The Moon That Turns You Back is a new collection of poetry by Hala Alyan, the author of The Arsonists' City and The Twenty-Ninth Year. This collection explores the fragmentation of memory, archive, and family across different times and places. Alyan delves into the experiences of displacement and war, creating a tapestry of memories that interlink Brooklyn, Beirut, and Jerusalem.

The poems challenge the boundaries between space and time, intermingling daily life with the brutalities of geopolitical strife. Alyan examines the forces that can displace an individual from home and body, and conversely, the resilience and love that can anchor a person back into their essence and familial legacy. The work raises poignant questions about transformation and stability for those who have led a life in constant change.