Sayed Kashua is an Arab-Israeli writer who was born in Israel and lived most of his life in Jerusalem, where he hoped that Israelis and Palestinians could find a way to live together. He had a weekly column in Haaretz in which he wrote about his daily life, his family, his work and his reflections on contemporary life in Israel. The book is made up of a selection of these articles, written between 2006 and 2014 when he left Jerusalem for the US. It helps to know all this before starting the book as it puts the writing in context. The columns in Haaretz are very personal and occasionally very moving especially when he talks of the racism and prejudice that he and his family experience, the way that even though they are all Israeli citizens and speak Hebrew they are still considered second-class citizens. It all amounts to a vivid portrayal of the plight of the Arabs who are born and raised in Israel but never fully accepted. These are not the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank, but those who live in Jerusalem and have every right to be there. But still the apartheid continues. The difficulties, the hardships, and the humiliations – the book is an indictment of the situation in the country conveyed thought personal experience. The apparent impossibility of integration and the impossibility of living as an Arab in Israel comes over loud and clear. I found it an illuminating and informative book, and sometimes even humorous as Kashua is often self-deprecating. But overall it’s a depressing and deeply pessimistic book.

fascinating book - would recommend this title to other readers