more—each and every month of the year. See below on how to get started.

https://www.interlinkbooks.com/product/read-the-world-book-club-one-year-subscription/

Last weekend we hosted our first Tattoo Fundraiser for Palestine 🇵🇸in our offices in Northampton, MA! Over 30 people received tattoos from five incredible artists who generously donated their time and art. Thank you to everyone who came out and got tattoos. Thank you to our five amazing artists: .dandy and thank you to for donating masks and Covid tests! 😷Thank you to our amazing volunteers

We are pleased to announce that we raised a total of $4589 to send to for direct aid to Gaza. 🎉🎉🎉🎉

"From Israeli violence to armed resistance, from cultural influences to generational trauma, Alatawna builds a narrative that is gripping, fast-paced and reeking of foreboding, as the second part of the book shows." —The New Arab

A Long Walk From Gaza: One Palestinian woman’s quest for freedom Book Club: In 'A Long Walk From Gaza', author Asmaa Alatawna tells a Palestinian woman's powerful journey through trauma and the search for freedom

We love when our friends visit the showroom! Yesterday our indie bookselling friends from took a road trip and visited us. Three cheers for indie 4 indie love 💖

There are some tickets left for next week's Layaali benefit concert at the Marigold Theatre. If you are planning to come please purchase advance tickets from the Marigold Theater website soon because once the concert sells out it won't be possible to get tickets at the door. Ticket proceeds will be donated to Nablus-based children's center Palestinian House of Friendship.

Hope to see you there.

Did you know that Interlink Publishing was started in 1987 in the basement under on Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn?

"The theme of identity and exile is central to Huddud’s House, offering a poignant exploration of a fragmented self."

Aamer Janbey reviews Fadi Azzam's HADDUD's HOUSE, translated by Ghada Alatrash, out now from Interlink Publishing: https://www.massreview.org/node/12121

“History laughs at both the victim and the aggressor” —Mahmoud Darwish

Meet the incredible chef behind . ✨We have the profound honor to publish his debut cookbook, a celebration of Syrian food and culture. 🇸🇾🧆🥙🥗

Thank you We Need Diverse Books for revealing the cover of Rhonda Roumani’s UMM KULTHUM.

This week on of Turkey’s most prolific children’s book authors visited in NY to share her book, The Ferris Wheel🎡 to a room of delighted kiddos! 🎉 We are so proud to publish this important book! 4 starred reviews and counting! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Some big news was just announced!

“Our mission remains unchanged,” said the new leadership team in a joint statement. “We believe in amplifying the voices so often excluded in the mainstream. We are dedicated to sharing the history, art, music, literature, and beauty that our culture, and so many others, bring to the world, and we see this as a form of resistance.”

Ownership of Interlink Publishing Passed to Founders' Children Michel and Ruth Moushabeck have transferred ownership of Interlink Publishing to their three daughters and son-in-law. The company, founded in 1987, describes itself as the only Palestinian-owned publisher in the U.S.

Thank you to everyone who came to the release of Fadi Azzam’s novel HUDDUD’S HOUSE at last night.

Readers had the chance to hear from award-winning Syrian writer Fadi Azzam and translator Ghada Alatrash as well as music from Rachid Abukasm (oud) and Michel Moushabeck (riq).

A haunting contemporary novel, longlisted for the International Prize of Arabic Fiction, Huddud’s House is a rich tale of love in the time of war, based in the storied city of Damascus.

Last week, two of our authors stopped by to talk about their upcoming book, IN DEFIANCE: Lives that mattered in the struggle for racial justice and equality before the US civil war by Tom Weiner and Dr. Amilcar Shabazz. ⛓️‍💥⛓️‍💥Coming this Fall! 📆

We hope you will join us next Thursday the 25th for the release of Fadi Azzam’s novel HUDDUD’S HOUSE. If you live in locally, you’ll have a chance to meet award-winning Syrian writer Fadi Azzam and translator Ghada Alatrash. 📚

WHEN: Thursday, July 25th at 7 pm WHERE: The Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College St., South Hadley, MA

ARABIC MUSIC BY: Rachid Abukasm (oud) and Michel Moushabeck (riq)

“A landmark work of contemporary Arabic literature, at once allusive and defiant … An enigmatic novel of resistance by the prizewinning Syrian writer in exile … reminiscent of García Márquez.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Azzam brilliantly conveys the growing apprehension and tension of a society gradually slipping into totalitarianism.” — Booklist

BOOK LAUNCH + ARABIC MUSIC AT THE ODYSSEY BOOKSHOP
I am super excited about the release of HUDDUD'S HOUSE, one of my favorite works of literature this season. If you live in Massachusetts, you’ll have a chance to meet award-winning Syrian writer Fadi Azzam and translator Ghada Alatrash. I hope you can join me next Thursday.

Thursday, July 25th at 7 pm at The Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College St., South Hadley, MA

Arabic Music by: Rachid Abukasm (oud) and Michel Moushabeck (riq)

“A landmark work of contemporary Arabic literature, at once allusive and defiant … An enigmatic novel of resistance by the prizewinning Syrian writer in exile … reminiscent of García Márquez.”
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Azzam brilliantly conveys the growing apprehension and tension of a society gradually slipping into totalitarianism.”
— Booklist

Ruby is heading to NYC 🗽🍎next month for a in conversation with social media director at on August 1st! Tickets in Bio! 🎟️🔗

We are delighted to see ☀️UNTIL YOU FIND THE SUN ☀️by and featured in this weeks’ print issue of the

“The cozy art, in vibrant yellows and blues, cheerfully conjures the contrasting locales, while Da’s kind face will shine like a beacon to children missing grandparents.”
—NEW YORK TIMES

🥹Running a multi-generational family business means getting expert opinions from even the youngest members. 👧🏼Oona, Age 4, Sparkle consultant ✨

Today we celebrate the incredible work of Rajie Cook, a Palestiniàn American graphic designer, artist, photographer, and activist. In addition to being the renowned designer behind the universal symbols we use in everyday life 🚭🚯🚮🚻🚹🚺♿️🛗,he called attention to the plight of the Palestiniân people in his art.

Cook’s incredibly diverse and powerful work is collected in a beautiful book, A Vision From My Father, available now from Interlink Books. Cook died in 2021. Today would have been his 94th birthday. 🎂

STILL SOME TICKETS LEFT FOR THE JUL 13TH LAYAALI GAZA BENEFIT CONCERT AT THE BOMBX.
Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble will perform a benefit concert at the Bombyx on July 13th. It will be a musical tribute to Gaza and its people. It aims to raise awareness of the plight of Palestinians through music and make a small contribution towards the immense need for humanitarian aid in Gaza. All ticket sales revenue (after expenses) will be donated to Middle East Children's Alliance for food and medical relief to Gaza.
Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble is a group of talented musicians whose love and dedication to Arabic music have earned them wide acclaim from both ethnomusicologists and audiences at sold-out performances throughout the U.S. and internationally.

Musicians include: Jamal Sinno (qanun), Insia Malik (violin); Gabe Lavin (oud); and Michel Moushabeck (percussion).

Get your tickets at https://bombyx.live/events/
When: Saturday, July 13th at 7 pm (doors open at 6 pm)
Where: Bombyx, 130 Pine St. Florence, MA
Ticket price: $20 in advance ($25 at the door)
CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE CONCERT, BUY A TICKET ANYWAY AS A DONATION FOR GAZA RELIEF.

I hope to see you there. It will be a memorable musical experience.

Gaza always on our mind.

Librarians heading to in San Diego, stop by our booth and say hi to our business manager, Harri! 👋🏽

NAMESAKE: REFLECTIONS ON A WARRIOR WOMAN is available now on InterlinkBooks.com and wherever books are sold.

N.S. Nuseibeh presents a dazzling exploration of heritage, gender and the idea of home. Through the lens of her ancestor, Nusayba bint Ka’ab al Khazrajia, Nuseibeh explores Arab women's experiences, from past heroism to contemporary struggles.

CELEBRATE PRIDE WITH 20% OFF ON INTERLINKBOOKS.COM

A Child Like You is an empowering picture book that encourages children to feel that they can have a positive impact on the future in a troubled world, inspired by real-life activists and campaigners.

Interlink will be highlighting amazing q***r books from our catalog all month long, and all month long you can use PRIDE20 at checkout for 20% Off!

GAZA BENEFIT CONCERT AT BOMBYX JULY 13TH
Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble's concert will be a musical tribute to Gaza and its people. It aims to raise awareness of the plight of Palestinians through music and make a small contribution towards the immense need for humanitarian aid in Gaza. All ticket sales revenue (after expenses) will be donated to Middle East Children's Alliance for food and medical relief to Gaza.
MUSICIANS INCLUDE: Jamal Sinno (qanun), Insia Malik (violin); Gabe Lavin (oud); and Michel Moushabeck (percussion).
GET TICKETS AT: https://bombyx.live/events/
WHEN: Saturday, July 13th at 7 pm (doors open at 6 pm)
WHERE: Bombyx, 130 Pine St. Florence, MA
Ticket price: $20 in advance ($25 at the door)
CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE CONCERT, BUY A TICKET ANYWAY AS A DONATION FOR GAZA RELIEF.

I hope to see you there. It will be a memorable musical experience.

CELEBRATE PRIDE WITH 20% OFF ON INTERLINKBOOKS.COM

Rainbow Revolutions: Power, Pride, and Protest in the Fight for Q***r Rights is a beautifully illustrated history of the inspiring activists uplifting the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Interlink will be highlighting amazing q***r books from our catalog all month long, and all month long you can use PRIDE20 at checkout for 20% Off!

Hard launch of the ✨new ✨Interlink Showroom! Come by and check out the new space. 🌈📚