Out of It: A Novel

Gaza is being bombed. Rashid - a young, clever Palestinian - has been smoking grass on the roof watching it happen when he gets the e-mail he has been desperate for: he's won a scholarship to London. Rashid's sister, Iman, frustrated by the atrocities and inaction around her, is beginning to take an interest in an Islamic resistance group. Sabri, their intellectual older brother, is working on a history of Palestine from his wheelchair while their mother pickles vegetables and feuds with the neighbours.

Out of It follows the lives of Rashid and Iman as they try to forge places for themselves in the midst of occupation, the growing divide between Palestinian factions, and the rise of fundamentalism. Written with extraordinary humanity and humour, and moving between Gaza, London and the Gulf, this book helps to re-define Palestine and its people.

Selma Dabbagh is a British Palestinian writer of fiction. Her first novel 'Out of It,' set between London, Gaza and the Gulf was a Guardian Book of the Year and was awarded the Premio Opera in Spoleto in 2019. She has also writes short stories, that have appeared in Granta, International PEN, Wasafiri magazine as well as in several anthologies published by Saqi Books. Her writing often, but not always, focusses on the contemporary Middle East, diaspora experiences and Palestinian themes. Selma also works on scripts for film and TV as well as plays for radio and stage. www.selmadabbagh.com