Description

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This is a history of modern Palestine like no other: built from the testimony of people who have lived through it. Ramzy Baroud here gathers accounts from countless Palestinians from all walks of life, and from throughout the decades, to tell the story of the nation and its struggle for independence and security. Challenging both academic and popular takes on Palestinian history, Baroud unearths here the deep commonalities within the story of Palestine, ones that draw the people together despite political divisions, geographical barriers and walls, factionalism, occupation, and exile. Through these firsthand reports—by turns inspiring and terrifying, triumphant and troubled—we see Palestine in all its complexity and contradictions, ever vibrant in the memories of the people who have fought, physically and otherwise, for its future. A remarkable book, The Last Earth will be essential to understanding the struggles in the contemporary Middle East.
 

About the Author

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Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and media consultant. He is the editor of Palestine Chronicle and the author of My Father Was a Freedom Fighter, also published by Pluto Press.

Praise For…

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“At times reminiscent of the storytelling of the iconic Gabriel García Márquez, Baroud mingles past, present, dreams, and fantasy to forge a document that demands respect and rejects pity. . . . Engrossing . . . A vital and inspiring document.”
— Truthout

“Unique. . . . The Last Earth has the same precision and clarity of language found in his columns, and the same adherence to fact, but it is written with all the pathos and lyricism of fiction. . . . Compelling. . . . Baroud has turned Palestinian history into a page turner without sacrificing truth or integrity.”
— The Jordan Times

“In the finest tradition of people’s history, these sensitive, painful and evocative pieces provide a human face to the painful saga of Palestinian torment and the remarkable courage and resilience of the victims.”
— Noam Chomsky

“This book is a powerful tool to revive and record the human history of al Nakba, the largest, longest, most comprehensive and still continuous ethnic cleansing in Palestine's history. Al Nakba is not a traffic accident but a process subjecting its victims to a constant tragedy across many countries and many decades... a must read for all those who want to see the concealed human dimension of the Palestinian life and suffering.”
 
— Salman Abu Sitta, Author of Mapping my Return and the Atlas of Palestine

“Engaging, unforgettable, complex and unique. The Last Earth provides a unique way of tackling the problem of writing history. Reading The Last Earth is like walking around a gallery of old master paintings, each telling its own harrowing and often beautiful story about the same episode in human history. You may struggle with the names and generations therein, but you know already that this experience is going to be unforgettable.”
 
— Baronesse Jenny Tonge

“Hundreds of Palestinian writers and bloggers around the world sent in their stories and the book was worked out over Skype interviews—all part of Baroud’s Herculean efforts to condense the narrative into complete, rich stories while staying true to each individual account. . . . The loss and forced relocation recorded by Baroud is overwhelming, but important to read and remember.” 
— Arab News