The United States is a melting pot where cultures, ethnicities, and religions all blend together as one; there are so many stories to tell about a country that contains multitudes of rich and mixed experiences. This week’s Three to Read is dedicated to exploring the powerful and often underrepresented voices of Arab Americans. With their deep-rooted generational bonds, complex family dynamics, and richly developed characters, these three novels offer a glimpse into the lives of Arab Americans, beautifully capturing their various identities, cultures, and religions.
HOT PICK
Too Soon by Betty Shamieh
SYNOPSIS:
In Shamieh’s debut novel, 35-year-old theater director Arabella jumps at the offer to direct a suggestive cross-dressing interpretation of a Shakespearean classic in Palestine’s West Bank. All the while, Arabella’s grandmother, Zoya, hatches matchmaking plans for her single granddaughter. Aziz, a Palestinian American doctor volunteering in Gaza, is the perfect candidate. It’s also a plus that he happens to be the grandson of a man Zoya was infatuated with prior to her arranged marriage. Naya, Zoya’s youngest daughter and Arabella’s mother, finds she finally has control over her life again now that her children are grown. Now, she intends to settle some old scores…
WHY:
Too Soon is a novel that spans three generations of Palestinian and Palestinian American women. From the 1940s to the 2010s, it showcases the challenges and pressures of both cultural and societal expectations impressed upon woman as they make their way in life. Too Soon touches on the topics of generational trauma, ethnic displacement, motherhood, poverty, and prejudice but also love, art, and freedom. Fans of the novel have lauded it for its portrayal of complex and well-rounded characters and its mix of light-hearted comedy and cutting social and political commentary.
COFFEE SHOP READ
Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj
SYNOPSIS:
Three Families: The Ammars, the Baladis, and the Salamehs have all come to live within the same Baltimore community. Although they’re all Palestinian immigrants, their experiences as Americans couldn’t differ more. From the rich who inhabit mansions and the workers who clean them to rebellious teens and their traditional parents, Darraj’s characters vary in age, economic status, and religion. Despite their differences, their lives and stories are deeply and inextricably connected.
WHY:
Behind You Is the Sea faces Palestinian stereotypes head-on and isn’t afraid to share both the beautiful and the ugly aspects of humanity. Darraj reveals the intimate details of a community and its inhabitants, intertwining their personal lives with larger social, economic, and cultural challenges. With inter-familial squabbles, major life events, and balancing cultural differences, this novel will leave you tangled in the complex web of this Palestinian American community.
DARK HORSE
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
SYNOPSIS:
In the near future, not only are a person’s comings and goings surveilled but so are their dreams. Sara has just landed in LA when she’s detained on the grounds that she will soon commit a crime. With their algorithm, the Risk Assessment Administration, or RAA, has determined she is at risk of harming her husband. To mitigate any possible injury and prevent any potential crime, Sarah is kept under observation for 21 days. She and her fellow prisoners endlessly attempt to prove their innocence, but their detentions are lengthened for each trivial infraction. When a new prisoner arrives, they set the entire system on its head.
WHY:
The Dream Hotel is highly relevant to the current state of American society. Lalami paints the issues of surveillance and reliance on technology clearly and accurately. She questions the use of technology as a tool that both makes life easier and holds great potential for ruin. Bringing forth a debate on privacy versus security and the dehumanizing effects of prison systems, this sci-fi dystopia doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
The celebration of Arab American voices has never been more important. Fictional stories like these provide a window into the real challenges faced by Arab Americans, helping to combat stereotypes and misconceptions. By amplifying these voices and sharing their stories, we foster a deeper understanding of the diverse and multifaceted American experience, promoting greater inclusion and awareness.
Interested in more fantastical fiction? Try 5 Outstanding Arab American Authors in the Fantasy Genre!
Want more books like these? Check out our Three to Read Bookshop shelf here!
