Pomegranate Explores Young Woman’s Mesmerizing Journey Toward Self-Empowerment
Ancestral norms clash with the freedoms of a new generation in the powerful new book Pomegranate, from award-winning author Weam Namou.
Pomegranate shares the story of Niran, a Muslim woman coming of age in Detroit after emigrating from Iraq. Moving from war-torn Iraq to the U.S. was not easy for Niran, especially since it meant living as a liberal Muslim immigrant in a neighborhood of well-to-do, conservative Christians during the 2016 presidential election. As a young adult, Niran chafes under the tight rein of her headstrong mother who, enforcing tradition and obedience, stifles her children’s individuality.
Inspired by her idol Enheduanna, the first recorded writer in history and a famed priestess of Ancient Mesopotamia, Niran navigates societal challenges, fights against cultural stereotypes and most of all aims to make her voice heard by all around her.
Author Weam Namou
Niran is surrounded by strong, opinionated women. Can she live up to their expectations while meeting her own?
About the Author
Weam Namou was born in Baghdad to an ancient lineage called the Chaldeans (Neo-Babylonians who still speak Aramaic). She’s an award-winning author of 14 books, an international award-winning filmmaker, journalist, poet and Ambassador for the Authors Guild of America (Detroit Chapter). She hosts a half-hour weekly TV show and founded The Path of Consciousness, a spiritual and writing community. She created Unique Voices in Films, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, and Namou’s work has been published in many national and international publications. One of her best-known books, The Great American Family, won the Eric Hoffer Award, and she wrote, produced and directed an award-winning documentary based on the same book. Additionally, she has written and directed Pomegranate the movie, which you can learn more about at www.PomegranateMovie.com.
For over a decade, Namou has been giving talks, presentations and workshops at libraries, colleges and universities, and for special groups. She is currently available both nationally and internationally via virtual platforms.
For more information, please visit www.weamnamou.com or connect with the author on social media at https://www.facebook.com/weamnamou or (Twitter) @weamnamou.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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