‘Publishing is a dream, but this has also been one of the hardest years of my life ’: Palestinian author Yasmin Zaher
The GuardianSunday, June 1, 2025 at 12:00:17 PM
Palestinian author Yasmin Zaher, who recently won the prestigious Dylan Thomas Prize for young writers, opens up about the bittersweet reality of her literary success. While achieving her dream of publishing her debut novel The Coin—a work inspired by childhood memories—she describes this past year as one of the hardest of her life. Zaher also reflects on her unconventional path, leaving medical training to chase fiction, and touches on themes of privilege and exclusion, using the elusive Birkin bag as a metaphor.
Editor’s Note: Zaher’s story resonates beyond just a prize win—it’s about the messy, often painful intersection of ambition and identity. Her candidness about sacrifice and the emotional toll of creativity makes this more than a typical "author succeeds" piece. Plus, tying her Palestinian roots into her work adds depth to conversations about whose stories get celebrated in global literature.
— Curated via WP Now’s
