Behind You Is the Sea

This is a story told through nine voices about Palestinian immigrants who settled in America. They left their country because of the war and can’t return. Their descendants now live in Baltimore, far from their homeland. Some of them have adapted successfully to the new culture, while others continue following their ancestors’ traditions. Together with the characters, we experience weddings and funerals, and we witness conflicts between generations. The stories of individual people—at once funny and touching—gradually merge into a narrative about a large community, described with attention and sensitivity by Susan Muaddi Darraj.

“[This book] breaks stereotypes about Palestinian culture by creating a vivid picture out of diverse moments in life… I experienced and grew up along with these families.” – Itaf Ram, author of the book “A Woman Is Not a Man.”