Mahmoud Muna
The bookseller of Jerusalem
Short Biography:
Born in Jerusalem and schooled in its refugee camp. Before finishing his studies at Al-Quds University, he was forced to re-located to the UK where he finished his first and second degree in London. He is a computer science graduate, trained communicator and currently known to many as the bookseller of Jerusalem. He helps running the family’s two bookshops; The famous Educational Bookshop and the prestigious Bookshop at the American Colony Hotel. Mahmoud is active in many cultural and literature initiatives, he is also a regular contributor to the media on culture and politics. His interests lie somewhere between culture and identity, behaviors and language- and when Mahmoud is not reading, he is writing for local and international cultural magazines and newspapers. Most recently, Mahmoud was commissioned by Granta to publish the first ever edition of Granta Literature Magazine in Arabic. Mahmoud curated an impressive selection of the most creative, promising and emerging writers from around the Arab world, and honored the magazine by publishing it first Arabic edition from Al-Quds.
Recently published writings:
- A Bookseller and Many Journalists - The London Review of Books 2023 (PDF here)
- The Book for Israeli Soldiers - Haaretz Israel English & Hebrew 2023 (PDF here)
- Youth-led protests can make a difference - The Independent UK - 2021 (PDF here)
- Young Palestinians are changing old geographies - Open Democracy - 2021 (PDF here)
- The Palestinian body is whole once again - Mondoweiss - 2021 (PDF here)
- Annexation and Culture - NAD PS - 2020 (PDF here)
- Give Me a Word, and I’ll Give You a Homeland - This Week in Palestine - 2018 (PDF here)
- Manchester University - MERIP - 2018 (PDF here)
- Books Not Soldiers - The Institute of Palestine Studies - 2017 (PDF here)
- Jerusalem, the Occupation and Culture - This Week in Palestine - 2017 (PDF here)
- 50 Years of Occupation, 50 Years of Resilience - Heinrich Böll Stiftung - 2017 (PDF here)
- We We are not second class citizens, we are fifth class citizens - Mondoweiss - 2014 (PDF here)