The Last Earth: A Palestinian Story

by Ramzy Baroud

This is a history of modern Palestine like no built from the testimony of people who have lived through it. Ramzy Baroud here gathers accounts from countless Palestinians from all walks of life, and from throughout the decades, to tell the story of the nation and its struggle for independence and security. Challenging both academic and popular takes on Palestinian history, Baroud unearths here the deep commonalities within the story of Palestine, ones that draw the people together despite political divisions, geographical barriers and walls, factionalism, occupation, and exile. Through these firsthand reports—by turns inspiring and terrifying, triumphant and troubled—we see Palestine in all its complexity and contradictions, ever vibrant in the memories of the people who have fought, physically and otherwise, for its future. A remarkable book, The Last Earth will be essential to understanding the struggles in the contemporary Middle East.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Middle East, Politics, Memoir, Short Stories, Historical

280 pages, Paperback

Published February 20, 2018

Reviews

[Ayala Levinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. Ramzy Baroud brought here with a lot of literature talent the stories of 9 palestinian refugees (from different locations) after interviewing them. all the stories are real but re-told in a way you don't read an academic history book. like Ramzy writes at the end this book doesn't intend to generate pity. it generates lots of emotions, among them admiration.

[Irene Pancheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ramzy Baroud’s book is a remarkable work to understand the catastrophe that Palestinian people have and continue to endure across time and space since their initial dispersal during the 1948 Nakba.
The book draws eight vivid and honest portraits of individuals and their life, reminding the importance of life stories in the analysis and teaching of history.
Each story is narrated from the viewpoint of its protagonist: an unfiltered, authentic testimony of the Palestinian tragedy.
Ali Abumghasib’s story, unfold through the letters to his missing daughter Heba, left me with a dizzying sense of injustice. Heba’s father traces his life journey as a resistance fighter for the Palestinian cause and as a refugee in Syria. His heart-breaking letters are witnessing the brutality of the war and the absence of humanity in the act of perpetual occupation.
The intergenerational-time narrative and the absence of a West ethnocentric approach make the book a must read to understand the harshness and atrocity of everyday life caused by the Israeli colonialism.
The intimate, personal desperation and loss that shape each individual life acquire a collective significance throughout the book.
The extended condition of statelessness across decades, the denial of the right to return to their homeland, the length of the oppression, continue to shape a common life history of Palestine.

[Zuri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what genre this book falls into. Each chapter tells a bit of the life story of a Palestinian person, and the author conducted interviews with each one to be able to tell their story. I had a pretty basic understanding of Palestinian history, though I’ve read Salaita’s memoir and Freedom is a Constant Struggle and follow some orgs and activists. So I’ve supported justice for Palestine but wanted to learn more, which i why I bought this book. And it is good but I definitely needed more context. There’s a lot in this book bc it is 8 different lives and time periods, so there’s a lot of people and names and places and wars and non translated words.. so I think someone with more understanding of the state would better understand the what and why of some of those things. I definitely want to learn so much more and read more Palestinian authors after reading this though! It was great to learn about its people and their survival against annihilation basically from the British & Israel. Which is completely devastating but idek if a TW is necessary bc the violence is so hard to even wrap your head around, but if you can’t stomach reading abt basically every form of assault (murder, rape, torture, deportation, starvation, imprisonment) this will be very hard to read.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Earth

A very long time ago, I heard an episode of Democracy Now on the radio. Iraqis who had been held in Abu Ghraib prison were talking about atrocities committed there by Americans. At the time, I was dubious. The claims were so outrageous that I couldn’t believe them. Of course, later, the world learned these claims were true. I felt the same way reading the biographical accounts in The Last Earth. How could these stories be true?! They are too horrible to believe.

The Nakba, the Syrian civil war, prisons, and the refugee experience are all described in biographical sketches of everyday Palestinians. Yet, through all the horror and profound sadness, there is also beauty in these personal histories. I’m glad I read The Last Earth, want to read more about the Palestinian experience, and will endeavor to keep these stories in mind as I read the news, vote, etc.

[Jack Singleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've not read anything like it before. Enlightening and heartbreaking

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's so much I can write about this book. Honestly I can start and quote some stuff about the book that really touched me but to be honest I'm not in the mood to do that and at the end of the day it doesn't really matter. What matters is that this book opened up my eyes way more than any other book I've read on the conflict. I think the main reason for this is the fact that it was so close up people's personal stories it felt relatable at times. Think of the example where they talked about the refugee Palestinian girl who didn't know how to explain to classmates what Za'tar was. This is straight up something I (and I'm sure my siblings as well) recognize from our past. Now out of everything written this was probably one of the least touching or sad moments (which is kind of wild to realize). If I would've gotten a dollar every time I would've lost hope in humanity while reading this book I probably could've bought the West Bank & Gaza myself and ended this whole situation. What surprises me the most is not necessarily the cruelty of the Israeli soldiers or the tough struggles that Palestinians (had to) go through. It's more the difference between reading a book like this and any other non-fiction book on the conflict. It's honestly quite an overwhelming difference and I could not have imagined it to have this much impact on my personal view on the conflict. It is always easy to dismiss numbers when you hear or read about them. But as soon as something becomes specific and detailed to the point. As soon as the numbers turn into human beings. As soon as stories about kids are being brought forward, I cannot imagine any human being to not feel touched and empathize with the Palestinians. Other than empathizing what bothers me the most is probably the feeling of hopelessness. I'm not even in their shoes, but even I feel hopeless in the sense that there are such great powers working and influencing this whole thing that having any significant impact or creating change feels so far away. Of course one can always start small and I fully advocate that mentality as well. Yet it still bothers me that there is not something I can do on a massive scale. Thank God at least I got this job right now where I can make a lot of money. Hopefully if I succeed at work I can one day set up my own non-profit organization and start making change. If that's what it takes I'm willing to put in the work. And it's not even about Palestinians in general of course. So many people need help around the world. I just don't see the point of working to buy expensive clothes, shoes, jewelry and other bullshit. God forbid I will ever spend significant amounts of money on materialistic stuff. At the end of the day I might die tomorrow and there's nothing that will accompany me on my journey to heaven (or hell) except for what impact I made on the world I am leaving behind. Fuck all that bullshit. Forreal. Now I kinda swinged this whole review into a very personal rant/vent. It's 21:32 right now and I don't even have wifi anymore till the 1st of March. Maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe it doesn't. Either way this was written on the 22nd of February at 21:32 just so y'all know. And if anyone has some spare change and spends it on overpriced pieces of cotton y'all down bad forreal. This whole society is honestly down bad forreal. The more I think about it, the more I get confused by what the fuck are we actually occupying ourselves with? Like genuinely, I know I never like it when people say stuff like this cause it always sounds like some greenie booha bullshit but here I am doing the exact thing myself. Nah but forreal tho what the fuck are we doing. Fucking fast life 24/7 only to come home and then "treat" yourself on some plastic chips just because you attended work and did whatever the fuck you were supposed to do. I'm wilding now probably. Overreacting. Or I'm not. Anyways this book was greatly written. Highly recommend to anyone. Interested in the conflict or not, read it and allow your mind to broaden itself.

[Mark Edon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very moving.

Especially poignant as the Genocide unfolds before our eyes and most people look away.

[Erwin Warth]

I felt demoralized, emotionally exhausted after reading this book. The unfairness of it all. David against Goliath. It should be compulsory reading for every Zionist and the defenders of the status quo. But then again - would it make a difference? Thank you Ramzy Baroud for keeping the stories alive!

[Diana Lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly moving and beautiful book that will make you question yourself for unconsciously always being part of the 'rest of the world' who has always turned its heads away from the plight of Palestinian, or any nations actually, refugees. A must read.

[Joel Wall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible collection of true Palestinian stories that deserves to be read by everyone

[Oscar Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story detailing the hardships dealt by Palestinians throughout the course of modern history. The heart wrenching details of events experienced by Palestinians in our modern lifetime provides an insight into the deeper personal hardship felt in modern conflict and felt as a direct result of political decisions. The detailed path of refugees crossing Europe and still not finding peace is an anecdote which stuck with my more than most others as it helps to combat the dehumanizing narrative often pedaled by western media. I often felt while reading the last earth that if such an account of real life immigrants fleeing there homes weather it be in Iraq, Syria or Palestine were portrayed in the media and echoed by our politicians the overall view of most people in western nations would not be so negative and dehumanizing. All in all this is a great read for anyone looking for stories of real life refugees, victims of war and people suffering under oppressive conditions and how these conditions effect there lives not just as it's happening.

[Halima Kassam · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’ve all changed the past two years. Our thoughts can never be the same on Falasteen. I was directed to this book by my local bookshop, after seeing my son in a Falasteen shirt. I picked it up without a second thought and now that I’ve finished it, I am so so glad I did. Stories told in such eloquence that I dreamt about them. Like I was really there. These are stories I will probably remember for the rest of my life. Similar feelings overcame me when I read Men in the Sun many moons ago. If you want to feel the human side to the tragedy of our times, then this is the one for you.

[Brittany]

This is a short book compiled of different accounts of Palestinian life. I appreciated the bravery and courage of these folks to share part of their stories with us. I highly recommend this if you want a human-centered account of Palestinian history, and to hear directly from Palestinians 🍉🇵🇸🙏🏽

cw: genocide, violence, murder, grief

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[Jasper Sendler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly important book that is excellently pieced together. For too long the marginalised Palestinian voices from below have been muted- Ramzy has started to platform these voices.

[Ella F · Rating 4 out of 5]

helps to gain a better understanding of the palestinian struggle.

[Tasniim · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredible. will be hard to beat as the the best book i’ve read in 2024

[Yan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The old man could hardly decipher the language of a newspaper, but it turned out that solidarity was not really conveyed through written word, but through action"

[cliffbutonline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a haunting and eye-opening weave of life stories and testimonies, with true insight into the refugee experience and Palestinian plight.

[tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘I hadn’t seriously imagined that someone could love me, or that I could love someone else.’

Heartbreaking.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautiful, touching book Ramzy Baroud. I loved it. Sheds light on the Palestinian struggle in all its aspects. Beautifully written.