Blog
The East Side Freedom Library Blog is intended to provide community members with outlets for their ideas, and provide space to expand on and be in conversation with the voices who are speaking with and through the Freedom Library. We hope you will stay in conversation with us through our Book Geek Shelf Talker Blog and Research, Experiences + Review Blog, and/or share your own thoughts, experiences, research and ideas on here through the submission form below. We appreciate your thoughts and engagement with our communities!
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- Book Geek Shelf Talker Blog
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On research, activities and reviews from the ESFL community
Resources for Understanding Palestinian Struggle and Israeli Occupation
By Minna Zhou, Peter Rachleff, Chris Sanders, Kristyn Seo Taff
VIEW PRINTABLE VERSION
In light of the ongoing Palestinian genocide, ESFL has compiled a list of books, online readings, and relevant community resources, to help support community learning. Our intention is to help individuals and groups gain a better understanding of the historical context surrounding Palestinian struggle, offering a more nuanced look at what has variously been referred to as the “Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” or the “Arab/Israeli Conflict.” These texts hone in on the specifics of Israeli settler colonialism, Palestinian indigeneity, Israeli apartheid, Zionism, Hamas, the US-Israel-Palestine relationship, and more.
This document is organized into three parts: 1) Books, 2) Online Resources, and 3) Twin Cities Organizations. Use the navigation pane or the outline below to jump to your section of interest.
We also invite folks to visit the library and check out our Palestine Resource book display, which features all 13 books curated here. The East Side Freedom Library is located at 1105 Greenbrier St, St. Paul, MN 55106.
BOOKS (accessible at ESFL)
- The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017, by Rashid Khalidi
- The Question of Palestine, by Edward W. Saïd
- The Fateful Triangle: The United States, Israel and The Palestinians, by Noam Chomsky
- Palestinian Society in Gaza, West Bank and Arab Jerusalem: A Survey of Living Conditions, by Marianna Heiberg and Geir Øvensen
- Apartheid Israel: The Politics of an Analogy, by Jon Soske and Sean Jacobs
- Hamas: A Beginner’s Guide, by Khaled Hroub
- The Arab World and Israel, by Ahmad El Kodsy and Eli Lobel
- The Transformation of Palestine: Essays on the Origin and Development of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Edited by Ibrahim Abu-Lughod
- Let Me Stand Alone: The Journals of Rachel Corrie, Edited by the Corrie family
- An American Feminist in Palestine: The Intifada Years, by Sherna Berger Gluck
- One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse, by Ali Abunimah
- The Hidden History of Zionism, by Ralph Schoenman
- Jews Against Zionism: The American Council for Judaism, 1942-1948, by Thomas A. Kolsky
- History
- Analyses
- Videos
- Tools for liberation
- Fact checks
- Arts orgs
- Anti-war orgs
- Jewish orgs
- Muslim orgs
- Student orgs
BOOKS
The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017
by Rashid Khalidi
The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine details the history of Palestine, focusing on six key turning points between 1917-2017. Author Rashid Khalidi uses archival records and reports from generations of family members to illustrate the colonial nature of the ongoing wars in the region and to highlight Palestinian resistance. See ESFL in conversation with Khalidi here.
The Question of Palestine
by Edward W. Saïd
The Question of Palestine provides a thorough examination of Palestinian struggle. Written by highly influential critic and “father of postcolonialism” Edward W. Saïd, the book lays out and analyzes the history of the region. He touches on topics including the spread of Zionism, the origins of the Palestinian nationalist movement, the creation of Israel in 1948, and the Gulf War.
The Fateful Triangle
by Noam Chomsky
The Fateful Triangle is Noam Chomsky’s seminal text on the “special relationship” between the US, Israel, and Palestine. The book gives a comprehensive survey of all the actors in the region and explains the complicated policies, military operations, and media portrayals that have affected everyday Arabs and Jews.
Via Bookshop
Via Publisher (At time of publication, Haymarket is running a 30% discount.)
Free PDF
Palestinian Society in Gaza, West Bank and Arab Jerusalem: A Survey of Living Conditions
by Marianna Heiberg and Geir Øvensen
Palestinian Society in Gaza, West Bank and Arab Jerusalem is a statistical and field-based survey of Palestinian social and economic life under Israeli occupation. The study is based on interviews of a representative sample of the Palestinian population, from 1992. It addresses many underlying issues in the debate surrounding Palestine’s future.
Apartheid Israel: The Politics of an Analogy
by Jon Soske and Sean Jacobs
Apartheid Israel comprises the work of twenty scholars of Africa and its diaspora, as they reflect on the similarities and differences between apartheid-era South Africa and contemporary Israel. The anthology aims to strengthen and broaden the movement for justice in Palestine.
Via Bookshop
Via Publisher (At time of publication, Haymarket is running a 30% discount.)
Hamas: A Beginner’s Guid
by Khaled Hroub
Hamas: A Beginner’s Guide is written by Al-Jazeera journalist and professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Arab Media Studies, Khaled Hroub. This book provides a concise overview of Hamas’s history, key beliefs, and its political agenda. Its question-and-answer format makes for an accessible read.
The Arab World and Israel
by Ahmad El Kodsy and Eli Lobel
The Arab World and Israel offers two essays that analyze the social conflicts in the Middle East from a Marxist point of view. Kodsy provides a brief analysis of the historical development of the Arab world, both prior to and in the aftermath of Western imperialism. Lobel explores the relationship between the Palestinian and Jewish peoples, outlining the effects of Zionist colonization and foreign aid to Israel.
The Transformation of Palestine: Essays on the Origin and Development of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
by Edited by Ibrahim Abu-Lughod
The Transformation of Palestine is a collection of essays from scholars in the fields of political science, history, sociology, and law, discussing the history and development of Palestine. The writing focuses on issues underlying the Arab-Israeli conflict, primarily during the British Mandate period (1922-1948).
Via AbeBooks
This books is not as widely available
Let Me Stand Alone: The Journals of Rachel Corrie
Edited by the Corrie Family
Let Me Stand Alone is a collection of writings from Rachel Corrie, an American activist and member of the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement. The book recounts Corrie’s personal story and details her time in Gaza, where she fought for Palestinian liberation before she was killed in 2003 by an armored bulldozer. Published posthumously, the collection includes diary entries, poems, letters, and drawings.
An American Feminist in Palestine: The Intifada Years
by Sherna Berger Gluck
An American Feminist in Palestine details Sherna Berger Gluck’s visits to the Israeli occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the First Intifada (Palestinian uprising). Gluck raises critical questions about the occupation while documenting Palestinian struggles and aspirations, particularly those of Palestinian women.
One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse
by Ali Abunimah
One Country disrupts the commonplace idea that the only way to end the violence between Israel and Palestine is to divide the territory in two. Ali Abunimah instead argues that because the two are so geographically and economically intertwined, that the only mutually beneficial solution is for them to become one state shared by two peoples.
The Hidden History of Zionism
by Ralph Schoenman
This Hidden History of Zionism challenges four myths of Zionism as they relate to the state of Israel: 1) the slogan “a land without a people for a people without a land”; 2) Israeli democracy; 3) “security” as the force behind Israeli policy; and 4) the perception of Zionists as moral representatives of Jews. It discusses a series of massacres enacted by the Zionist movement and ends with a strategy for change.
Jews Against Zionism: The American Council for Judaism, 1942-1948
by Thomas A. Kolsky
Jews Against Zionism, by professor and historian Thomas A. Kolsky, examines the neglected phenomenon of Jewish anti-Zionism. Where much has been written on the Zionist movement, much less has been written on the Jewish opposition. This book documents the opposition’s roots and its outcomes during the 1940s.
Via AbeBooks
This books is not as widely available
ONLINE RESOURCES
History:
“What’s the Israel-Palestine conflict about? A brief history”: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/9/whats-the-israel-palestine-conflict-about-a-simple-guide
Timeline of Palestine’s history: https://remix.aljazeera.com/aje/PalestineRemix/timeline_main.html
Timeline of Al Nakba: https://remix.aljazeera.com/aje/PalestineRemix/al-nakba.html#/17
Analyses:
“Palestine: From Accord to Apartheid”
In the lead story from New Internationalist’s May-June 2023 issue, journalist Zoe Holman looks at how the so-called ‘peace process’ has allowed Israel to deepen its colonial project and regime of control over Palestinian lives.
The Middle East Report: Settler Colonialism’s Enduring Entanglements (Spring 2022)
The Spring 2022 issue of the Middle East Reports “brings together a wide range of geographic and disciplinary perspectives on settler colonialism from the Middle East, North Africa, and the metropole.” The magazine presents a series of smartly-written analyses by professors from around the world.
“Israel’s Kristallknacht”
This piece draws parallels between the Kristallnacht of November 1938, in which Nazis massacred scores of Jews, and the Israeli attacks on Gaza in 2023.
Videos:
Conversation with Rashid Khalidi, presented by and in dialogue with East Side Freedom Library: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEc6YNCilro
“Settler Colonialism and Palestine: A Conversation,” presented by the Brooklyn Public Library: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJVybInwI6k
Tools for liberation:
“3 key insights for building a powerful and loving movement against oppression in Palestine-Israel”: https://wagingnonviolence.org/2023/10/building-powerful-loving-movement-against-oppression-palestine-israel/
Free Palestine resources compiled by several Twin Cities zinesters: https://bit.ly/FreePalestine-TC2023
Fact checking:
Associated Press Fact Check; updated daily with fact-checks addressing misinformation: Ap-fact-check
TWIN CITIES ORGANIZATIONS
Arts organizations
- Mizna–platform for contemporary SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) literature, film, and art
Anti-war organizations
- Women Against Military Madness–nonviolent, anti-war feminist organization
- MN Anti-War Committee–committee organizing against imperialism, political repression, and US aid to Israel
Jewish organizations
- IfNotNow–a movement of American Jews organizing against US support of Israeli apartheid
- Jewish Voice for Peace Twin Cities–leftist Jewish anti-Zionist organizing in solidarity with Palestinian liberation
- Jewish Community Action–Jewish organization working toward economic and racial justice for all
- Jewish Community Relations Council–Jewish organization addressing public affairs affecting Jewish communities
Muslim organizations
- CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations)–the largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization in the US
- Islamic Research Group of MN–Muslim organization focused on increasing understanding between Muslim Americans and the broader community
- American Muslims for Palestine (MN chapter)–grassroots nonprofit advocating for Palestinian rights
Student organizations
- Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Minnesota–student group organizing around human rights, liberation, & self-determination for the Palestinian people
The East Side Freedom Library would love to share your story about what it means to live during this pandemic. Please click 'Submit a Blog or Book Geek Shelf Talker' above to send your story.
The Future in the Present
Dear Sisters, Brothers, and Kin, The West Indian scholar-activist C.L.R. James said his (and our) task is to find the future in the present. Where do we see the relationships, values, and behaviors in our everyday lives that could be the building blocks of the society...
Native Son, Revistied
By Naci Konar-Steenberg I love reading books that were written a long time ago. Books like The Great Gatsby, 1984 and Flatland, even though their subject matters are all over the place, grab my interest for the same reason: they possess a character far enough...
The Global in the Local/The Local in the Global
Dear Sisters, Brothers, and Kin, On June 17, Peter had the honor of presenting the story of the East Side Freedom Library, via Zoom, to an international conference in Great Britain, sponsored by the UNESCO Associated Schools Programme Network. Entitled "The Arts and...
I’m No Racist!
More to This Story Than a Name: Writing on Luke Epplin’s Our Team
By Romare Onishi
Just in its name, the Cleveland Indians don’t sound like a team that helped pave the way to racially integrated baseball. However, in the book Our Team, Luke Epplin tells the story of how Cleveland became the first team in the American League to field a black player. I found this quite ironic because the second team in professional baseball to integrate also had a racist name and logo. Before reading this book, I did not really know much about Larry Doby and Satchel Paige, two African-American baseball players, nor did I know the story of how they came to be on the same team. I thought that Epplin told the story well; he gave the readers context and started telling the story with people like Bob Feller and Bill Veeck, a star pitcher and the owner of the Cleveland team, both of whom would become very important as the story went on.
Epplin’s craft throughout the story made for a very interesting read. By intertwining the four different stories of Bill Veeck, Bob Feller, Larry Doby, and Satchel Paige, he showed a spectrum of people, from an American boy, to an all star African-American pitcher who experienced racism in America. This is interesting because instead of just focusing on only the white players, or only the black players that made the 1948 World Series possible, Epplin focused on both, making for a unique and complete account of what happened.
It was news to me that Cleveland was the first team to integrate because I had never thought past the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson. I was initially surprised that that was the case because the team has been using the same racist name and logo for a long time now. (Although that has just changed, but that’s another story.) The book also explained that during the war and before he purchased the team, Bill Veeck had been trying to buy a team to fill the empty spots on the roster because of the war draft, with players from the Negro Leagues. However, the owners and MLB caught wind of it, and the team was sold to someone else to prevent Veeck from integrating baseball. I thought that this demonstrated Veeck was ready and open to integrating baseball. Another example of this can be shown through Veeck’s reassurance and support of Larry Doby during his debut, and throughout his major league career. While Bill Veeck was supportive of Larry Doby, the same could not have been said for the rest of the team. Epplin quotes Gordon Cobbledick: “an electric tension charged the steaming air. The wordless hostility seemed to crackle and spark. No one spoke a tentative ‘Hello.’ No one said, ‘Relax kid, you’re all tightened up.’ (167)” Doby’s first major league experience on his team truly showed the discrimination so apparent in the country at the time. While it was ironic that Cleveland were the first team to integrate in the American League, it is clear that Bill Veeck and some players on the Indians were in favor of it, and were accepting of the differences.
Epplin’s telling of Satchel Paige’s journey is told exactly as it was–a long and frustrating path. It’s made very clear to the reader that Paige had what it took to make it big in the league, but was held back because of racism in baseball and America. Also, other players didn’t give him the credit he deserved for his pitching. Bob Feller, Cleveland’s ace, consistently said that Paige didn’t have what it took to be a big league pitcher. However, Paige would often outpitch Feller in exhibition games, yet Feller still maintained his stance. First and foremost, what Paige’s journey to the big leagues shows is that baseball team owners and executives were willing to sacrifice their own team’s performance by not signing him, just to preserve Major League Baseball’s discriminatory practices, and to keep baseball a white, American sport. Even after Paige was signed, his role on the team was miniscule, and Cleveland did not take full advantage of his abilities. He was limited to bullpen pitching and was never put in when it mattered.
The book Our Team by Luke Epplin was a great read. I really enjoyed how the story was told, and I think that any fan of baseball would find it interesting learning more about Larry Doby, Satchel Paige, Bob Feller, and Bill Veeck. While the book highlighted some of the white players and management in the Cleveland organization, it still covered the topic of racism and discrimination related to Satchel Paige and Larry Doby playing professional baseball. The subject of racial integration in baseball is a very important one, and I believe that it’s important to go beyond the firsts, and to learn more about the continuation and how integration in baseball progressed throughout the years.
Romare Onishi is a rising 9th grader living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He plays baseball, and classical guitar. He enjoys watching the Minnesota Twins and spending time with friends and family.
Find Your Book!
Need to get your hands on a good book while doing your work to shelter in place? The library is closed in a response of solidarity amid the COVID-19 crisis, but here are some places where you can get your hands on all the great titles. Shop independent bookstores!
Black Garnet Books: https://www.blackgarnetbooks.com
Boneshaker Books: https://www.boneshakerbooks.com/
Dream Haven Books and Comics: http://dreamhavenbooks.com/
Eat My Words: http://www.eatmywordsbooks.com/
Irreverent Bookworm: https://irrevbooks.com/
Magers & Quinn: https://www.magersandquinn.com/
Mayday Books: http://maydaybookstore.org/
Moon Palace Books: https://www.moonpalacebooks.com/
Next Chapter Booksellers: https://www.nextchapterbooksellers.com/
SubText Books: https://subtextbooks.com/books
The Red Balloon Bookshop: https://www.redballoonbookshop.com/
Wild Rumpus: https://www.wildrumpusbooks.com/
Or you could even consider the amazing Powell's in Portland: https://www.powells.com/; Book Shop, https://bookshop.org/; AbeBooks https://www.abebooks.com/; or Indie Bound, https://www.indiebound.org/
Book Geek Shelf Talker: Crossing Class Lines
by Mary Turck My philosopher daughter gave me a book written by a colleague: Jennifer Morton's Moving Up Without Losing Your Way (University of Princeton Press, 2019). I found it both challenging (it is philosophy) and resonant with my own long-ago experience as a...
Book Geek Shelf Talker: Green Card Voices: Immigration Stories from a St. Paul High School
By Alison Emery Green Card Voices has a web site greencardvoices.com and several books they have put together. I read Green Card Youth Voices: Immigration Stories from a St. Paul High School (Green Card Voices, 2017). This book contains 30 short essays written by...
Book Geek Shelf Talker for Will Schwalbe memoir, “The End of Your Life Book Club”
By Kate Havelin The End of Your Life Book Club (Knopf, 2012) turns out to be the right kind of reading for this uncertain era. I’m not a pessimist and don’t expect the virus to end my life anytime soon, although I know it’s possible. It’s more that Will Schwalbe’s...
Book Geek Shelf Talker: Erika Lee’s “America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States”
By John McKenzie “Asian-Americans face new pretext for hatred.” That was the headline for one of the articles on the front page of the StarTribune for Saturday, March 28, 2020. Reading this article saddened me. It did not, however, surprise me, in part...
Please email your blogs or Book Geek Shelf Talkers to Clarence White at [email protected].
Book Geek Shelf Talkers: Provide two or three paragraphs about the book and why the thoughts inside are important for you. How might they be important for us, especially in these days when we need to inspire more solidarity than ever?