Overview

The secret life of a Palestinian Communist activist during the rise of World War II. In the public eye, Najati Sidqi was known as a journalist and writer, a translator of Russian classics, and an outspoken opponent of Nazism. However, Sidqi concealed a critical component of his life from the world and his family. He was an underground activist for the Palestinian Communist Party, a risky and influential pursuit that led him to British-ruled courts, prison cells, Nazi Germany, Stalin’s Moscow, devastated interwar Paris, and Civil War Spain. Throughout his journey, Sidqi continued to write, even as he faced fascism, intense surveillance, active warzones, the death of friends, and exile. Memoirs of a Palestinian Communist brings to light the incredible life and work of Sidqi. The memoir describes his international travels, his work as an activist, and his political dealings. Translated from Arabic for the first time, it is a riveting firsthand account of an often-overlooked aspect of the history of the global left.

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9781477333228

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Najati Sidqi was a journalist and writer, a translator of Russian classics, and an outspoken opponent of Nazism. Margaret Litvin is an associate professor of Arabic and comparative literature at Boston University. Her literary translations include Egyptian writer Sonallah Ibrahim's novel Ice. Anas Farhan holds a BA in international relations from Boston University. Gideon Gordon holds a BA in international relations and Middle East & North Africa studies from Boston University. He is a 2024–2025 Center for Arabic Study Abroad fellow.

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