Arab American Authors: Perspectives on America

Just over 100 years ago, there were enough Arab American writers in the United States to form Al-Rabita Al-Qalamiyya, the first Arab American literary association whose founders included Khalil Gibran.  This class will explore these early efforts to support and promote Arab American writers, before considering a rich diversity of current styles and genres, including Moroccan-born Laila Lalami’s novel The Other Americans and memoir Conditional Citizens; poems and a novel from Naomi Shihab Nye, the Poetry Foundation’s Young People’s Poet Laureate; Palestinian American Etaf Rum’s debut novel, A Woman is No Man; Randa Jarrar’s new memoir Love is an Ex-Country; Egyptian American authors Rajia Hassib (A Pure Heart)  and Pauline Kaldas (Looking Both Ways); Lebanese American journalist Anthony Shadid’s House of Stone  and Jordanian American Diana Abu-Jaber’s The Language of Baklava.

The class will focus on these writers’ diverse perspectives on coming to America, assimilating (or not), confronting tradition, and living fully but sometimes fitfully with memories of food and home.  How is immigrant literature an expression of “living in-between” as Laila Lalami writes?  What if a novel betrays a close-knit immigrant community by touching on sensitive topics? How do perceptions of America change for second and third generation immigrants? Bring your own curiosity and questions to the class.

This virtual class begins March 26, 1-3 pm Eastern Time, with classes April 9, April 23, May 7, May 21. Additional information and registration here . Three authors will make guest appearances during the class - Naomi Shihab Nye, Rajia Hassib and Pauline Kaldas.