Kicking at Clouds, at a whopping 116 pages, is an in depth account of Sonya McRae’s time in Palestine. Part personal narrative, part history lesson, dappled with emails home and maps of disputed regions, this zine is a heartfelt account of the intensity and struggle faced by Palestinians on any given day. It captures well the rage, courage, and compromise that embodies life in a war zone, and wrestles with the complexities of international solidarity.
The first part of the zine is a peek into Sonya’s journal entries and emails home, while the latter part is full of maps and an exhaustive history of the region dating back to biblical times (seriously!). This is invaluable information, especially to folks not well versed in Middle Eastern politics.
Overall, Kicking at Clouds is impressive to the point of being intimidating. The grandeur of this zine is also its downfall; it’s just so big! And the small handwriting and typeface don’t help matters. There is so much information in here, both personal and historical, that at times I was overwhelmed, and could’ve done with a Cole’s Notes version. But critiques aside, this is an indispensable read if you’re looking for a thorough and thought provoking first hand account of life in Palestine from a North American perspective. (Krisztina Kun)
Zine, Sonya McRae, 116 pgs., $5, [email protected]