Staff Picks: Celebrate National Arab American Month!
by lucroe
April is National Arab American Heritage Month, and to celebrate the many voices of Arab & Arab American writers here are some highlights of books in our collection from fantasy to poetry to cooking. We also have an ever-growing collection of materials in the Arabic language that you can browse here. Of course, there are too many titles to include in one small blog but we hope you enjoy these authors’ works!
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi | Request Now
Alizah is an orphan servant and also a Jinn, still persecuted, even though the wars between Jinn and humans have ended. She is also of royal blood that makes her heir to the Jinn’s lost kingdom. Kamran is the current royal prince in this Kingdom of Ardunia who wants to be a just king like his grandfather. They eventually meet and fall in love. But of course, it is not that easy with possible violent upheavals surrounding them that could potentially put them on opposing sides. This novel has roots in Islamic texts and the Persian epic, Shahnameh. Fantastic world-building and beautiful prose, this should engage any epic fantasy reader. Also, the sequel was just released, These Infinite Threads. If you like this fantasy you may also enjoy The Daughters of Izdihar by debut writer Hadeer Elsbai who blends a unique feminist fantasy inspired by modern Egyptian history.
Wild Fox of Yemen by Threa Almontaser | Request Now
Winner of the Walt Whitman Award & the Maya Angelou Book Award, and nominated for the National Book Award, Almontaser’s poetry debut is a homage to Muslim womanhood, the Arabic language itself, and her native Yemen and its’ people. The speakers in her poems “…move with the force of what cannot be contained by the limits of the American imagination…” More poetry from women of Arabic descent are gathered in the volume, The Poetry of Arab Women which includes poems from such noted writers like Etel Adnan, Mohja Kahf, and UofM alumni, Lisa Suhair Majaj.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone | Request Now
This multiple award-winning sci-fi book centers on two time travelers, Red who is part of a technologically driven world & Blue who is part of an organic consciousness. They are special agents from competing factions waging a war across space and time. They can never meet but they do communicate in very different ways, leaving letters within water and in the flow of lava, for instance. This enemies to lovers romance is a book to be read multiple times to appreciate all the clever wordplay.
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Aḥmad Saʻdāwī | Request Now
From Iraqi writer Saʻdāwī, comes this award-winning novel set in post-U.S. occupied Iraq. A junk dealer collects the body parts of bomb victims to give them a proper burial. By stitching them together he creates one body that comes to life. The body called Whatsitsname goes on a mission of vengeance that spins out of control. The ‘monster’ sees himself as misunderstood, he believes by killing those that created his body parts, he is meting out justice. With dark humor, fascinating character sketches, and deep questions of morality, this is a must read. Other great reads from Iraqi writers include the science fiction short stories in Iraq +100 written in 2017 and the humorous bio from Iraqi American writer, Ayser Salman, The Wrong End of the Table relating her story of moving as a child from Baghdad to Kentucky.
Arabiyya: Recipes From the Life of an Arab in Diaspora by Reem Assil | Request Now
This award-winning Palestinian-Syrian American chef and social activist provides recipes inspired by her Arabic heritage. She begins by introducing home chefs to the spices that make up much of Arabic cooking covering flavors, uses, and possible substitutions. This leads to her specialty, baking, both sweet and savory. Step by step directions with techniques for making each dish, as well as the cultural significance of the particular recipe is provided. Chapters beyond baking include vegetable dishes, mains, and small plates. An excellent introduction to Arabic cooking and to add some delicious spices to the home kitchen.
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