Palestinian author arrives to Malta for launch

Suad Amiry, the author of Sharon and My Mother-in-Law: Ramallah Diaries (2006) arrived to Malta for the launch of  ‘Sharon u l-Kunjata’, the Maltese version of her best seller tomorrow at St James Cavallier, Valletta. Amiry was presented a copy of ‘Sharon u l-Kunjata’ by Jean Paul Borg who translated the book in Maltese.

Her book has been translated into 20 languages, the last one in Arabic which was a best seller in France and was awarded the prestigious ‘Viareggio Prize’ in Italy. The cover of the Maltese publication shows an authentic 2002 photograph of a newlywed Palestinian couple running for safety in the occupied Palestinian town of Ramallah in the presence of armed Israeli soldiers. 

Based on diaries and e-mail correspondence that Suad Amiry kept between 1981-2004, Sharon and My Mother-in-Law presents the frustrations and misery of daily life in the West Bank town of Ramallah.  

Amiry writes with elegance and humor about the enormous difficulties of moving from one place to another, the torture of falling in love with someone from another town, the absurdity of her dog receiving a Jerusalem identity card when thousands of Palestinians could not, and the presence of having her 92-year-old mother-in-law living in her house during a 42-day curfew. Amiry recounts an original, ironic, and firsthand glimpse into the absurdity – and agony – of life in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

SKS Publishers said the presence of Suad Amiry in Malta aroused great interest among the reading public who will be attending the book launch tomorrow. The literary evening will start at 7pm. Mireille Mifsud will read excerpts from the book while Amiry will give a public lecture on ‘how she became famous at the age of  50 years’. She  will sign copies of the Maltese publication.