John Murray signs Em Hilton’s memoir It Was Promised to Me
John Murray has acquired It Was Promised to Me, a memoir by Em Hilton, international policy director of Diaspora Alliance, which seeks to oppose and counter antisemitism.
Siam Hatzaw, assistant editor at John Murray and Basic Books, acquired world all-language rights to the memoir from Kay Peddle at Colwill & Peddle, with publication scheduled for March 2028.
It Was Promised to Me “documents Hilton’s journey as she reckons with her Jewish Zionist upbringing to become a leading UK Jewish voice advocating for a free Palestine”, the publisher says, “melding memoir, investigation and historical analysis”.
Hatzaw said: “I was deeply moved by Em’s story, which delves into what it means to learn and change and grow as humans, grappling with complex questions around the Jewish relationship to Israel with such sensitivity and bravery. As we continue to bear witness to the genocide, ashamed of our failures and in search of hope and solidarity, this book will be a valuable contribution to the publishing on Palestine. I’m thrilled to welcome Em on to the list.”
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Hilton commented: “I am honoured and delighted that It Was Promised to Me will be published by John Murray and to work with Siam Hatzaw on this project. I hope it adds to the canon of thinkers, organisers, writers and activists who have grappled with this challenging subject matter.
“Like many other Jewish people around the world, I have felt broken in half in the face of the unending violence, destruction that Israel has wrought against Palestinians for decades, but particularly since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza. This book is an attempt to understand not only how we got here, but why unlearning Zionism is the most urgent and necessary moral duty Jewish people face and ensure that we work towards a world where everyone is free.”
