Her First Palestinian

Sometimes a writer comes along whose stories are not only complex and full and exquisitely written, but whose vision and political voice feels necessary. In Her First Palestinian, Saeed Teebi coaxes the reader in a certain direction, and then flips the narrative so that now we are complicit, and we see our own guilt in the great divide that exists between the privileged and the stranger. Teebi does this with subtle humour and a wry tone. He does not preach, yet his writing expresses a certain fervour that is essential. He is a vital voice.

Teebi perfectly captures intergenerational and intercultural tension in stories as brilliant and cutting as finely hewn diamonds.

Dryly witty and cynical ... Teebi’s prose is crisp and calmly civilized.

If humanising Palestinians without purposefully tugging on heartstrings is what Teebi set out to do, he has accomplished his goal with aplomb. His stories — original, intelligent and finely nuanced — present characters who, although vastly different, are united in a uniquely Palestinian form of loneliness, one that stems from feeling out of place in a world that sees them as a nuisance.

Each story in Teebi’s collection crackles with wit, intensity and elegance … A probing and absolutely unforgettable book.

A deeply moving collection.

Her First Palestinian is a layered, fully imagined work of fiction: probing, sure of itself, astounded by life’s cruelties and surprising joys and by its ironies large and small.

With intriguing plot-lines, nuanced characters and stunning prose … Her First Palestinian is an invitation to read the room and engage critically as conversations about Palestine, familial and romantic relationships, and moral conflicts permeate the walls.

Cutting against this grain, Teebi’s storytelling brings to life the unique experiences of Palestinians, powerfully highlighting their humanity, personhood and agency, as well as their colonial dispossession. … Her First Palestinian offers a richer understanding of the world through Palestinian eyes and inspires a greater appreciation of the diverse people who now reside in Canada.

[Teebi’s] prose, wit and humour guide the reader on a journey through nine unusual takes on life within the Palestinian diaspora, as well as providing glimpses into the family lives and rich culture of its members.

Saeed Teebi brilliantly and humorously examines what it means to be a diasporic subject in his debut short story collection, Her First Palestinian … The collection is a refreshing contribution to the corpus of Palestinian diasporic literature, offering stories not centred around the grief of displacement and generational loss but ones that cunningly and wittingly interrogate migrant life in Canada.

In Her First Palestinian Saeed Teebi brilliantly and skillfully evokes the Palestinian diaspora experience, weaving stories of displacement, longing, and loss. His characters, drawn with great empathy and insight, are immigrants and refugees, misfits and outsiders, striving to fit in a complex, modern world while carrying the burden of history. Intelligent, original, and bursting with vitality, Her First Palestinian is an assured and highly accomplished debut that will stay with you long after you finish reading.

Saeed Teebi is a patient storyteller. He weaves his stories through glimpses of heritage, snippets of immigration, and depth of understanding. In Her First Palestinian, Teebi introduces us to complex and endearing characters. They all ring so true; they feel like half siblings or dear cousins. They are never loud or invasive. They are inviting and warm. Almost friendly as they tell you of themselves, their history, and the personal and societal roads they have to take. However, their wound is always internal, hidden under their agency, prosperity, and the most basic human need of them all: belonging.

A gorgeous debut collection of short stories so complex and rich they make me think that Saeed Teebi has been writing for many years.

This beautiful collection not only brings to light the varied and sometimes fraught experiences of diasporic Palestinians but does so with masterful storytelling. These stories are rich and deep, with elegant, tragic, or funny twists that will stay in my mind for a long time.

Saeed Teebi's Her First Palestinian is an exciting contribution to contemporary Palestinian diaspora literature. His characters grapple with overzealous allies, privilege, and polite discrimination, as well as forging new identities without quite managing to shed inherited ones. With sharp wit and humour, Teebi delivers a range of stories that are pleasingly new as they reverberate familiar themes of loss and triumph.

Saeed Teebi writes with Chekhovian intentionality and Nabokovian rumination. These are stories about modesty or vanity, kindness or treachery, timidity or wit. In the author’s intelligent grasp we find a heartbreaking tenacity for connection to the here and now and to the land between the river and the sea.

Dispatches from the state of exile, these stories are filled with delightful, devastating turns as Teebi explores the endless fracturing of displacement.

Saeed Teebi’s Her First Palestinian is a powerful and propulsive debut collection of stories that dramatizes the experiences of the Palestinian diaspora. Compelling and complex characters displaced and removed from their historical homeland negotiate feelings of loss, estrangement, and complicity in Canada. Skillfully written with penetrating insight into the characters’ fractured identities, this book reveals a talented new Canadian voice.