In the US, back in 2021 the President appointed April as Arab-American Heritage Month. As the name suggests, this month celebrates and pays tribute to Arab American culture and heritage, especially in the arts.
As we’ve already mentioned, this year, Saudi Arabia is set to make history at the Cannes Film Festival, and an Iranian Dutch filmmaker is helming the upcoming film about former president Donald Trump. And this week, Penguin Random House released a list of ‘must read’ books by Arab authors, from graphic novels to literary fiction.
The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman
Translated by Melanie Magidow
Finally published in English for the first time, this is the only Arabic epic ever dedicated to a woman. The story chronicles the gripping exploits of a renowned medieval warrior which has been celebrated across the Middle East for years and is now finally introducing a feminist icon to new audiences.
Interestingly enough, according to the translator, the original folklore was told orally somewhere between the seventh and tenth centuries and then compiled into some 6000 pages, with Magidow having to decide what to include in this updated, condensed translation, thus leaving no sole author of this historical epic. Doesn’t that somehow make it even more…epic?
Can be bought here.
Huda F Are You?
By Huda Fahmy
Putting aside the fact that this is perhaps the best play-on-a-foreign-name title ever, this graphic novel is about Huda’s move to Dearborn, Michigan, a small town with a big Muslim population. In her former hometown, Huda was the only hijabi girl; but in Dearborn, everyone is the hijabi girl. This hilariously authentic graphic novel asks the universal question: who am I?
Can be bought here.
Arab Boy Delivered
By Paul Aziz Zarou
Called a “Palestinian American coming of age story”, Arab Boy Delivered is about Michael navigating his working-class neighbourhood, consoling his grieving mother, and being embraced by the first black couple in the area, each encounter leaving a distinct impact. Amidst a changing world, Michael grapples with his defining role as a dutiful son of immigrant parents.
Can be bought here.
The Republic of False Truths
By Alaa Al Alswany
From the author of The Yacoubian Building, Al Alswany provides a gripping story about the Egyptian revolution, which drops into the center of the battle between those in power, and those willing to risk their lives in the defense of freedom. The Observer called it a “Glorious, humane novel.”
Can be bought here.
Between Two Moons
By Aisha Abdel Gawad
During the holy month of Ramadan, twin sisters from Brooklyn are about to graduate high school. But as they stand at the edge of adulthood, they anticipate a summer of exploration, experimenting with new identities and pushing the cultural boundaries that raised them. Between Two Moons is a window into the complexities of being a young Muslim woman in America.
Can be bought here.
Watch Us Dance
By Leila Slimani
In 1960s Morocco, two biracial siblings search for their place in the world while navigating a French Moroccan household in this captivating coming of age story. Inspired by Leila Slimani’s own childhood, this page-turning novel will leave you thinking long after you’ve closed the last page.
Can be bought here.
Palace Walk
By Naguib Mahfouz
Winner of the Nobel Prize and Part 1 of the Cairo Trilogy, these novels trace three generations of the family of tyrannical patriarch al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad, whose secret life of debauchery goes unnoticed to his own household. The three volumes tell the stories of Egypt’s turbulence during the years spanning the two world wars, as changes begin to overtake a society that has resisted it for centuries.
Can be bought here.
Mother of Strangers
By Suad Amiry
Based on a true story, this novel follows a teenage mechanic who falls in love with a peasant girl he hopes to marry one day. On top of its romantic elements, it portrays an overlooked period in Palestinian history, capturing the essence of a city and its inhabitants profoundly transformed by the events unfolding within its borders.
Can be bought here.