Songs for the Dead and the Living

Songs for the Dead and the Living is the acclaimed debut novel by poet and human-rights lawyer Sara M. Saleh, published by Affirm Press in 2023. Told across three times and places, Lebanon (1977-1982), Egypt (1982-1985), and Sydney (1984-1986), it follows Jamilah and her extended family as they navigate life as Palestinian refugees, escape war, and rebuild across continents.

Drawing on Saleh's own heritage as the daughter of Palestinian, Egyptian and Lebanese immigrants, the novel is a lyrical family saga about home, exile, identity and intergenerational resilience. Its poetic prose reflects the author's background as an award-winning poet.

The book was shortlisted for the Khairallah Prize for Literature and co-won the Australian Society of Authors' Barbara Jefferis Award in 2024.