The Lord

Synopsis

Set in the final years of the British Mandate in Palestine, The Lord is a sweeping historical novel that vividly recreates Palestinian life before the Nakba. Framed by a journalist's encounter with an elderly English missionary in war-torn Lebanon during the 1980s, the novel reaches back to the 1930s to follow Tareq, a gifted young magician whose travels through towns and villages unfold alongside the growing Arab Revolt against British colonial rule. As occupation tightens and resistance grows, Soraya Antonius captures the beauty, complexity, and everyday rhythms of a society on the brink of irreversible change. Rich in atmosphere and deeply humane, The Lord is a powerful story of memory, colonialism, loss, and the enduring ties between people and place.

About the Author

Soraya Antonius is a Palestinian-Canadian writer, translator, and scholar born in Jerusalem. After leaving Palestine, she settled in Canada, where she built a distinguished career while continuing to write about Palestinian history, identity, and culture. Her work is dedicated to preserving the stories and lived experiences of Palestine before the Nakba, bringing overlooked histories to English-language readers with compassion, depth, and historical insight.

Publisher
NYRB Classics

Publication Date
August 12, 2025

Format
Paperback

Pages
248

Subjects
Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Translated Fiction · Palestinian Literature · Middle Eastern Literature

ISBN
9781681379579