I Saw Ramallah

I Saw Ramallah is a memoir by Palestinian poet Mourid Barghouti that chronicles his return to his hometown after 30 years in exile. The book was originally published in Arabic and later translated to English by Ahdaf Soueif. In 1966, Barghouti left Ramallah for university studies in Cairo. Following the Six-Day War in 1967, he was prevented from returning to Palestine and forced to live abroad. This memoir captures his experience of finally crossing the bridge back into his homeland after three decades. The narrative follows Barghouti as he navigates the physical and emotional landscape of his transformed hometown. Through his observations and memories, he documents the changes in Ramallah and explores what it means to return to a place that exists in both reality and memory. The book stands as a meditation on exile, belonging, and the complex relationship between people and their homeland. It presents these universal themes through the specific lens of Palestinian displacement and return.

Readers highlight Barghouti's poetic prose and personal perspective on returning to Palestine after 30 years of exile. Many note his ability to convey complex emotions without falling into political rhetoric. Readers appreciated: - Clear, lyrical writing style - Balance between personal story and broader context - Descriptions of everyday Palestinian life - Translation quality from Arabic to English Common criticisms: - Narrative can feel disjointed - Some passages move slowly - Cultural references can be hard to follow for non-Arab readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (90+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "Barghouti manages to write about loss and displacement without bitterness, which makes his story even more powerful" (Goodreads) Another reader notes: "The stream-of-consciousness style takes getting used to, but captures the confusion of returning to a changed homeland" (Amazon)

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🔸 Originally written in Arabic under the title "Ra'aytu Ram Allah," the book was translated to English by acclaimed Egyptian novelist Ahdaf Soueif and won the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature 🔸 The bridge Barghouti crosses in the book - the Allenby Bridge between Jordan and the West Bank - has been a significant crossing point for Palestinians since 1967 and is also known as the King Hussein Bridge 🔸 Barghouti's son, Tamim, who appears in the memoir, followed in his father's footsteps to become a celebrated poet before his tragic death in 2014 at the age of 35 🔸 During his 30-year exile, Barghouti lived in several countries including Egypt, where he met and married Egyptian novelist Radwa Ashour, who herself became an influential voice in Arab literature 🔸 The memoir was published in 1997, during a period of relative optimism following the Oslo Accords, but before the Second Intifada would dramatically alter the political landscape it describes