Hachette India

Behind You Is the Sea: The â€˜Dazzlingâ€™ Debut Novel Exploring Lives of Palestinian Families

Susan Muaddi Darraj

Behind You Is the Sea is a compelling debut that fearlessly challenges stereotypes surrounding Palestinian culture.

‘Intergenerational differences … are explored from both sides with keen-eyed humanity and understanding’ Marie Claire

‘Funny and beautifully written’ Stylist Magazine

‘A rich panoply of a community’ Crack Magazine Book of the Month

‘Wonderful … A novel about ordinary people fighting for what they believe to be right’ Irish Independent

‘A poignant reminder of our shared humanity … brimming with hope and empathy’ Irish Times

Funny and touching, Behind You Is the Sea brings us into the homes and lives of three main families – the Baladis, the Salamehs and the Ammars – Palestinian immigrants who’ve all found a different welcome in America. Their various fates and struggles cause their community dynamic to sizzle and sometimes explode, as their lives intersect across divides of class, generation and religion.

Susan Muaddi Darraj

Susan Muaddi Darraj is the author of A Curious Land, which earned an American Book Award and was a finalist for a Palestine Book Award. In 2018, she was named a Ford Fellow by USA Artists. A past winner of the Maryland State Art Council’s Independent Artist Award, she is also the author of Farah Rocks, the first children’s book series to feature a Palestinian-American character. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland, and teaches at Johns Hopkins University.