In her debut poetry collection, Amal Kassir plunges the reader into the ancient legacy and the modern tragedy of Syria. This collection explores utter loss and hope, and tells the tale of not just a nation, but a family who loved their land and their people. This is a story of light and darkness; grief and love; living and fighting to live. Through vetoes and sieges, insomnia and burnt dinner tables, this book is an ode to the resilience of the Syrian people and all they survived without losing their humanity, the most sacred light left in this war-torn world.

This book was written over the course of a young activists journey from raised-fist revolution to the Palmyra dungeons of despair. Every time Kassir thought she was finished, a refugee child would wash up on the world’s shores or an airstrike would hit a family member’s home. But over the 5 years of writing this book, Kassir pushes through darkness with the absolute determination that hope will be found, no matter how brutal the story gets, no matter how subtle the hope may be. The journey through Scud Missile Blues is like that of a walking refugee; you must keep going on this journey through what seems like the end of humanity itself.

It is only through the collective memory of mankind that we can breathe life back into those whose stories are muffled by rubble and death counts. This book is a testament to the Syrian people’s story, a shared witnessing. And as a more tangible way to serve the people we hold space for in this book, 100% of all profits of this book will be donated to the next generation of Syrian children. Visit amalkassir.com to learn about our projects.