“Gaza Weddings” by Ibrahim Nasrallah is a beautiful yet devastating tale of families living in Gaza. The book is dominated by strong women — neighbors Randa, Lamis and Amna — who manage to keep life moving forward as the occupation crushes both the city and the spirit of its people.
Nasrallah is a poet, novelist and literary critic. He is the author of several collections of poetry, as well as 14 novels. This book was first published in 2004 by the Arab Institute of Research and Publishing as the third part of his Palestinian series, following “Time of the White Horses” and “The Lanterns of the King Galilee.” The book was translated by Nancy Roberts and published at the end of last year by Hoopoe, an imprint of the American University of Cairo Press.
Nearly every male figure in the lives of Nasrallah’s main characters are absent from his book, either on the run, in jail, missing or martyred, as the women dominate the scope of hope and resilience amidst the never-ending bombardment. At the forefront are neighbors Randa, an aspiring journalist, her sister Lamis, and Amna, or Umm Saleh, who looks like Egyptian actress Athar Al-Hakim and works as a supervisor at a rehabilitation center. Their lives are pieced together poetically by Nasrallah as the shattering reality of life under occupation is revealed on every page.
Nasrallah’s book is a long poem, the power of his verse and female characters palpable, as intense as the distress in their lives. The men are physically, mentally and emotionally beat, so the women are the ones who are picking them up and rallying for life.
The heartbreaking stories in Nasrallah’s book are overwhelming — of homes being destroyed, people losing their lives due to clashes with settlers and multiple women mourning at a grave of an unknown victim but assumed loved one. His every word is purposeful, to convey the conviction in survival and the grief that inevitably follows. The days and nights all blend into one when tragedy after tragedy befalls the women, but they do not allow their anguish to stop them.
Nasrallah writes of a reality that sounds like a nightmare. The conditions of life under occupation are torturously painful, but his characters are a source of strength. They are the light in a world of darkness.
Review: 'Gaza Weddings' is about finding hope in dark times
Review: 'Gaza Weddings' is about finding hope in dark times
- This novel tells the beautiful yet devastating tale of families living in Gaza
- Author Ibrahim Nasrallah is a poet, novelist and literary critic
Book Review: ‘Rifqa’ by Mohammed El-Kurd
Mohammed El-Kurd’s “Rifqa” is a searing and lyrical exploration of identity, resistance and the enduring impact of colonization. Named after El-Kurd’s late grandmother, the poetry collection captures the Palestinian experience with an intensity that is both personal and profoundly universal.
Through vivid language and raw emotion, El-Kurd weaves together memories, history and the lived realities of occupation, crafting a work that is as much a tribute to resilience as it is a call to action.
Through poems that shift between tender recollections of family and sharp critiques of displacement and violence, El-Kurd creates a narrative that refuses to separate the personal from the political. This duality gives the work a profound resonance, as it reminds readers of the humanity at the core of resistance.
El-Kurd’s grandmother, Rifqa, emerges as a symbol of steadfastness in the face of oppression, her life embodying the spirit of defiance that runs through the collection.
His language is evocative and unrelenting, often blurring the lines between poetry and protest. His verses are charged with anger, grief and a fierce love for his homeland, making every word feel urgent and necessary.
Yet, amid the rage and sorrow, there are moments of quiet beauty — glimpses of family life, the olive trees of Jerusalem and the enduring cultural traditions that tether the poet to his roots. These moments serve as a poignant reminder of what is at stake, grounding the collection in the everyday lives and stories of Palestinians.
What sets “Rifqa” apart is its refusal to sanitize or soften its message. El-Kurd speaks truth to power with unapologetic clarity, confronting readers with the stark realities of occupation and the complicity of global systems in perpetuating injustice.
Yet, his voice is not only one of condemnation, but also of hope and resilience. The poems are a testament to the enduring spirit of a people who continue to fight for their land, their identity and their right to exist.
“Rifqa” is a powerful and deeply affecting work that demands to be read as a testament to the resilience of a people and the enduring strength of a grandmother’s legacy.
It is a book that stays with you long after the final page, urging you to listen, to feel and to act. Mohammed El-Kurd has crafted a work that is both a lament and a rallying cry, a reminder that poetry has the power to witness, to resist and to endure.
What We Are Reading Today: A Guide to the Anolis Lizards (Anoles) of Mainland Central and South America
Author: Steven Poe
Anoles are highly visible and aesthetically pleasing lizards that are abundant throughout Central and South America.
The subjects of countless evolutionary and ecological studies that have advanced our understanding of basic principles in biology, these colorful reptiles are notoriously difficult to identify, and species names are often confusing and inconsistent.
“A Guide to the Anolis Lizards (Anoles) of Mainland Central and South America” is the first book to enable the identification of all known species of anole in the region while establishing baseline knowledge for further research.
REVIEW: ‘Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster’ offers reanimated chaos in 4K
LONDON; The “Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster” has arrived, breathing new life into Capcom’s iconic open-world zombie classic.
Almost 20 years after the original’s release, this version strikes a fine balance between a remake and a remaster, modernizing visuals, controls and gameplay while retaining its chaotic charm. With 4K resolution, smoother frame rates and gameplay improvements, “Dead Rising’s” latest iteration has, in a sense, grown up with its audience — although “grown up” might not be the best description for a game where a cactus can be a weapon.
The remaster brings you back to Willamette, Colorado, where you play as the cocky, wise-cracking photojournalist Frank West. His mission? Survive a 72-hour real-time, in-game clock ticking down inside a mall overrun by zombies, with missions to complete, bosses to fight, and absurd items to wield.
The day-night cycle brings shifting challenges and horror-movie ambiance that change the feel of each hour. You’ll often find yourself toggling between planning missions and impulsively grabbing whatever is in sight to fend off the undead. The remaster’s refined graphics and 60fps frame rate make both these approaches more fluid, whether you’re grappling with zombies or sneaking a killer snapshot.
And yes, Frank’s camera skills still matter. In addition to navigating an endless crowd of brain-hungry zombies, the game rewards you for snapping high-quality photos, encouraging you to capture the grotesque and hilarious. This adds an amusing layer of strategy and humor to the game, which doesn’t take itself too seriously. The absurd world of Dead Rising still allows you to dress Frank up in a range of ridiculous costumes, turning him from a somber zombie slayer into a comical hero fighting against the cathedral of consumerism — the mall itself.
As you progress, Frank’s skills evolve, allowing you to transform him into a near-indestructible wrestler, body-slamming zombies and crowd-surfing his way to safety. Missions often involve rescuing NPCs and escorting them to safety, and a roster of larger-than-life “Psychopath” bosses keeps the action intense. Beneath the mindless zombie slaying lies a satirical critique of American consumerism that resonates more with time; the remaster’s updated look adds to the commentary, making the mall’s neon lights and cluttered shelves all the more biting.
Of course, not all issues have been exorcised in this remaster. Some glitches linger, like the odd lift button bug that can render what should be a deadly encounter into an easy escape. Plus, it’s a shame that Capcom didn’t implement a co-op mode — a feature that could have elevated the chaotic fun to new heights.
Ultimately, “Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster” is as humorous as it is brutal, blending laughs with thrilling tension. The game continues to draw players into Frank West’s absurdly dangerous world, now rendered in beautifully gruesome detail. It’s a fantastic journey back to a familiar, zombie-filled playground — ideal for longtime fans and newcomers alike who are ready to face the horde.
What We Are Reading Today: ‘Algorithms for the People’ by Josh Simons
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are reshaping our world. Police forces use them to decide where to send police officers, judges to decide whom to release on bail, welfare agencies to decide which children are at risk of abuse, and Facebook and Google to rank content and distribute ads.
In these spheres, and many others, powerful prediction tools are changing how decisions are made, narrowing opportunities for the exercise of judgment, empathy, and creativity.
In “Algorithms for the People,” Josh Simons flips the narrative about how we govern these technologies.
What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Physical Nature of Information’
Author: Gregory Falkovich
Applications of information theory span a broad range of disciplines today.
It teaches the tools universally used by physicists working on quantum computers and black holes, engineers designing self-driving cars, traders perfecting market strategies, chemists playing with molecules, biologists studying cells and living beings, linguists analyzing languages, and neuroscientists figuring out how the brain works.
No matter what area of science you specialize in, “The Physical Nature of Information” unlocks the power of information theory to test the limits imposed by uncertainty.
