{"product_id":"a-mask-the-color-of-the-sky-9798889661702","title":"A Mask the Color of the Sky","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA bold, psychologically rich novel of identity, exile, and resistance from one of Palestine's most vital literary voices--written entirely from behind bars. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNur, a young Palestinian refugee from a camp near Ramallah, is often mistaken for an Ashkenazi Jew. Fluent in Hebrew and with a degree in archaeology, he dreams of freedom beyond the fences of the camp--and of writing a novel about Mary Magdalene based on the Gnostic Gospels. When he discovers an Israeli ID card in the pocket of a secondhand coat, he assumes a false identity and is hired for an archaeological dig near Megiddo. Passing as an Israeli, he moves through a world previously off-limits, gaining insight into the lives and beliefs of those he's been taught to see as enemies. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut as Nur's borrowed identity deepens, so does the rift within: between Nur, the Palestinian, and \"Ur,\" the Israeli. By exploring this internal conflict, unfolding alongside friendships and love affairs, Bassem Khandaqji offers a meditation on the personal toll of occupation and the elusive desire to belong somewhere--fully, honestly, and without fear. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Europa Editions\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/17\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798889661702\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 224\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/19\/2026\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Bassem Khandaqji","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52181349531829,"sku":"9798889661702","price":16.15,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_117261ab-839b-4817-8f32-98a3f27ae5bf.jpg?v=1768922809","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/a-mask-the-color-of-the-sky-9798889661702","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}