In early October 2023, Palestinian Plestia Alaqad was a recent graduate with dreams of becoming a successful journalist. By the end of November, she would be internationally known as the 'Eyes of Gaza'. Millions of people would be profoundly moved by her social media posts depicting daily life in Gaza amid Israel's deadly invasion and bombardment.
Written as a series of diary extracts, The Eyes of Gaza relates the horrors of her experiences while showcasing the indomitable spirit of the men, women and children who share her communities.
From the epicentre of turmoil, while bombs rain around her and devastation grips her people, she is witness to their emotions, their gentle acts of quiet, necessary heroism, and the moments of unexpected tenderness and vulnerability amid the chaos.
Through the raw honesty and vulnerability of a normal 21-year-old woman trying to make her way through a human tragedy, The Eyes of Gaza is a potent reminder of the horrors of violence and a powerful testament to the human spirit. It recounts a harrowing experience, but it is not a heart-breaking lamentation. Rather, it is a deeply intimate love letter to a girl's home: demolished before her eyes, yes, but forever present in her heart.
In this wonderful collection of stories by some of Ireland's finest writers, including Carleton, Yeats and Lady Wilde, a legion of fairy folk - leprechauns, giants, witches and mermaids - help, hinder, charm and terrify their mortal neighbours. The fairy tales of Ireland are part of one of the richest folklore traditions in the world. These much-loved tales include the story of the farmer who offends the fairies by building on their dancing ground; the king who loses his wife in a chess game and the smith who learns his skill at working brass and iron during his seven-year apprenticeship to the giant Mahon MacMahon.
The heroes and saints of the Celtic sagas are here as well, in beautifully written versions of the old bardic stories of Finn, Deirdre, Cuchulain and Brigid. Wielding the power to enthral and enchant, these ancient tales open the door to a strangely familiar world of mystery and magic.
ISBN 9780856408366