Introduction -- Pain management / Elmaz Abinader -- in which you do not ask the state of israel to commit suicide / George Abraham -- On the road with Bob: peddling in the early sixties / Nabell Abraham -- Comforting myths: notes from a purveyor / Rabih Alameddine -- Going places / Hayan Charara -- at the intersection / Safia Elhillo -- Where I'm from, originally / Joseph Geha -- Baba and the Pontiac / Hadil Ghoneim -- Profile of a citizen: generations then and now / Layla Azmi Goushey -- Machine language / Tariq al Haydar -- Biblioclast / Randa Jarrar -- Your name is on the list and other vignettes / Fady Joudah -- The saving grace of a favorite cousin / Joe Kadi -- I cannot go to Syria / Mohja Kahf -- From Looking both ways: Walking home ; To walk cautiously in the world, A sense of direction / Pauline Kaldas -- So the speak / Laila Lalami -- Journeys to Jerusalem / Lisa Suhair Majaj -- Repatriation: a Libya memoir / Khaled Mattawa -- The displace voice / Iman Mersal -- The paperless "Palestinian" and the Russian p'liceman / Philip Metres -- Bint al-Halal: mosaic of an Arab American girlhood / Susan Muaddi Darraj -- One village / Naomi Shihab Nye -- Why I was fired / Steven Salaita -- Christopher Columbus was a damn blasted liar: on the narrative of discovery in global literature / Matthew Shenoda -- Frayed towel made holy: prayer [rug] for this nonbeliever / Kamelya Omayman Youssef.
Summary:
"This anthology brings together the voices of both new and established Arab American writers, creating a compilation of essays and creative nonfiction that reveal the stories of the Arab diaspora. Writers from Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, and Syria explore issues related to politics, culture, and racism. Coming from different countries and religions and including first and second-generation immigrants as well as those whose identities encompass more than a single culture, these writers tell stories that speak to the complexity of the Arab American experience. They travel through time and geography to reveal the circular nature of identity, inviting the reader to enter into an ever evolving landscape. Ranging from the traditional to the experimental, these essays present narratives in innovative styles. At this point in our history, such stories are urgently needed, and this anthology gives greater insight into the lives of Arab Americans. Entering into these personal stories allows readers to engage with the complexity of the Arab American community. The varied experiences of being an Arab American emerges through these pages with astounding vision"-- {u01C2}c Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.