The 15th Palestine Book Awards have opened in London with a literary gathering celebrating authors whose works document Palestinian history, cultural identity and experiences under occupation, highlighting the importance of preserving national memory amid continuing efforts to erase Palestinian heritage
According to Middle East Monitor, the awards’ annual Meet the Shortlisted Authors event attracted readers, academics and activists to the P21 Gallery for an evening of discussions about the nominated books, their research and the experiences that inspired their authors.
Hosted by writer and translator Hazem Jamjoum, the event featured four shortlisted authors: Thomas Suárez, Paul Kohlbry, Nora Lester Murad and Samer Al-Saber.
Jamjoum previously received the awards’ Translation Award
Jamjoum previously received the awards’ Translation Award for his English translation of Maya Abu Al-Hayyat’s novelNo One Knows Their Blood Type.
Suárez discussed his bookPalestine Mapped, which examines how European mapmaking traditions have represented Palestine over several centuries.
His discussion explored the relationship between geographical representation, Zionism and the development of political narratives surrounding Palestine.
Kohlbry presented his research inPlots and Deeds, examining
Kohlbry presented his research inPlots and Deeds, examining how Palestinian farmers in the occupied West Bank defend their land against dispossession and other forms of agrarian destruction.
He also discussed the importance of the Arabic termfallahin, referring to Palestinian peasants, as an expression of identity deeply connected to land and community.
Murad, co-editor ofResisting Erasure, addressed the destruction of Palestinian libraries and archives, highlighting the loss of historical knowledge and cultural records.
She warned that the removal and misrepresentation
She warned that the removal and misrepresentation of Palestinian history contribute to broader processes of dehumanization and cultural erasure.
Al-Saber discussed his bookA Movement’s Promise, which traces the development of contemporary Palestinian theater following the 1967 Israeli occupation.
He explained how Israeli repression of Palestinian theatrical productions sometimes generated greater public interest in the very works authorities sought to suppress.
The event also featured discussions of several shortlisted
The event also featured discussions of several shortlisted books whose authors could not attend, including Hamid Dabashi’sAfter Savagery, Francesca Albanese’sWhen the World Sleeps, Susan Abulhawa’sEvery Moment Is a Lifeand Adam H. Johnson’sHow to Sell a Genocide.
This year’s shortlist includes 10 titles selected from more than 80 submissions, marking the largest number of entries in the awards’ history. The nominated works cover academic research, memoirs, edited collections, global impact and counter-current literature.
Other shortlisted titles include Mark Griffiths’Checkpoint 300: Colonial Space in Palestine, Reem Ghanayem’sBook of WillsandEvery Moment Is a Life: Gaza in the Time of Genocideby Susan Abulhawa.
The selection reflects a broad range of literary
The selection reflects a broad range of literary and scholarly approaches to Palestinian history, displacement, cultural resistance and political struggles.
The winners of the 2026 awards are scheduled to be announced at a ceremony in London on November 14, with prizes distributed across several categories, including Academic, Memoir, Edited Books and Anthologies, Global Impact and Counter-Current.
The awards have developed into an international platform for authors and researchers examining Palestine, providing space for literary works that document historical experiences, challenge dominant narratives and preserve Palestinian cultural and intellectual heritage.
