Soldiers' Walk

Hadith al-Jnoud (Arabic: حديث الجنود, lit. 'Soldiers' Talk') is a novel by Ayman Otoom, published in 2014.. It is about student protests at Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan, during the mid-1980s, particularly in Ramadan in May 1986. The protests resulted in deaths, injuries, and arrests. The novel draws on accounts given to Otoom by the protest leader and other participants. Its second edition was later banned by Jordan's Publications Department after being imported from a private publishing house in Beirut, and the author was subsequently subject to legal proceedings. Ward, the novel's main character, is presented as one of those shaped by the protests and their consequences. Through his perspective, the novel depicts the demonstrations in Irbid and the experiences of those who participated in them. Among the other characters are Naima, Ward's uncle, and a number of his companions, who represent different social and ideological backgrounds.