This book takes us from the storyteller of Cordoba to the narrator of Barbarah. In his first novel 'The Storyteller of Cordoba,' Abdul Jabbar Odwan presented details of life in Cordoba, part of the Arab history in Andalusia, and stories of Islamic conquests with a style reminiscent of that era, showcasing marriage customs, circumcision, hospitality, and tales of religious strife and political conflict. Today, he presents a new work that chronicles an important era in the history of the Palestinian people, their catastrophe, and tragedy showcased in their uprooting from their land. He blends bitter irony with a comedic-tragic reality, intertwining his personal narrative with that of the people of Barbarah, describing life as it was, complete with legends, tales, and harsh realities, without embellishment.

Odwan writes this true story of a life that was, without relying on political slogans or repeated talk of catastrophe, occupation, migrations, and displacement. He opts to narrate rich details of this people's life in one of their villages from which they departed, and of a people still clinging to their history and memory despite all the setbacks and disappointments they've faced. While others have written about those tough days and the history of the Palestinian catastrophe, it hasn't been documented sufficiently. Every Palestinian has their own journey and story, differing from others in their pain, suffering, and circumstances. Everything written so far hasn't captured or sufficiently addressed the truth which has been witnessed by a silent world. Without forgetting Palestinian and Arab writers and creators who penned about those days, Odwan's novel is an important and necessary addition to the Palestinian narrative, opening the door wide for Palestinian authors to document their country's history and catastrophe, preserving it from erasure and neglect, chronicling what politicians didn't write and what the military didn't do.

Moussa Hawamdeh

Abdul Jabbar Odwan - Graduated with postgraduate studies in political, social, and Islamic sciences from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. A British citizen of Palestinian origin, he worked for a quarter of a century in various media fields during his stay in London, publishing three books on the first Intifada. He began writing novels when he moved to Andalusia and currently resides in Jerash, Jordan.

Published works: 'The Storyteller of Cordoba' (Novel) Dar Al-Farabi, 2006. 'Politics in Paradise' (Novel) Dar Al-Farabi, 2008

Publishing house: Dar Al-Farabi Publishing and Distribution

Number of Pages: 296

Year of publication: 2010