Quiet Resistance: Living with disability in a Palestinian refugee camp and other tales of tenacity by Alice Merrill
Quiet Resistance is the true story of Alice Merrill's time of living in a Palestinian refugee camp and travelling around in the occupied territories. It is also the story of Echlas, a severely disabled woman who shows tremendous strength and courage in her determination to maintain an independent and full life despite the continued restrictions placed on the lives of all Palestinians by the occupation. As we follow Alice on her travels, we meet the farmers, Beduoin, artisans, shopkeepers, hopeful university students as well as activists, ex political prisoners and the many other people who have dedicated their lives to making a better future for thousands of Palestinian children. Interspersed throughout Alice's memoir and the stories of everyday life are serious political facts that explain some of the problems that Palestinians face, with a tour of different parts of the West Bank highlighting issues of water restrictions and high unemployment rates. Quiet Resistance demonstrates how no two days are the same and how in the refugee camps, life is lived by the minute, rarely planned and full of surprises. Though the brutality and incredulity of the living situation is both shocking and saddening, the reader also finds time to smile at the ridiculous and laugh with joy alongside Alice. Inspired by Alice's own experiences, Quiet Resistance will be enjoyed by fans of memoirs and those particularly interested in Palestinian life. It will also appeal to those looking for an interesting and emotional read.