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Happy April, and Happy Arab American Heritage Month! According to the Arab American Institute, there are roughly 3.7 million Arab Americans living in the United States, most of whom are native-born, and the number now may be larger than originally reported. Since the census does not have a box for those of Arabic heritage, we don’t know the exact number — but we can infer! I myself am one of those Arab Americans, and while Arabs are now represented (to some extent) in American media, there are still many misconceptions about us.
To celebrate Arab American Heritage Month and to help clear up some of those fallacies, I have created this list of some of the best books to read. Specifically, these reads will reveal an honest look at what life is truly like for Arab American women. From unique children’s books to New York Times bestsellers, there’s something for everyone on this list. These books show an honest view of the intricacies of life as an Arab American woman. This Arab American Heritage Month, snag a copy of a book that’ll teach you a little more about a life you may have known nothing about.
Check out my top picks for Arab American Heritage Month below!
‘A Woman is No Man’ by Etaf Rum
Winner of multiple literary awards, A Woman is No Manfollows three generations of Palestenian-American women. The story begins in Palestine in 1990, when Isra is quickly married to Adam, who moves them both to Brooklyn. She not only has to deal with life in a new country, but with her overbearing mother-in-law, Fareeda. Flash forward to 2008, and Isra’s eldest daughter, Deya is struggling with her grandmother – her sole guardian – since her parents died in a car crash. Deya yearns to go to college, but Fareeda wants her to get married. Deya soon learns multiple secrets about her family, which help lead her to determine her own future. The book itself is a rebellion against patriarchal values and also reveals how strong Arab women are.
‘Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America’ by Laila Lalami
In the last few years, we have begun to question our identities as Americans, and what the true values of America are. Pulitzer-prize finalist Laila Lalami reflects on these ideas in her essay collection, Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America. Originally from Morocco, Lalami came to the U.S. for graduate studies. After marrying a U.S. citizen, Lalami began to realize that not every citizen is treated equally. Religion, gender, and race impact who is asked to show proof of their citizenship and who is not. Throughout the essays, Lalami compares and contrasts her experiences in America with her upbringing in Morocco. This is a must-read for those who are trying to understand the meaning of the words “white privilege.”
‘The Beauty of Your Face’ by Sahar Mustafah
This powerful novel centers around a uniquely American problem. The Beauty of Your Face follows Afaf Rahman, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, who currently serves as the principal of a Muslim girl’s school in Chicago. When a shooter, who was inspired by homegrown American terrorists, attacks her school, she reflects back on her own childhood that was rife with bigotry and familial struggles but still had moments of hope.
‘Lailah’s Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story’ by Reem Faruqi and illustrated by Lea Lyon
This endearing children’s book is a great way to introduce your little ones to Ramadan or to help prep your little ones who will start fasting this year. The story follows Lailah, a young girl who has moved to Georgia with her family from Abu Dhabi. When Ramadan begins, Lailah is excited as this is the first year she will fast, but she’s worried that her classmates and teachers will not understand. However, thanks to the help of the school librarian and her teacher, Lailah learns that she can make friends who respect her beliefs and accept her for exactly who she is. Lailah’s Lunchbox is a sweet story that reminds us how important it is to learn about cultures that are different from our own.
‘Dinarzad’s Children: An Anthology of Contemporary Arab American Fiction’ edited by Pauline Kaldas and Khaled Mattawa
These 24 different stories were written by authors of Lebanese, Egyptian, Palestinian, Syrian, and Libyan descent, and the topics of each story do differ. A few of the most prevalent themes include the generational divide between immigrants and their American-born children, in-group stereotyping, and the struggle of recent immigrants to adapt to their new homes in the states. Each story has its own unique tone; some are more humorous while others are quite serious. Dinarzad’s Children is a great introduction to Arab American fiction and the variations between different Arabic cultures.
‘The Language of Baklava: A Memoir’ by Diana Abu-Jaber
If you love to cook, read about cooking, or eat other people’s cooking, then this memoir is for you. Abu-Jaber details the story of her life in upstate New York and Jordan around food in The Language of Baklava: A Memoir. The various dishes described will make your mouth water, but this is not solely a cookbook — Abu-Jaber discusses how cooking allowed her father to keep his Jordanian roots alive — and pass them on to his own children. And if you do get hungry while reading it, Abu-Jaber does include a recipe in each chapter, so you can try making your own dishes.
‘The Night Counter’ by Alia Yunis
Speculative fiction and magic realism have grown in popularity over the last few years, and The Night Counter fits right into that category. 85-year-old Fatima Abduallah knows that her life will end soon, and it will most likely end in nine days, on the 1001st nightly visit from Scheherazade. Just as Scheherazade told magical stories for 1,001 nights to save her life, Fatima has been telling her stories. However, before she passes on, Fatima has a few loose ends she must tie up: the biggest of which is deciding which one of her hot mess children or grandchildren will inherit the family home in Lebanon. Hilarious and endearing, The Night Counterpresents a colorful array of Arabic-American characters that prove that Arab Americans do not always behave the way you may expect them to.
‘The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf’ by Mohja Kahf
While reading about Arab Americans in modern-day America is important, it’s also necessary to read about Arab Americans throughout American history. The Girl in the Tangerine Scarfis loosely based on Kahf’s own upbringing in 1970s Indiana, and doesn’t just focus on one type of Muslim. Much like Americans, Muslims come of all ages, genders, and races. Another interesting aspect of the book is how the protagonist Khadra’s relationship with Islam changes and evolves over time. There is a misconception that a Muslim’s beliefs (and this is true for other religious groups as well) tend to stay exactly the same from childhood well into adulthood, which is not exactly true for everyone. The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf offers essential insights into just how Islamaphoic America was, and unfortunately, still is.
‘West of the Jordan by Laila Halaby
Similar to the Saudian novel, Girls of Riyadh (which you should also read), West of Jordan focuses on four young Arabic women. Mawal is content with her life based on Palestinian traditions in the West Bank; Hala’s heart is torn between her love back in Jordan and her new life in Arizona; Khadija doesn’t know how to handle the sexual freedom of her American friends, especially when living with her abusive father, and Soraya is struggling to adjust to the culture of California. The story is told from multiple viewpoints, including the girls’ other relatives, which can be a little confusing at first, but once you get a grasp of who’s who, you won’t want to put it down.
‘Huda F Are You?’ By Huda Fahmy
This endearing graphic novel was created for anyone who has ever asked themselves the question: who am I? The story centers around Huda, whose family has just moved to Dearborn, MI. In her old town, Huda stood out because she was the hijabi girl. However, due to Dearborn’s large Muslim population, everyone is the hijabi girl, and Huda doesn’t know where she fits in. She tries joining a number of cliques to find herself, but in the end, learns that it’s okay to just be herself. Full of delightful jokes, Huda F Are You is a delightful representation of Arab-American women.
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