Trees for the Absentees

Ahlam Bsharat grew up in Tammun in Palestine and now lives in Ramallah. Following a master's degree in Arabic, she worked as a teacher for several years. An award-winning author of poetry, picture books, short stories, novels, memoirs, and TV and radio scripts, she also works for the Ministry of Culture in Ramallah. Her literary craft has taken her to Belgium and France, where she was artist in residence. Her book, Code Name: Butterfly, was shortlisted for the 2017 Palestine Book Award. Ruth Ahmedzai-Kemp is a British literary translator working from German, Russian and Arabic into English. She graduated from Oxford University and completed an MA in Translation and Interpreting at Bath University. She most of all loves translating fiction, nonfiction (particularly history, travel and nature) and children's books. Sue Copeland is a British translator working from Arabic, French, Italian and Spanish into English. Since graduating from the University of Exeter in 1977, she has spent most of her career working for the UK government as a multi-lingual translator and researcher. For the past two years has been a freelance translator. She enjoys translating fiction and non-fiction, particularly that associated with human rights and refugees.

“A most ordinary, magical, devastating story. What Trees for the Absentees shares with works by authors like Gabriel García Márquez and Jorge Louis Borges is it finds a way within fiction to beautifully express what the ‘real’ somehow cannot.”— Dr Nora Parr, SOAS​"Her path is entwined with the history of one of the most volatile regions on earth... I could visualise the characters’ interchange so clearly. "— Dr Helen Vassallo - Translating Women - University of Exeter​"Evokes a deeply felt sense of place and emotion."— Novella Review - The Ampersand Project​“…backdrop of historical and contemporary occupations of Palestine with the universally relatable politics of family and community. This small book was a mighty experience.”— Dr Sophia Rehman, University of Leeds​“Exquisitely lyrical prose, with a masterful collaborative translation from Arabic…evocative metaphors and a dash of magical realism express more deftly the tragedy of Palestinian life under…occupation.“— Deborah Halford, OutsideInWorld

• 1. The light2. The cat’s got my tongue3. The real world and the imaginary world4. Bayrakdar5. The picture frame6. Where else can a tree grow?7. A long dream