“I have walked through a door and it had locked behind me.”

Short, powerful, and poignant, this author really packs a punch. At what point in history are we looking at a turning point, and how does storytelling and revelation play a role in our conception of the geopolitical landscape. This author summarized a lot of the concepts I have been grappling with in today’s social climate and landscape in a concise and important way. The afterward was especially impactful. I also felt the themes of colonialism in the context of this issue was enlightening.

Thank you to RBMedia and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this audiobook production in exchange for an honest view

Brilliant. I love a good, scholarly lecture. There is something about a well thought-out and researched presentation which scratches an itch deep in my brain. I love when language is used with intention, when structure creates a narrative arc, when knowledgeable people share on subjects they are passionate about. Recognizing the Stranger was originally a lecture by Isabella Hammad at Columbia University in September 2023. The tragic events which unfolded in Israel and Gaza just a few days later (and continue) make her words even more poignant and important. The transcript of the original lecture plus a post-October 2023 reflection is included in the book. The audio also includes a recording of the lecture. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the audio ARC.

Highly recommend to anyone interested in narrative, writing, storytelling, othering, liberation movements, memory, Palestine. Or if you just like hearing smart people talk.

“What that means is there is still time. What that means is time is running out. Every 10 minutes according to the World Health Organization a child is killed. It will be easy to say in hindsight “what a terrible thing, “what a terrible moment”, “when the movements of the world were out of my hands”. Do not give in. Be like the Palestinians in Gaza. Look them in the face. Say that’s me.”

I enjoyed hearing Isabella give these speeches. She is clearly very intelligent and I am assuming a great author. I really want to read Enter Ghost thoughhh & I didn’t love the spoilers of the book in this.

Would still recommend to read this but felt like I was coming in late. Should read Enter Ghost first if you are planning on picking this up. Also a lot of mentions of Edward Said that I felt behind on since I haven’t read.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the ARC of this audiobook.

“How many Palestinians need to die for one soldier to have their epiphany?”

There is something incredibly compelling about the works of Palestinian writers. From Edward Said, Ghassan Kanafani, and Emile Habiby to Susan Abulhawa, Adania Shibli, Mosab Abu Toha, and, of course, Isabella Hammad herself–it seems that Palestine has a rich tradition of storytellers.

It's not just that their writing is soaked with the blood and tears of the Nakba, and of ongoing apartheid and genocide. I couldn’t figure out what made their stories so particularly moving until this essay, which is the speech Hammad gave at the 2023 Edward Said Memorial Lecture in late 2023. In RECOGNIZING THE STRANGER, Hammad blends literary analysis and political commentary to deliver the kind of essay that will forever change the way you look at Palestine and narrative.

Hammad’s main argument is that the narrative about Palestine uses the literary concept of “anagnorisis” (pronounced uh-nag-NOR-isis”). This is the moment in a story, usually near the climax, when the character realizes the truth about the situation, themself, or someone else–often “to perceive clearly what on some level you have known all along, but that perhaps you did not want to know.”

In the Palestinian context, it can be applied to the moment when a non-Palestinian realizes that Palestinians are human beings as well. The opening quote is from an example given by Hammad of an Israeli soldier who ends up not shooting an approaching Palestinian because the man has come, naked and bearing a photo of his family member.

The implications of this framework are twofold. The first is the fact that Palestinians are constantly having to justify their humanity to the world, when they should be treated as people from the start. The purpose of a Palestinian life is cruelly reduced to using it to justify their existence to non-Palestinians.

The second is what happens when, past the point of anagnorisis, an individual, country, or global system needs to ignore their moment of “recognizing the stranger” in order to continue their acts of colonialism, nationhood, military might, whatever. For just as the story of Palestine as told by Palestinians presents one kind of narrative, so too do participants in genocide, settler colonialism, and American-style imperialism have to write their own narrative about Palestinians in order to justify themselves.

Hammad’s writing is incredibly sharp, moving, and insightful, and makes me want to seek out her other works. The audiobook also has the bonus track of the actual recording of Hammad giving her speech in September 2023. The afterword is ever so slightly less compelling than the speech itself, which is the only reason I docked half a star. Otherwise, RECOGNIZING THE STRANGER is an absolute must-read for those who perch at the intersection of loving literature and advocating for Palestine.

There are numerous discussions and essays about Israel and Palestine, but I feel that this speech should be essential reading for everyone, both for what it elaborates on and also for its place in history.

This is a talk about narrative, about the stories we tell each other and the ones we avoid, about facing uncomfortable and devastating truths, of purposefully turning away from them to preserve the dominant narrative in spite of the pain of others. This speech was heard just 9 days before October 7, 2024 and anyone who wishes to understand this time in history should listen.

Isabella Hammad records her speech in the audiobook version and there is additional content as well, such as the speech introducing her and the live recording of the speech itself, which give it even more context and weight. She has an afterword from early 2024 on the current state of affairs as the genocide in Palestine continues and what that means for all of us. I highly recommend this to everyone. Especially in audiobook format.

The transcription of a speech given by the author nine days before October 7th, followed by an essay written in early 2024. An absolute must-listen, discussing the 'point of recognition,' and attempting to view the present in a way it will be seen in the future. Incredible that Hammad had such a prescient speech so soon to such a tragedy that would really disrupt the normative worldview on the region. I believe this speech will be much more appreciated by those who understand the background on Palestine and how Israel's occupation has shaped its history, but it is such a unique and powerful examination of current history through a literary lens. Incredible.

Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a brilliant work, using the lens of narrative device to frame the realities of Palestinian people, and their lives under occupation, erasure, and genocide. Initially written as a speech presented on the 20th anniversary of Edward Said's death, just a few days before October 7th, 2023. I don't want to say its eerily prescient, because the truth is, Palestinian people have been displaced, and lived under occupation and violence for over 75 years. However, it is surreal how much truer and more urgent this book feels now, almost a year to the date since the speech was given, and approaching one year of Israeli bombardment and genocide, which has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinian people, hundreds of Lebanese people, and the injuries, displacement, imprisonment, and traumatization of thousands

I haven’t read Hammad’s novels, but I’ve only heard great things. This made me jump at the chance to request this advanced copy of this audiobook.

At its core, I think this text tries to convey the importance of stories as a tool to recognize the humanity of “strangers” or “others.” The author explores the concept of anagnorisis or having an “aha” moment when interacting with art. The hope, I think, is that people not only get that moment of recognition with the Palestinian people, but turn it into action.

This isn’t a deep dive into the complex sociopolitical landscape of Palestine and Israel. Instead, I took this as an invitation to keep exploring the stories written by Palestinian people, recommend them, and turn recognition into support and pressure to get policymakers on the right side of history.

Wonderfully written. And the audiobook also includes the recording of the lecture, too!

I want to thank RBmedia for providing an advance copy of this audiobook through NetGalley. This is out today, September 24th!

Listen, then listen again. A series of voiced essays and live speeches, on the before and after of the latest move towards genocide of the Palestinian people ... and how the powers that be remains ignorant or worse. I write this as I'm watching Jon Stewart's latest take, where I hear this: "de-escalation through escalation." Words used to dance and deceive. What can we do about the heinous nature of humanity? "We did not know" bomb-providers cry. The bland facial expressions, the calm ignorance ... is this not sociopathy on the world stage.