Novels
Out of It, Bloomsbury, (2011, 2012)
“An original and vivid voice. Full of energy, this is a new and welcome take on the Palestinian story.” AHDAF SOUEIF
From the back cover:
Gaza is being bombed. After spending the night getting stoned watching it happen, Rashid gets the escape route he’s been waiting for: a scholarship to London. His sister, Iman – frustrated by atrocities and inaction around her – has also been up all night, in a meeting that offers her nothing but more frustration. Grabbing at an opportunity to make a difference, she finds herself being followed by an unknown fighter. Meanwhile Sabri, the oldest brother of this disparate family, works on a history of Palestine from his wheelchair as their mother feuds with their neighbours.
Written with extraordinary humanity and humour, and moving between Gaza, London and the Gulf, Out of It is a tale that redefines Palestine and its people. It follows the lives of Rashid and Iman as they try to forge paths for themselves in the midst of occupation, religious fundamentalism and the divisions between Palestinian factions. It tells of family secrets, unlikely love stories and unburied tragedies as it captures the frustrations and energies of the modern Arab world.
Out of It is published by Bloomsbury (UK) and Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Press (BQFP) (December, 2011). The UK paperback edition and the US edition (Bloomsbury USA) came out in August 2012.
Other language editions:
Arabic – Gaze Taht el Jild. trans. Khulood Amr (BQFP, 2015)
Italian – Fuori Da Gaza trans. Barbara Benini (Altriarabi, Il Sirente, Sept. 2017)
French – Gaza Dans La Peau, trans. Benoïte Auvergne (Editions de L’Aube, Sept. 2017)
‘Takes us into the lives and feelings of those who live in Gaza and want ordinary lives.’ Marina Warner, a Guardian Book of the Year 2012.
GRANTS / SUPPORT
British Council Grant
In August 2013, Selma Dabbagh was one of the five international writers to be awarded a grant by the British Council to help support her writing. The awards were announced at the World Writer’s Festival in Edinburgh.
Arts Council Grant
In March 2014, an Arts Council Grant was awarded by the Arts Council England to Selma Dabbagh to support her writing.
In March, 2020 an Arts Council England Grant was awarded for Selma to edit the anthology, ‘We Wrote In Symbols.’
Santa Maddalena Writers’ Retreat
In May 2014 Selma Dabbagh took up a fellowship to attend Santa Maddalena Writers’ Retreat outside Florence.
Port Cetate, Retreat, Nr. Craiova, Romania
Introduced to this wonderful place by the Free Word Centre in London I completed a re-draft of a novel in August 2015.
