The PalFest Podcast

In a wide-ranging discussion the two writers compare notes on their experiences of publishing debut novels in English, how their work was packaged, presented and received - and the ways in which that diverged from their intentions when writing.

Saleem Haddad's GUAPA was published in 2016 by Europa Editions to great acclaim. His new novel, FLOODLINES, is about to come out. 

Yasmin Zaher's THE COIN was published in 2025 and won the Dylan Thomas Prize - one of the most prestigious awards for young writers. 

This episode was recorded between Paris and Lisbon on November 24th, 2025.

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“Israel is a defeated project.” So begins Nasser Abourahme’s monumental essay in PALESTINE IS EVERYWHERE.

Join us for the latest episode of the PalFest Podcast for a deep, structural analysis of Israel’s current strengths and weaknesses, the geopolitical shifts happening all around it and much, much more. It’s a fascinating conversation between Nasser and the book’s senior editor Edwin Nasr - and we’re thrilled to bring it to you for our 7th Episode.

Nasser is a writer and teacher, and currently assistant professor at Bowdoin College. He’s the author of The Time Beneath the Concrete: Palestine between Camp and Colony (Duke University Press, 2025).

Edwin is a writer and curator living in Berlin, his first short novel, Fears Eats Ali (Wendy's Subway and Wirklichkeit Books), is forthcoming.

This episode was recorded between New York and Berlin on November 12th, 2025.

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Buy a copy of Palestine is Everywhere here

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In this live recording from The Southbank Centre, Isabella Hammad and Mirza Waheed hold a unique discussion about Palestine, Kashmir and the parallels and divergences in their modern struggles with colonialism.

They discuss art and consciousness around the dual ruptures of 1948, reportage and narration of historical insurgency and their own roles as artists working from within the imperial core.

Date of recording: November 1st, 2025.

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For episode 5 of The PalFest Podcast, we are thrilled to bring you the award-winning author, lawyer, human rights activist and community volunteer, Randa Abdel-Fattah in conversation with PalFest's own Sara Yasin, a Palestinian-American journalist who was managing editor at the LA Times and Buzzfeed News. They discuss, among other things, Fattah's new book, Discipline, which is the PalFest Bookshelf pick for December & January 25.

This episode was recorded between Palestine and Australia on November 17th, 2025.

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Get your copy of Discipline here

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In this special live recording of The PalFest Podcast, direct from Middle Church NYC we bring you the launch of Fire in Every Direction: A Memoir, Tareq Baconi’s singular coming-of-age story about queer and political awakening from within the Palestinian diaspora. Baconi was joined by Ta-Nehisi Coates in a conversation about personal and political memoir.

Date of recording: October 26th, 2025.

Get the book here (US) or pre-order it here (UK)

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In the third instalment of The PalFest Podcast we are excited to bring you Laleh Khalili, the esteemed professor and writer in conversation with the authors of Resisting Erasure: Capital, Imperialism and Race in Palestine; Adam Hanieh, Robert Knox & Rafeef Ziadah.

Date of recording: October 13th, 2025.

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Buy a copy of Resisting Erasure here

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Ahead of the UK launch of the new anthology of Palestinian poetry, Heaven Looks Like Us, on October 29th, we are thrilled to bring you George Abraham and Noor Hindi, the co-editors, in conversation with Rachael Allen, the poetry editor at Fitzcarraldo Editions.

Date of recording: October 6th, 2025.

Get your tickets for the book launch in London here

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Buy a copy of Heaven Looks Like Us here

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For our very first conversation, we are incredibly lucky to have Batool Abu Akleen, brilliant young poet from Gaza, in conversation with Wiam el-Tamami, Egyptian writer and one of Batool’s translator, speaking from Berlin. They will discuss Batool’s landmark debut collection of poems, 48Kg., which critics have described as ‘profound’, ‘vital’, ‘haunting ‘and ‘an extraordinary book of poetry’. 

This episode was recorded live between Gaza City & Germany.

Date of recording: September 13, 2025

Support Batool here. 

Follow Batool on Insta: @batool_abu_akleen

Find Wiam at her website.

Subscribe to the PalFest Bookshelf here

Buy a copy of 48Kg. here

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