April is designated as Arab American Heritage Month in the United States, a time to celebrate the rich culture, history, and contributions of Arab Americans. To honor this heritage, we’ve curated a selection of notable titles that you should consider reading.
FICTION
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami, Pantheon, 2025
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami presents a chilling dystopian narrative centered around Sarah Hussein, who finds herself wrongfully detained at LAX due to algorithms that predict her potential threat to her husband. As she endures a twenty-one-day observation period, Sarah becomes trapped in a haunting environment of fear and mistrust. As she navigates the harrowing consequences of a society that prioritizes security over freedom, her plight symbolizes the broader erosion of freedom in the face of rising security measures, provoking critical reflections on how much individuals are willing to sacrifice for a sense of safety.
The novel’s narrative is particularly relevant when juxtaposed with Elon Musk’s endeavors in technology and innovation. Musk’s companies, like Tesla and SpaceX, push the boundaries of what technology can achieve, often aiming for advancements that promise safety, efficiency, and exploration. However, his initiatives also raise critical questions about privacy and autonomy, given the extensive data collection mechanisms employed in modern technology.
The Dream Hotel is a thought-provoking cautionary read that lingers long after the last page, urging us to examine our own lives in a world increasingly dominated by technology. It is a significant contribution to contemporary literature that prompts essential conversations about privacy, trust, and what it truly means to be free.
Too Soon by Betty Shamieh, Simon & Schuster, 2025
Betty Shamieh’s debut novel follows three generations of Palestinian American anti-heroines, determined to wring a reasonable amount of joy out of life in a world designed to render them invisible and silent. Thirty-five-year-old Arabella, a New York theatre director facing dwindling prospects, is offered a chance to direct a bold cross-dressing Shakespeare adaptation in the West Bank. Meanwhile, her mother, Naya, and grandmother, Zoya, plan to set her up with Aziz, a Palestinian American doctor in Gaza. As Arabella navigates these connections, her feelings for Yoav, a renowned Israeli American theatre designer, appear doomed. As these three women strive to assert their individuality and make autonomous choices about their lives, they frequently encounter pressures and constraints that stem from traditional roles and stereotypes. Shamieh’s sharp and witty dialogue infuses the novel with humor while addressing serious themes such as family loyalty, tradition, and self-acceptance. The characters are vividly drawn, each representing the struggles and aspirations of their lineage. As they confront societal expectations and personal dilemmas, they embody the delicate balance between preserving their heritage and forging their own paths. Shamieh’s ability to weave humor into the fabric of her characters’ lives enriches the narrative, reminding us that amidst adversity, the pursuit of happiness is both a challenge and a triumph. Betty Shamieh is a respected American playwright with years of experience and more than a dozen produced plays; this novel is a striking debut that sets the stage for important conversations about visibility, choice, race in America, and the universal power of female agency.
Dust Settles North by Deena ElGenaidi, Bindery Books, forthcoming Sept 2025
Two siblings, Hannah and Zain, travel from New York to Cairo to bury their mother, uncovering their father’s betrayal along the way. Hannah decides to stay in Egypt, exploring new cultures and romances, while Zain struggles with self-destructive behavior back in America. When they reunite in Cairo amidst the Arab Spring, they must confront long-buried secrets and reconcile their conservative upbringing with their adult beliefs. The debut novel explores themes of grief, loss, and the potential for healing within a fractured family.
My Friends by Hisham Matar, Random House, 2024
Winner of the 2025 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, Hisham Matar’s My Friends is a poignant exploration of loss, memory, and the complexities of human connection. Set against the backdrop of Matar’s own experiences, the narrative invites readers into a richly woven tapestry of friendships that transcend geographical and emotional boundaries. The book unfolds through the eyes of a young boy in post-revolutionary Libya, navigating the tumultuous landscape of his childhood amidst the political upheaval surrounding him. Matar’s vivid prose captures the innocence of youth intertwined with the heavy weight of history, as friends become a source of solace and understanding in a fractured world. Set in post-revolutionary Libya, the narrative draws upon Matar’s own experiences, offering readers a glimpse into the complexities of life in a country undergoing significant change.
POETRY
Wrong Winds by Ahmad Almallah, Fonograf Editions, 2025
Ahmad Almallah’s third poetry collection, Wrong Winds, explores the challenges of being Palestinian in today’s world, particularly during Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. The poems reflect on the tension between sympathizers and enemies, as Almallah navigates European cities while engaging with Western poetry’s broken voices. The collection delves into the feelings of isolation and the haunting presence of the dead and dying, ultimately seeking to form a dialogue amidst the chaos. Explore more of Almallah’s work, including a video, in Poetry Markaz.
NONFICTION
Captivating Strangers by Linda K. Jacobs, KalimahPress, 2024
Have you ever heard the story of the first Arab immigrants who settled in New York City? Looking to start over, they came through Ellis Island before the 20th century. They became enterprising peddlers and merchants, midwives and doctors, priests and journalists, belly dancers and impresarios; between 1880 and 1900 this wave of Arab immigrants built a thriving colony that soon became the cultural and economic center of the Syrian/Lebanese diaspora in the United States. Linda Jacobs is an archaeologist and historian of the Arab American experience, with several previous titles under her belt. Captivating Strangers abounds with colorful anecdotes, as well as many vintage black & white photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, name lists and history that we all should learn something about. Attention-getting chapters include “Three Extraordinary Women (and Their Sisters): Marie Azeez, Sophia David, Selma Gobreen,” or “The Checkered Histories of North African Acrobats in Nineteenth-Century North America.”
