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Minor Detail Kindle Edition

by Adania Shibli (Author), Elisabeth Jaquette (Translator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,608 ratings
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A searing, beautiful novel meditating on war, violence, memory, and the sufferings of the Palestinian people



Finalist for the National Book Award

Longlisted for the International Booker Prize


Minor Detail begins during the summer of 1949, one year after the war that the Palestinians mourn as the Nakba—the catastrophe that led to the displacement and exile of some 700,000 people—and the Israelis celebrate as the War of Independence. Israeli soldiers murder an encampment of Bedouin in the Negev desert, and among their victims they capture a Palestinian teenager and they rape her, kill her, and bury her in the sand.


Many years later, in the near-present day, a young woman in Ramallah tries to uncover some of the details surrounding this particular rape and murder, and becomes fascinated to the point of obsession, not only because of the nature of the crime, but because it was committed exactly twenty-five years to the day before she was born. Adania Shibli masterfully overlays these two translucent narratives of exactly the same length to evoke a present forever haunted by the past.


 

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  1. Print length
    144 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    New Directions
  5. Publication date
    May 26, 2020
  6. File size
    684 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

'Though Minor Detail initially promises to be a kind of counterhistory or whodunit--a rescue of the victim's story from military courts and Israeli newspapers-it turns out to be something stranger and bleaker. Rather than a discovery of hidden truths, or a search for justice, it is a meditation on the repetitions of history, the past as a recurring trauma ... For Shibli, the emblematic experience of occupation is the longue duree of ennui and isolation rather than a dramatic moment of crisis.'
-- New York Review of Books



'This is probably my novel of the year so far.'
-- Anthony Cummins, Daily Mail



'All novels are political and Minor Detail, like the best of them, transcends the author's own identity and geography. Shibli's writing is subtle and sharply observed.'
-- Fatima Bhutto, Guardian



'An intense and penetrating work about the profound impact of living with violence--Shibli's work is powerful and this translation by Elisabeth Jaquette is rendered with exquisite clarity and quiet control.'
-- Katie da Cunha Lewin, Los Angeles Review of Books



'A sophisticated, oblique novel about empathy and the urge to right wrongs'
-- Anthony Cummins, Observer

About the Author

Elisabeth Jaquette is an award-winning translator from the Arabic, whose work includes Basma Abdel Aziz's The Queue, Rania Mamoun's Thirteen Months of Sunrise, and Dima Wannous's The Frightened Ones. She is also executive director of the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA).



Adania Shibli was born in Palestine in 1974. Her first two novels appeared in English with Clockroot Books as Touch (tr. Paula Haydar, 2010) and We Are All Equally Far From Love (tr. Paul Starkey, 2012). She was awarded the Young Writer's Award by the A. M. Qattan Foundation in 2002 and 2004.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B086FMR6V9
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ New Directions; Reprint edition (May 26, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 684 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,608 ratings

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Adania Shibli

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
1,608 global ratings
I ordered a brand new copy and it looks used
2 Stars
I ordered a brand new copy and it looks used
I havent read this book yet, but I am so excited to read it. My issue with this product is its condition when it arrived to me. I had ordered other things and they also didn’t come in perfect condition. As you can see in the pictures the book came with some weird spots and stains, it came wet even though the inside of the package and outside was not wet.
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Top reviews from the United States

LastMinuteShopper
5.0 out of 5 stars Found!! A hard to find book by a Palestinian writer
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2024
Verified Purchase
This short novel presents the compelling story of the rape and murder of an unnamed young Palestinian woman by Israeli troops, and the search of a modern day Palestinian woman 25 years later to find her lost story. This well written and insightful book was super hard to find. No luck at local independent booksellers, and first order was cancelled by Amazon due to unavailability (a rare occurance). So, I was doubtful about this second order. Surprisingly, the book arrived promptly, brand new, and in perfect condition from this U.K. supplier. Great service. Thank you!!
2 people found this helpful
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Alanna
4.0 out of 5 stars Always good to read the perspectives of others
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2023
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A lot of people I follow on social media read this short novella and spoke about how impactful it was. I agree. I love the parallels between the past and the present. All the "minor details" that gave the second chapter and the present being depicted an eerie feel. This book is culturally significant, especially with what's happening now in 2023. I recommend this book. It's always good to read the perspectives of others.
3 people found this helpful
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Christie C
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling! And important in the present
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024
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This was a very compelling story and I think it's especially important to read these kinds of works given the present circumstances in the Middle East
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P. Mimula
5.0 out of 5 stars An important, horrifying, beautifully written story
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2023
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An important, haunting read I would recommend to anyone seeking to understand the history of violence in Israel/Palestine and those who appreciate the art of narration. Shibli tells the story of a massacre of a Bedouin tribe, followed by the rape and murder of its sole survivor, a young woman or girl, first through the eyes of an Israeli military commander, then through those of a Palestinian woman playing detective a generation later. The book helps readers to understand from a Palestinian perspective the fraught modern history of this region from the Palestinian perspective- the Nakba of 1948 during which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians (and Bedouins like Shibli’s family) were driven from the land they had lived on and farmed for generations, the indiscriminate violence against civilians, the conditions under which Palestinians live, and the erasure of Palestinian history and culture in Israeli settlements.
One person found this helpful
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The TBR Zone
4.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2023
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A heartbreaking look into one Palestinian reporter's reality as she delves into a horrific story of inocence lost and (almost) forgotten.
5 people found this helpful
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Steiner
3.0 out of 5 stars Brutal in its clarity
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2023
A stark, harrowing novel about the disaster that befell the Palestinians in 1947. Shibili's novel depicts the brutal capture and rape of a Palestinian woman by Israelis, and manages to re-frame this trauma through its retrospective, historical interpretation. Repetitive, occasionally, stiff, Minor Detail, nevertheless is true to the sadism of war.
One person found this helpful
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Gail Boyd
5.0 out of 5 stars Truth in words
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
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This was well written and in this small book, it said all one needed to know about the crisis for the Palestinians.
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barbara k.
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2024
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Great read. Easy read. Illuminating. Horrifying. Eye opening.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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TMD
5.0 out of 5 stars heart breaking
Reviewed in Canada on October 25, 2023
Verified Purchase
I finished this book in one sitting. It’s short but impactful historical fiction. Told in two parts this book answers no questions, no breakthrough made for the larger conflict. Just the minor details of two incidents, a snippet of time 50 years apart. It’s a glimpse into life in occupied Palestine.

The Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany cancelled an award ceremony and event with the author. This part of an ongoing dismissal of Palestinian voices.
3 people found this helpful
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Rehana
5.0 out of 5 stars Outrageously relevant!
Reviewed in India on March 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
Minor detail is a two-part novella narrated with contrasting voices and point of views. The first part is conveyed in the third person narrative about an Israeli soldier who is in command in Negev, Palestine, in 1949. He and his subordinates capture a young Bedouin girl, and physically abuse her before murdering her. The events are narrated with the same nonchalance as explaining his daily habits, like bathing, eating and moving around in his room.

The second part happens in the present, in Ramella, exactly 25 years after the death of the Bedouin girl, when an unnamed protagonist is intrigued by the events that occurred in Negev in 1949. She moves out in search of the hidden truth to give voice to the voiceless and, in the process, gets caught in a trap herself.

This is one of those influential books that made me regret not picking them up earlier. This 112-page novella is packed with such intense and evocative storytelling that it becomes hard to put it down. I was amazed by how the two parts were narrated with completely contrasting voices - the first part oozed power and arrogance, while the second part screamed anxiety, agony and vulnerability. I couldn't help but gasp with surprise when the author mixed humour in the most painful situations, like how she went on a rant about hating gritty sand particles that disturb her writing process when the building was being bombed and saying the uniform of the officer must belong to the museum as he did not scrutinise her as much as done by others. I mean, it was her way of expressing the habituation of Palestinians to Israeli occupation and atrocities over the years, and it was mind-blowing. The indifference with which rape, murder and bombings were described like daily routines such as reading a newspaper, bathing and cleaning a wound made me realise the purpose behind the title and the book.

This unique novella deserves all the attention and is a must-read for its honest commentary on colonialism and war crimes and its reminiscent and powerful storytelling.
Customer image
Rehana
5.0 out of 5 stars Outrageously relevant!
Reviewed in India on March 8, 2024
Minor detail is a two-part novella narrated with contrasting voices and point of views. The first part is conveyed in the third person narrative about an Israeli soldier who is in command in Negev, Palestine, in 1949. He and his subordinates capture a young Bedouin girl, and physically abuse her before murdering her. The events are narrated with the same nonchalance as explaining his daily habits, like bathing, eating and moving around in his room.

The second part happens in the present, in Ramella, exactly 25 years after the death of the Bedouin girl, when an unnamed protagonist is intrigued by the events that occurred in Negev in 1949. She moves out in search of the hidden truth to give voice to the voiceless and, in the process, gets caught in a trap herself.

This is one of those influential books that made me regret not picking them up earlier. This 112-page novella is packed with such intense and evocative storytelling that it becomes hard to put it down. I was amazed by how the two parts were narrated with completely contrasting voices - the first part oozed power and arrogance, while the second part screamed anxiety, agony and vulnerability. I couldn't help but gasp with surprise when the author mixed humour in the most painful situations, like how she went on a rant about hating gritty sand particles that disturb her writing process when the building was being bombed and saying the uniform of the officer must belong to the museum as he did not scrutinise her as much as done by others. I mean, it was her way of expressing the habituation of Palestinians to Israeli occupation and atrocities over the years, and it was mind-blowing. The indifference with which rape, murder and bombings were described like daily routines such as reading a newspaper, bathing and cleaning a wound made me realise the purpose behind the title and the book.

This unique novella deserves all the attention and is a must-read for its honest commentary on colonialism and war crimes and its reminiscent and powerful storytelling.
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2 people found this helpful
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Mahé
5.0 out of 5 stars Free Palestine
Reviewed in France on March 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
Un livre qu'il faut absolument lire, surtout avec ce qui« Ce n’est pas le canon qui vaincra, c’est l’homme. »

TW : viol collectif, meurtre, génocide, violence policière

Ce court roman est scindé en deux : un premier texte écrit à la troisième personne et la seconde partie écrit à la première personne. Dans la première partie, on suit un officier israélien anonyme, plutôt maniaque. Ce qui a été nommé comme "incident" se passe en août 1949 sous sa garde et sa demande : le viol collectif d'une jeune bédouine qui sera ensuite tuée. Dans la seconde partie, on suit une jeune palestinienne de nos jours qui est obsédée par un détail "mineur" de cet incident : le fait qu'il se soit déroulé pile vingt-cinq ans avant son anniversaire.

Si les deux parties sont clairement différentes, elles restent indissociables pour comprendre l'histoire. Il faut aussi savoir que cet "incident" dont s'est emparé Adania Shibli pour écrire cette histoire est inspirée d'un véritable crime commis par l'armée israélienne. C'est justement ce moment ainsi que les quelques jours avant que l'on suit dans la première partie, du point de vue de l'instigateur. Le point de vue à la troisième personne nous pousse aussi à avoir un certain recul et à être plus spectateurice des scènes. Un homme inconnu, un homme de guerre et dont les crimes sont considérés comme un détail. Tuer les Bédouins, c'est un détail pour eux. Kidnapper une Bédouine et la violer, c'est un détail pour eux. Organiser un viol collectif, puis la tuer et l'enterrer au milieu du désert, c'est un détail pour eux.
Au contraire, la deuxième partie est écrite à la première personne et déjà, nous plonge en tant qu'acteurice de la scène. On suit une jeune palestinienne, très angoissée, mais surtout si obsédée par cette histoire qu'elle va à tout prix chercher des informations. Mais comment le faire, elle, palestinienne confiné dans un endroit contrôlé par les israéliens ? Elle ne peut pas bouger comme elle le veut, ne peut pas parler comme elle veut. Ses détails à elle, ils sont réellement mineurs : son nom, ses cartes, ses repas, son paquet de chewing-gum. Pourtant, là-bas, c'est elle qui sera considérée comme criminelle.

Pour avoir cherché vérité s'est passé.
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Die Zeichnungen sind so cool!!! In dem Manga wird stark mit der Architektur gespielt und die Gebäude erzählen ihre ganz eigene Geschichte.
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommend this book
Reviewed in Germany on March 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book is relevant and very well written. It is also really short, so you can easily fit it into your tbr.
One person found this helpful
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Ludo Abicht
5.0 out of 5 stars Minor detail Adanoa Shibli
Reviewed in Belgium on February 27, 2024
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Stilistisch geen woord te veel. en dat is erg zeldzaam. Herinnert me aan"Disgrace" van Coetzee of deromans van Elsschot. Zo dringt de boodschap meteen door tot de kern, en kan de lezer zelf wel de nodige details invullen.

Ludo Abicht, UAntwerpen
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