Coming Events at Revolution Books

An Evening to Support and Defend 
Mosab Abu Toha

The Palestinian poet and 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner is being targeted with threats and deportation.

Distinguished Poets And Writers

will come together to read from Mosab's work, including Ru Freeman, Alice Ostriker, Barry Wallenstein & many more, see below. (Mosab will not be present.)

This Wednesday, June 4, Revolution Books will host a special evening of writers and poets who will read from the work of Mosab Abu Toha, and let it be known we will not allow his voice to be silenced.

Mosab Abu Toha has been described as the “essential poet embodying the humanity of Gaza.” He is also a scholar, teacher, journalist-- and the founder of the Edward Said Library, the first English-language library in Gaza (now destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces). Amid the chaos of Israel's all-out invasion of Gaza 19 months ago, Mosab kept writing -- until he and his family were forced to flee to the US. In November 2024, he published his second book of poems, Forest of Noise, to great acclaim.

But this past April, Mosab was forced to cancel his nationwide book tour owing to threats from Betar, the extreme right-wing vigilante organization targeting pro-Palestine voices. Like other Palestinian writers and activists in the US, and like so many immigrants... Mosab fears for his safety and the real possibility of abduction and deportation.

In May, Mosab Abu Toha received the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for journalism, for his writings in The New Yorker. 

The birds wake up and look for food.

They chirp on the blossoming trees, laden with fruit,

with peaches, apples, apricots, and oranges.

And we, we are still looking for Palestine.

–Mosab Abu Toha

Reserve your seat for this event here. Space limited.

* * *

Poets & writers participating in Wednesday night's program include:

Rebecca Chace, Faculty Associate at the Bard College Institute for Writing and Thinking, a regular contributor to The New York Times. Her third novel, Talking to the Wolf, will be out in 2026.

Ru Freeman, a Sri Lankan and American writer, poet, and activist whose work appears internationally and in translation. Her latest book is Bon Courage: Essays on Inheritance, Citizenship & A Creative Life.

Barbara Fischkin, author of three books, including Muddy Cup: A Dominican Family Comes of Age in New America.

David Groff,  a poet and independent book editor. His most recent book is Live in Suspense.

Pam Laskin, poet and author of young adult novels. Before retiring, she directed The Poetry Outreach Center at CCNY.

Alice Suskin Ostriker, NY State Poet Laureate, 2018. Her latest book is Holy & Broken Bliss: Poems in Plague Time.

Kay Poema, the 2023-2025 Bronx Poet Laureate teaches at City College of New York (CCNY). Her poetry collections include Cry Sweat Bleed Write.

Dan Sheehan is the editor-in-chief of Book Marks at LitHub.org and the author of the novel Restless Souls.

Amber C. Snider, NYC-based journalist whose articles have appeared in The New York Times and Teen Vogue. Author of Wonderment (2025).

Barry Wallenstein, Emeritus Professor of Literature and Creative Writing at CCNY, author of thirteen collections of poetry, including his 2025 Odd Men Out (or IN).

• Defend and Stand With Mosab Abu Toha
• Palestinian Voices Must Not Be Silenced, Activists Must Not Be Punished, and We Who Come Together in Solidarity Say: The Genocide Must STOP
• In the Name of Humanity, We Refuse to Accept a Fascist America!