Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Contact
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Arab Radio Podcast intro
    • Radio Baladi Detroit
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Toggle search form
  • Al-Haq
    War crimes probe urged against two Israeli snipers who intentionally killed civilian women, children Christian & Muslim
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    CAIR Says Israel Turns Gaza into ‘Human Slaughterhouse’ as Killing of Civilians Continues Arab World
  • photo credit author Nehemia Gershuni-Aylho www.NGPhoto.biz and Wikipedia
    Emergency Court Motions to Stop Elbit Drone Parts Shipment via Frankfurt Airport  Activism
  • American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh murdered by Israeli soldiers May 11, 2022
    Documentary names soldier it says killed Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022 American Arabs
  • Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ
    Jordan bans 12 news sites for ‘spreading media poison’ following corruption report Arab World
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech Activism
  • ADC creates emergency fund to defend people who are being punished for expressing views on the American-sanction violence by Israel in the Gaza Strip. Photo courtesy of ADC
    ADC Condemns ADL, Rep. Torres’ Defamation of Dr. Lara Sheehi Activism
  • UN Special Committee on Israeli practices in occupied territories warns of a second Nakba  Arab World
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month Activism
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders American Arabs
  • Stuffed Grape Leaves. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    A recipe on how to make Stuffed Grape Leaves with lamb, ox tail and rice American Arabs
  • Andrew Boutros, interim US Attorney Northern District of Illinois. Photo courtesy of the US Attorney's Office
    Andrew S. Boutros Takes Oath of Office as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois American Arabs
  • Israeli massacres of Palestinian civilians March 18 2025
    Palestinians demand investigation of Israeli war crimes in Gaza Strip Arab World
  • Illinois Muslim Action Day April 9 2025
    Illinois Muslim Action Day Policies at April 9 Statehouse News Conference American Arabs
  • Investigation demanded in March 23 massacre of 15 first responders by Israel's military in Rafah
    Investigation demanded into Israel slaughter of First Responder in Rafah on March 23, 2025 Arab World

Sarah Houssayni offers new book on Shiite life in Lebanon

Posted on March 3, 2015March 3, 2015 By rayhanania No Comments on Sarah Houssayni offers new book on Shiite life in Lebanon
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Lebanese author Sarah Houssayni provides insight into the life and challenges of Shiite residents in the suburbs of Beirut in her new book, “Fireworks.”

Sarah Houssayni Lebanese author, new book Fireworks
Sarah Houssayni Lebanese author, new book Fireworks

Fireworks, the debut novel from Lebanese-born Sarah Houssayni, transports readers to the Shiite suburbs leveled and devastated during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War. Quite literally a tale of war and peace, the book illustrates the stark contrast in the lives of Lebanese people during this time, divided by their socioeconomic settings and religious backgrounds.

Fireworks tells the story of two women thrown into the Hezbollah Israel war of 2006. Angie is a thirty year old nurse from Kansas, in Beirut for the summer to get away from a broken heart. Zahra is a sixteen year old Shiite, on summer break and in love for the first time. Through terror, loss, grief, self-forgiveness and the workings of a local doctor, the two women move from despair to grace and to the long-awaited shore.

“Fireworks illuminates the complexity of religious codes and cultural boundaries.  From Kansas City to Beirut, Houssayni’s characters navigate family tension, political unrest, and unexamined grief. This is a writer full of curiosity and courage.” –Christine Hemp, award winning poet and NPR host,www.christinehemp.com

“This story could not be more timely. The breadth of Houssayni’s empathetic imagination in Fireworks is impressive; the writing is sensitive to difference in the best sense.” –Charles Holdefer, author of The Contractor

“Sarah Houssayni’s Fireworks delivers a vivid and rewarding tale. From Kansas City to New York City, to Beirut and Lebanon, Houssayni’s debut encompasses and transcends the known world through characters that are fully fleshed and deftly wrought. This story gets to the heart of everything we are: socially, politically, psychologically and emotionally. Brilliantly plotted. I couldn’t put it down. –Juliet Patterson, author of The Truant Lover and Dirge

Amidst the chaos, two women – Angie, a thirty year old nurse from Kansas who visits Beirut for the summer to escape a broken heart, and Zahra, a sixteen year old Shiite on summer break and in love for the first time – cross paths. In the thick of terror, loss, grief, self-forgiveness and the workings of a local doctor, the two women move from despair to grace.

Through Zahra’s story in particular, readers get a first-hand look at a patriarchal society in which women are afforded few rights and liberties. At her family’s behest, Zahra has to accept an unwanted engagement in order to provide her mother a place to stay. Fighting authority and defying the rules, she decides to give her body to the man she truly loves, in order to avoid being a virgin when she marries the unwanted fiancé. The man she loved, however, finds himself unsure of wanting a rebellious woman, even if the fight was for him.

“People who break social norms are in constant hiding in this part of the world, each managing differently to reconcile their identity and society,” says Houssayni. “Nadim, a gay physician in the book, loves and serves his people who would throw him in jail or even kill him if they knew about his secret life.”

Fireworks offers a unique perspective of Shiite women in the Hezbollah suburbs that suffered the brunt of the war, gay men in Lebanon, and uncensored peeks at the rest of the social classes, religions and ways of life in a very diverse environment. The subliminal and overt struggles between Sunnis and Shiites, Hezbollah and its local opponents set up a historically accurate foundation for what the area became following 2006. Loss and grief, as unwelcome as the violent two month war ultimately bring surrender and eventual peace.

In captivating prose, themes explored in Fireworks include:

  • The daily reality of men and women in Lebanon, their lifestyles colored differently by their religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
  • Feminism in the Middle East
  • The daily struggles of the LGBT community in Lebanon
  • Patriarchy in Islam and the Arab World
  • Love lived, lost and reconciled

Sarah Houssayni was born in Beirut, Lebanon. At age 25, she moved to the United States to complete her training in Pediatrics. Sarah now lives in Wichita, KS, where she is a clinical assistant professor at Kansas University. Through her clinical work and writing, she advocates for refugees and immigrants in the U.S. Her previously published titles include Narratives in Family Medicine, Survive and Thrive, The Examined Life and Pulse Voices.

Click here to view the Website.

Fireworks will be available for purchase on February 27th, 2015 from Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com and through all major booksellers.

Fireworks
$20
ISBN: 978-1-937536-92-3
LCCN: 2014954036
6X9″, 180pp
February 27, 2015)

###

newswire info
  • About
  • Latest Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israelisnipers shooting and killing hospital workers in Gaza - December 11, 2023
  • CAIR Condemns Israeli Executions of Wounded, Unarmed Palestinian in West Bank   - December 11, 2023
  • Arab and Muslim American voters face a “simple choice” between Biden’s inhumanity and Trump’s edgy politics - December 9, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Arab World, Entertainment, Press Releases, Spotlight Tags:conflict, Fireworks, Hezbollah, Israel, Lebanon, Sarah Houssayni, Shiite, war

Post navigation

Previous Post: Sunday of Orthodoxy Celebrated in Taybeh, Palestine
Next Post: Banksy British artist spotlights devastation in Gaza

Related Posts

  • The New York Times and the One-State Two-State Vanunu Blues #ThisAmerican #Reporter American Arabs
  • Martyred Valentines and Evolutionary Love   Arab World
  • English: Detailed map of Israeli settlements on the West Bank, January 2006. Produced by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - public UN source. Map Centre: http://www.ochaopt.org/?module=displaysection§ion_id=96&format=html (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
    EU, France, Ireland urge decisive action to block Israeli annexation of West Bank Arab World
  • Congresswoman BettyMcCollumn on The Ray Hanania Radio Show Sept. 1, 2021 on the US Arab Radio Network sponsored by Arab News
    Arab Radio looks at American evacuation of Afghanistan to the Taliban Arab News
  • Mohammed bin Rashid breaks ground on world’s biggest Solar Power project Arab World
  • Palestinians protest in support of hunger strikers at the Gaza border with Nahal Oz. Photo copyright Gaza Strip Photographer Ahmad Hasaballah
    Israel violates rule of law, oppressing innocent civilians Arab World

More Related Articles

Israeli attorney Lea Tsemel fights for civil rights including for Palestinians. Featured in new documentary Advocate which premiered on POV on PBS July 27, 2020. Photo courtesy of POV Documentary on civil rights champion Lea Tsemel premieres July 27 Activism
Riseup Radio talkshow host Rush Darwish Arabs, Muslims describe Chapel Hill shootings as hate crime American Arabs
The Death of Reason: American bias when it comes to Justice Arab World
H.E. Ambassador Salah Sarhan, Chief Representative to the League of Arab States in Washington D.C. (Photo credit: Samia AbdelWahed, courtesy of PR News Wire Arab League celebrates Arab women American Arabs
Christian Orthodox prepare for Easter celebrations Arab World
Israeli Knesset Deputy Speaker Ahmad Tibi is beaten by Israeli police while participating in a protest against the relocation of the US Embassy Monday May 14, 2018. Photo courtesy of MK Ahmad Tibi Haifa peace activists protest Gaza killings Arab World

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Ray Hanania's 4 times a week columns at https://RayHanania.com at Substack

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Photo courtesy of Journalist Abdennour Toumi
    France: Political Compromise vs Political Instability
    August 28, 2024
  • Zakia Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia
    Arabs eat Middle East food like they are making love
    June 27, 2024
  • Zwar lamb kabob and kufta with white and yellow rice
    Zwar ranked the Best Middle East restaurant in Chicagoland suburbs
    June 8, 2024
  • Pictured: Rahm Emanuel, Afghan activist Salman Aftab who was co-chair of the Iftar dinner, and several non-Arab Muslim leaders. Also pictured is Ald. Joe Moore. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania for Arab News
    Comprehensive look at the failings of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
    January 18, 2024
  • NEWSWIRE
  • CAIR Logo. Council on American Islamic Relations
    CAIR Condemns MIT for banning Class President from Graduation Ceremony over Anti-Genocide speech
    June 1, 2025
  • Arab American community liaison Hassan Nijem, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Basta at the Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by Pappas’s office.
    Pappas honors Arab American business and community leaders for Heritage Month
    April 29, 2025
  • 04-28-25 Pappas Arab Heritage Month
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recognizes Arab American Heritage Month by honoring business and community leaders
    April 27, 2025
  • Mike Ghouse
    Celebration of 500th Interfaith Marriage Ceremony
    February 14, 2025

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • NEWS
  • Al-Haq
    War crimes probe urged against two Israeli snipers who intentionally killed civilian women, children
    July 2, 2025
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    CAIR Says Israel Turns Gaza into ‘Human Slaughterhouse’ as Killing of Civilians Continues
    July 1, 2025
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Faisal Abbas Book Anecdotes
    Book Review: Arab author shares his anecdotes living in the United Kingdom
    October 22, 2024
  • Columnist Ray Hanania at the ADC Convention in Dearborn with the author Susan Abulhawa
    Book Review: Mornings in Jenin bySusan Abulhawa
    September 14, 2024
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Television set and remote. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
    MBC GROUP unveils MBCNOW, its brand-new groundbreaking entertainment service aggregator
    February 24, 2025
  • ArabCon 2024 Gala Program features Dr. Cornel West, Macklemore, and more
    September 6, 2024
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2025 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme