Dear Reader,

Drum roll ready?

As promised, you are among the first to see the unveiling of the cover for my new book, Palestine Bleeds For You. Mark your calendars for an anticipated June 9 book release, worldwide.

About the cover art:

1. The mind-numbing barrage of horrific images from Gaza has led me to embrace calligraphic art, harmonizing with Palestine’s aniconic Islamic cultural heritage, and a reminder of the enduring power of words.
2. The poem identifies Palestine, emphasizing the unity and contiguity of its land, while simultaneously highlighting the active erasure it confronts.
3. The shape of the map, with the Arabic “Falasteen” in red, resembles a knife dipped in blood, or the tip of a quill dipped in red ink and used to sign the author’s name, alluding to the line “The only weapons I hold are a pen and a keyboard.”
4. I painted the Arabic calligraphy with my finger on a touchscreen, so the author’s actual signature is on the cover of every copy.
5. The background image is of spray from the waves at al-Manshiyyeh beach in Yafa.

A pre-order link will become available next week on the publisher’s website. Towards the end of May, I will send another email with the link, reviews, and launch events.

While awaiting reviews of the new book, I was pleasantly surprised to receive three reviews of Fugitive Dreams in the span of a week (from Justina Poskeviciute, Tom Hall, and Helen Cooke). It’s nice to know that readers are still finding its personal perspective relevant and meaningful.

Enjoy the selection below from my new Substack, Renegade Living. A great big thank you to all those who subscribed! Enjoy my reviews of a few must-read books, and a long poem I have just unveiled at an event in Baltimore, “I Reject Your American Dream.” I leave you with a few photos from numerous recent events.

With love,
Ramsey Hanhan

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FROM MY SUBSTACK

Reconnect With Your Dreams “People forgo their dreams for the sake of expediency.” Read Essay

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POETRY

I Reject Your American Dream Read / Listen to Poem

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REVIEWS

The Cactus and the Sunflower Palestinian Novelist Sahar Khalife, the early works Read Review

A Prescient, Courageous, and Far-Sighted Book Review of Rebecca Ruth Gould’s Erasing Palestine Read Review

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RECENT SPEAKING EVENTS

At Belair First Presbytarian Church; at Baltimore 2 Palestine's May Day celebration; and at White Oak Library after co-hosting a poetry workshop with award-winning poet Layanne Khaskia.

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Ramsey Hanhan is a father, scientist, and independent author of two books: Palestine Bleeds For You (2026) and the autobiographical Fugitive Dreams (2022). His short stories, essays, and poetry appear in The Harvard Advocate, Fikra magazine, Scene48, Mondoweiss and other publications. A former physics professor, Ramsey lives near Baltimore, and speaks on Palestine and literature. Ramsey's Website ​​​​​​​