April 18-19, 2020: 21st Century Arab American Writers

[April isn’t just National Poetry Month; it’s also National Arab American Heritage Month. So this week I’ve highlighted a handful of the many compelling Arab American stories & figures I feature in the final chapter of my book We the People, leading up to this weekend post on contemporary Arab American writers!]

First, I didn’t get to share this week perhaps my favorite Arab American story, and one of the best pieces of long-form journalism I’ve ever read: Kathryn Schulz’s May 2016 New Yorker article “Citizen Khan,” on the early 20^th century Afghan American immigrant (Zarif Khan) known to his Sheridan, Wyoming community as “Hot Tamale Louie.”

Second, a couple recent scholarly books that trace 21^st century Arab and Muslim American communities (among others) with especial power: Zareena Grewal’s Islam is a Foreign Country (2013) and Deepa Iyer’s We Too Sing America (2015).

Third, Yahia Lababidi's wonderful new collection Revolutions in the Heart (2020) offer a powerful and vital antidote to our moment's divisions and hatreds.

Finally, here’s just a handful of the many talented and inspiring Arab American writers who are adding their voices to our culture and community in this crucial moment:

Naomi Shihab Nye

Susan Muaddi Darraj

Yussef El Guindi

Khaled Mattawa

And a special shout-out to Porochista Khakpour (I know Iranian/Persian is a distinct culture from Arabic, but she’s one of my favorite current writers and voices and I had to include her!)

Next series starts Monday,

Ben

PS. What do you think? Other Arab American writers (or figures or stories) you’d highlight?