'A penetrating insight into the world as seen from the point of view of someone born and bred a Palestinian refugee in a Gaza camp ... Atwan's authentic voice and sharp, descriptive writing brings alive a lifetime spent deep in the travails of the Middle Eastern tragedy.' Polly Toynbee 'Atwan's enthralling memoir charts his meteoric rise from shoeless urchin in the 1950s to cultured commentator whose opinion is now sought all over the world - A Country of Words combines in-depth analysis with a welcome dose of the personal - A skilful raconteur' Tribune Magazine 'A Country of Words traces [Atwan's] life in greater detail while also offering chapters on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, London, and his fascinating interviews with Osama Bin Laden and Yasser Arafat.' The Middle East in London 'A remarkable Palestinian memoir, exceptional because of its abundance of compassion, humor and humility' Electronic Intifada

Abdel Bari Atwan was Editor-in-Chief at the London-based newspaper, Al Quds al-Arabi, which he edited for the twenty years. Atwan interviewed Osama bin Laden in the late 1990s and has cultivated uniquely well-placed sources from within the various branches of al-Qa'ida over the last fifteen years. His other works include The Secret History of al-Qa'ida and After Bin Laden: Al-Qa'ida The Next Generation(both published by Saqi Books).