Behind You Is The Sea

Behind You Is the Sea is a compelling debut that fearlessly challenges stereotypes surrounding Palestinian culture.

‘Intergenerational differences … are explored from both sides with keen-eyed humanity and understanding’ Marie Claire

‘Funny and beautifully written’ Stylist Magazine

‘A rich panoply of a community’Crack Magazine Book of the Month

‘Wonderful … A novel about ordinary people fighting for what they believe to be right’ Irish Independent

‘A poignant reminder of our shared humanity … brimming with hope and empathy’ Irish Times

Funny and touching, Behind You Is the Sea brings us into the homes and lives of three main families – the Baladis, the Salamehs and the Ammars – Palestinian immigrants who’ve all found a different welcome in America. Their various fates and struggles cause their community dynamic to sizzle and sometimes explode, as their lives intersect across divides of class, generation and religion.

'We desperately need more books like this in which Palestinian people are presented as beautiful, richly complex human beings, not consigned to insulting, diminishing references. Gratitude to Susan Muaddi Darraj for her very necessary, beautiful work' - Naomi Shihab Nye

'Susan Muaddi Darraj's Behind You is the Sea is a powerful and moving novel about the lives of Palestinian immigrants. Told in rich, lush prose, this propulsive and beautiful novel will stay with me for a long time. I loved it' - Brandon Hobson, National Book Award finalist and author of The Removed

'Behind You Is the Sea sweeps readers along as its characters search for love, dignity, and belonging while carving out their own unique destinies. The result sometimes defies cultural tradition and risks deep losses, but these characters always land closer to their personal truths. With tenderness and fitting humor, Muaddi Darraj deftly weaves multiple Arab American voices into a resonant chorus of humanity' - Sahar Mustafah, author of The Beauty of Your Face