Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
Arab American Memoir: “Stories My Father Told Me” Memories of a Childhood in Syria and Lebanon By Elia Zughaib, Illustrated by Helen Zughaib In a world driven by power, money, and the pursuit of personal success, Helen and her father Elia have given us a glimpse of an intact society stretched to the limit, yet…
Read More “Arab American Memoir: “Stories My Father Told Me”” »
New Book: Empower a Refugee: Peace of Thread & the Backyard Humanity Movement Refugees who have fled famine and violence and resettled in the US too often are isolated, disconnected, living in despair. They typically have housing, food, clothing. Yet they miss the large inter-connected families, the all-embracing social fabric of their previous homes. They yearn…
Read More “New Book: Empower a Refugee: Peace of Thread & the Backyard Humanity Movement” »
Dancing to the Darkest Light: Turning Tragedy Into Something Positive To Enrich The Lives Of Other Arriving in New York after fleeing the terror of the Islamic revolution in Iran, Soheila Adelipour and her family believed the worst was behind them. Life was great for a while; the kids went to college, worked hard and…
Book Release: Kettani publishes book about World Muslim Population Book is first of its kind research on Muslims, Halal, and sequel to stay of Muslim world population Dr. Houssain Kettani, professor of computer science, had his book “The World Muslim Population Spatial and Temporal Analyses” published this fall. This is his second book, following “The…
Read More “Book Release: Kettani publishes book about World Muslim Population” »
New book: The Road to Nablus The Road to Nablus is the extraordinary fictionalized true story of the author’s father, Abed Hadi, and his escape from a Palestinian refugee camp in the 1940s, chronicling his remarkable journey to his eventual home in St. Louis, Missouri. As a young boy Abed Hadi survived a massacre, a death…
Book Review: A Darkly humorous saga set in Post 9/11 America and the Middle East When All Else Fails by author Rayyan Al-Shawaf begins on September 12th, 2001. It is the story of Hunayn, a luckless and lovelorn Iraqi college student living in Orlando, Florida, after having graduated from high school in Beirut. Hunayn’s life is…
Read More “Book Review: A Darkly humorous saga set in Post 9/11 America and the Middle East” »
Palestinian human rights activist publishes memoir on Arab Spring A Rebel in Gaza: Behind the Lines of the Arab Spring is a critical memoir documenting years of upheaval presents a compelling personal view of life in Gaza for progressive youth; Gaza has always been rebellious . . . stubborn, addictive. I’m her daughter, and I look…
Read More “Palestinian human rights activist publishes memoir on Arab Spring” »
Unholy Land: An Unconventional Guide to Israel Cosmopolitan writing on travel, food, culture, sex, and politics, from some of Israel’s greatest young writers Part hipster travelogue, part from-the-ground-up look at Israeli politics, Unholy Land offers a kaleidoscope through which the reader will view the country and the region in new light and color. Actor Rana…
Read More “Unholy Land: An Unconventional Guide to Israel” »
“The Fox Hunt” — Book details Yemeni refugee’s struggle Four strangers. Three faiths. One extraordinary escape to freedom. “The Fox Hunt,” by Mohammed Al Samawi “The Fox Hunt” (William Morrow, April 10, 2018) is a first-person story of a young Muslim man from Yemen who, with the help of a group of largely Jewish activists on…
Read More ““The Fox Hunt” — Book details Yemeni refugee’s struggle” »
New book empowers Arabs to fight back against media bias A new book that empowers Arabs and Muslims in America to effectively confront and change news media bias was published this week by award-winning Palestinian American columnist and former Chicago City Hall journalist Ray Hanania. Yalla! Fight Back offers a strategic plan for Arabs and…
Read More “New book empowers Arabs to fight back against media bias” »
New book explores the Syrian Refugee crisis We have all seen the heartbreaking photos of Syrian refugees, but few of us will ever know firsthand what it’s like to be one. THE MAP OF SALT AND STARS (Touchstone; Hardcover; $27; ISBN: 9780501169038; on sale: May 1, 2018), the debut novel by Syrian American writer Jennifer…
Georgetown Professor pens new book on Arab Culture in Doha The Doha Experiment by Gary Wasserman is a fascinating and illuminating window into Arab culture by a professor teaching American politics at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Doha, Qatar. The following is quoted from the author about his newly relased book, The Doha…
Read More “Georgetown Professor pens new book on Arab Culture in Doha” »
New Book: “Burning Country” – New edition, Syrians in Revolution and War by authors Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila Al-Shami Paperback | 20th February 2018 | 9780745337821 | 320pp | £14.99 In 2011, many Syrians took to the streets of Damascus to demand the overthrow of the government of Bashar al-Assad. Today, much of Syria has become a war…
Read More “New Book: “Burning Country” – New edition, Syrians in Revolution and War” »
Fifth Wednesday Journal publishes essays from Middle East writers Fifth Wednesday Journal, a twice yearly publication, released its latest issue which focuses on the experiences and writings of authors whose origins trace to the Middle East and North Africa. The Journal features the submissions of 33 authors and photographers and is now available for purchase….
Read More “Fifth Wednesday Journal publishes essays from Middle East writers” »
Blood in the Desert: Only The Unwavering Power Of Love And Faith Can Overcome Persecution Religious persecution was an all-too cruel reality for early Christians in 294 A.D. The Roman Empire searched relentlessly for believers, torturing and killing some and selling others into slavery. It was a dark time for Miriam, an orphaned young woman…
Adam Levinson releases new book The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah: Fear and Love in the Modern Middle East By Adam Valen Levinson In THE ABU DHABI BAR MITZVAH: Fear and Love in the Modern Middle East [W. W. Norton & Company; November 14, 2017; $25.95 hardcover], Valen Levinson, armed only with college…
Read More “Adam Levinson releases new book The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah” »
Ehrenreich book exposes media lies about Israel’s occupation Author and award winning journalist Ben Ehrenreich pens a new book that offers readers fair and balanced insight into the reality of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinians in a way that most mainstream American news media pretends does not exist. Ehrenreich has come under vicious attack…
Read More “Ehrenreich book exposes media lies about Israel’s occupation” »
Salt Houses, new book on Palestinian experience Hala Alyan has written a phenomenal book that shares the experiences of a Palestinian family from Nablus, told from multiple perspectives as the family is scattered throughout the Middle East and the West. SALT HOUSES (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, May 2, 2017) is the dazzling debut novel by Hala…
Read More “Salt Houses, new book on Palestinian experience” »