The Lives and Deaths of Jubrail Dabdoub: Or, How the Bethlehemites Discovered Amerka

The Lives and Deaths of Jubrail Dabdoub is a novel that tells the fantastical, yet real, story of the merchants of Bethlehem in the nineteenth century. It follows the journey of Jubrail Dabdoub, a young man who traveled to every corner of the globe and returned with news of mysterious lands and strange inventions. With newfound wealth, the merchants built shimmering pink mansions that transformed Bethlehem into Palestine's wealthiest and most cosmopolitan town. The book explores the porous lines between history and fiction, the normal and the paranormal, and the everyday and the extraordinary, offering an original approach to historical writing.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 290 pages
Publication date: 24 January 2023
Publisher: Stanford University Press

The fantastical yet real story of the merchants of Bethlehem unfolds in the nineteenth century, as young men embarked on daring journeys across the globe. Armed with suitcases filled with crosses and rosaries, they set off on the backs of donkeys, destined to return via steamship with suitcases bursting with French francs, Philippine pesos, or Salvadoran colones. Upon their return, they brought with them tales of mysterious lands and extraordinary inventions, such as clocks, trains, and other marvels that both fascinated and bewildered the Bethlehemites. With their newfound wealth, these merchants constructed shimmering pink mansions, transforming Bethlehem from a rural village into Palestine's most prosperous and cosmopolitan town. At the heart of these extraordinary events was Jubrail Dabdoub, a man whose life and experiences would become the subject of The Lives and Deaths of Jubrail Dabdoub.

The book delves into the realms of the fantastic and improbable, offering a version of Palestinian history that is rarely acknowledged. From his childhood in rural Bethlehem to his later voyages across Europe, East Asia, and the Americas, Jubrail's story culminates in a recorded miracle in 1909, when he was brought back from the dead. Through the lens of Jubrail's life, author Jacob Norris explores the blurred lines between history and fiction, the ordinary and the paranormal, and the everyday and the extraordinary.

Drawing on aspects of magical realism and Palestinian folklore, Norris recreates the atmosphere of late nineteenth-century Bethlehem, a time of excitement, disorientation, and wonder as the town was thrust into a new era. The book offers an original approach to historical writing, capturing a fantastic story of global encounters and exchange.

In conclusion, The Lives and Deaths of Jubrail Dabdoub is a captivating tale that sheds light on the extraordinary lives of the merchants of Bethlehem and the enigmatic figure of Jubrail Dabdoub. Through its exploration of the fantastical and the real, the book offers a unique perspective on Palestinian history and invites readers to consider the boundaries between reality and imagination.

Weight: 452g
Dimension: 228 x 153 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503633759