First published 2026
Francesca Albanese walks through Palestinian streets, collecting the voices of families caught in legal battles that stretch across generations. As the first woman to hold her UN position, she carries notebooks filled with testimonies from people whose lives unfold against backdrop of occupation and conflict. Each story she gathers reveals how ordinary Palestinians navigate extraordinary circumstances, from mothers fighting for their children's rights to elders watching their neighborhoods transform. The ten narratives span from Palestine as it existed eighteen months ago to the reality residents face today. Albanese weaves together these personal accounts, showing how individual struggles connect to larger historical forces. Her dual role as international legal observer and longtime Palestine resident gives her access to stories that might otherwise remain unheard. The book captures how people maintain their humanity while living through one of the most documented conflicts in modern history.
Genres: international-relations, non-fiction, biography-memoir, current-affairs, activism
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-narrative, social-justice
Setting: Palestine
Period: 18 months ago, today
256 pages · Hardcover · Other Press
Content warnings: war