Harper NonFiction acquires Douglas Murray's book about Middle East and the West

Harper NonFiction has acquired author and journalist Douglas Murray’s book about the Middle East and the West. Harper NonFiction publisher, Joel Simons acquired world all-language rights to On Democracies and Death Cults from Matthew Hamilton at the Hamilton Agency along with Broadside Books executive editor Eric Nelson, who is overseeing publication at HarperCollins in the US.

In the book, Murray draws on his on-the-ground reporting in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, "taking readers on a harrowing journey through the horrific aftermath of the 7th October attack". The synopsis continues: "In the book, Murray argues Israel’s commitment to fundamental Western values—capitalism, individual rights, democracy and reason—contrasts with the ideology of Hamas, which openly proclaims its love of death over life, seeking to undermine democratic values and perpetuate a culture of violence."

Murray said: "I’m thrilled to be working again with Joel Simons, Eric Nelson and the teams at Harper NonFiction and Broadside, who were such formidable champions of The War On The West. This will be my most personal book to date. For the past year I have been living in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon collecting first-hand testimony of the massacres of 7th October. I wanted to see with my own eyes what had happened. But the book I want to write is not just about the events of that day, but about what it tells us. Not just about Israel, the Palestinians, the Middle East and the future of the West, but about what people do in extremis. From the people who step up to defend our societies to the people who want to destroy them."

Simons said: "At a moment of great peril for Israel, the Jewish diaspora and the Middle East, Douglas Murray presents a compelling argument with context and clarity. On Democracies and Death Cults explores the implications of the events of the past 12 months with customary lucidity and rigour, in what I’m sure will be an essential read for years to come."

The book will publish in hardback, e-book and audiobook on 10th April 2025.