"The Optimist: A Social Biography of Tawfiq Zayyad" by Tamir Sorek presents the first-ever social biography of Tawfiq Zayyad (1929-1994), a renowned Palestinian poet, activist, and leader.
The book provides a detailed account of Zayyad's life, starting from his childhood in Palestine during the British Mandate era, his involvement with the Israeli Communist Party following the 1948 Nakba, and his transformation into a revolutionary poet in the 1960s. The book highlights the critical role that Zayyad and his contemporaries played in shaping Palestinian national identity through their poetic expressions.
Sociologist Tamir Sorek uses a unique approach by drawing from diverse sources, including Zayyad's interviews, recollections from childhood friends, and historical context. Notably, Sorek uses Zayyad's poetry as a lens to intricately intertwine the personal and political aspects of Zayyad's remarkable journey.
About the author
Tamir Sorek is a professor of Middle East history in the Liberal Arts department at Pennsylvania State University. He has authored two books, "Palestinian Commemoration in Israel: Calendar, Monuments, and Martyrs" (Stanford, 2015) and "Arab Soccer in a Jewish State: The Integrative Enclave" (2007).
