Collection: Shop Middle Eastern

A Kirkus Best Book of 2019

Nadine Jolie Courtney's All-American Muslim Girl is a relevant, relatable story of being caught between two worlds, and the struggles and hard-won joys of finding your place.

Allie Abraham has it all going for her--she's a straight-A student, with good friends and a close-knit family, and she's dating popular, sweet Wells Henderson. One problem: Wells's father is Jack Henderson, America's most famous conservative shock jock, and Allie hasn't told Wells that her family is Muslim. It's not like Allie's religion is a secret. It's just that her parents don't practice, and raised her to keep it to herself.

But as Allie witnesses Islamophobia in her small town and across the nation, she decides to embrace her faith--study, practice it, and even face misunderstanding for it. Who is Allie, if she sheds the façade of the "perfect" all-American girl?

Rumi, one of the most celebrated mystics of all time, chose poetry to communicate his deep spiritual experiences. His language, that of love in its purest form, speaks to us today as it did seven hundred years ago, surpassing time and bridging cultures.

These poems, most of them translated into English for the first time from the original Persian, were carefully selected from two thousand of Rumi's quatrains. Arranged thematically, they take us on a journey of the soul. Persian calligraphy enhances the beauty of the poems.

Discover the depths of a mystic's soul. Fly with him on his beloved's wings. Fall with him into the despair and fear of losing his beloved forever. Discover the beauty and love contained in this wonderful little book of poetry.

Finalist for the 2022 Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize

Elegant, surprising stories about Palestinian immigrants in Canada navigating their identities in circumstances that push them to the emotional brink.

Saeed Teebi's intense, engrossing stories plunge into the lives of characters grappling with their experiences as Palestinian immigrants to Canada. A doctor teaches his girlfriend about his country, only for her to fall into a consuming obsession with the Middle East conflict. A math professor risks his family's destruction by slandering the king of a despotic, oil-rich country. A university student invents an imaginary girlfriend to fit in with his callous, womanizing roommates. A lawyer takes on the impossible mission of becoming a body smuggler. A lonely widower travels to Russia in search of a movie starlet he met in his youth in historical Jaffa. A refugee who escaped violent circumstances rebels against the kindness of his sponsor. These taut and compelling stories engage the immigrant experience and reflect the Palestinian diaspora with grace and insight.

Sara can't wait for Eid, the Muslim holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan. It's a wonderful holiday with festive decorations, special foods, and family and friends getting together. But Eid won't begin until the crescent moon is spotted.

In Chef Charbel Hayek's eyes, lemon and garlic play a pivotal role in the global cuisine. Discover the beauty and explosive flavors of the world through diverse recipes and personal photography from Chef Charbel's travels.

At 24, Chef Charbel Hayek was given the opportunity to compete in Top Chef Middle East, an experience that changed his life. The competition propelled him toward the root of his inspiration-Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking-and Chef Hayek became the youngest Top Chef to win in 2021.

After the pandemic hit, he took advantage of another opportunity: leaving his private chef post in Miami to travel the world.

Amid his travels, Chef Hayek got to connect with hundreds of strangers through their food. According to him, "you can learn so much about a culture just through its agriculture and flavor!"

Passionate about sharing his love of diverse cuisines with the world, Chef Hayek has distilled his favorite found recipes for vegetables, meat, and fish into his new cookbook, Lemon & Garlic.

This cookbook offers an opportunity of adventure for any chef-amateur or professional-to experience Chef Hayek's world travel through food and his passion for his home country's mouthwatering dishes. Chef Hayek hopes Lemon & Garlic helps others connect and fall in love with Middle Eastern cuisine's rich flavors and history.

Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets - Islamic book for kids

"A beautiful picture book that simultaneously explores shapes, Islam, and the cultures of the Muslim people." - Kirkus Reviews

Toddler book of shapes and Islamic traditions: From a crescent moon to a square garden to an octagonal fountain, this breathtaking picture book celebrates the shapes-and traditions-of the Muslim world.

Toddler book by author Hena Khan: Sure to inspire questions and observations about world religions and cultures, Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets is equally at home in a classroom reading circle and on a parent's lap being read to a child.

If you and your child like books such as Lailah's Lunchbox, Numbers Colors Shapes, or The Name Jar, you will love Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets.

Finalist for the 2022 National Book Critics Circle Award in Translation

Translated from the Arabic and introduced by Fady Joudah, You Can Be the Last Leaf draws on two decades of work to present the transcendent and timely US debut of Palestinian poet Maya Abu Al-Hayyat.

Art. Garlic. Taxis. Sleepy soldiers at checkpoints. The smell of trash on a winter street, before "our wild rosebush, neglected / by the gate, / blooms." Lovers who don't return, the possibility that you yourself might not return. Making beds. Cleaning up vomit. Reading recipes. In You Can Be the Last Leaf, these are the ordinary and profound-sometimes tragic, sometimes dreamy, sometimes almost frivolous--moments of life under Israeli occupation.

Here, private and public domains are inseparable. Desire, loss, and violence permeate the walls of the home, the borders of the mind. And yet that mind is full of its own fierce and funny voice, its own preoccupations and strangenesses. "It matters to me," writes Abu Al-Hayyat, "what you're thinking now / as you coerce your kids to sleep / in the middle of shelling" whether it's coming up with "plans / to solve the world's problems," plans that "eliminate longing from stories, remove exhaustion from groans," or dreaming "of a war / that's got no war in it," or proclaiming that "I don't believe in survival."

In You Can Be the Last Leaf, Abu Al-Hayyat has created a richly textured portrait of Palestinian interiority--at once wry and romantic, worried and tenacious, and always singing itself.

A collection of poems by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. The poems range from dreamy reflections to bitter longings for the Palestine that was lost when Israel was created in 1948.Mahoud Darwish has published more than thirty books of petry and prose. He is the recipient of many international literary awrds and his work has been translated into more thant twenty-two languages.

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE - The acclaimed memoir about fathers and sons, a legacy of loss, and, ultimately, healing--one of The New York Times Book Review's ten best books of the year, winner of the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize

When Hisham Matar was a nineteen-year-old university student in England, his father went missing under mysterious circumstances. Hisham would never see him again, but he never gave up hope that his father might still be alive. Twenty-two years later, he returned to his native Libya in search of the truth behind his father's disappearance. The Return is the story of what he found there.

The Pulitzer Prize citation hailed The Return as "a first-person elegy for home and father." Transforming his personal quest for answers into a brilliantly told universal tale of hope and resilience, Matar has given us an unforgettable work with a powerful human question at its core: How does one go on living in the face of unthinkable loss?

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times - The Washington Post - The Guardian - Financial Times

"A tale of mighty love, loyalty and courage. It simply must be read."--The Spectator (U.K.)

"Wise and agonizing and thrilling to read."--Zadie Smith

"[An] eloquent memoir . . . at once a suspenseful detective story about a writer investigating his father's fate . . . and a son's efforts to come to terms with his father's ghost, who has haunted more than half his life by his absence."--Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

"This outstanding book . . . roves back and forth in time with a freedom that conceals the intricate precision of its art."--The Wall Street Journal

"Truly remarkable . . . a book with a profound faith in the consolations of storytelling . . . a testament to [Matar's] father, his family and his country."--The Daily Telegraph (U.K.)

"The Return is a riveting book about love and hope, but it is also a moving meditation on grief and loss. . . . Likely to become a classic."--Colm Tóibín

"Matar's evocative writing and his early traumas call to mind Vladimir Nabokov."--The Washington Post

"Utterly riveting."--The Boston Globe

"A moving, unflinching memoir of a family torn apart."--Kazuo Ishiguro, The Guardian

"Beautiful . . . The Return, for all the questions it cannot answer, leaves a deep emotional imprint."--Newsday

"A masterful memoir, a searing meditation on loss, exile, grief, guilt, belonging, and above all, family. It is, as well, a study of the shaping--and breaking--of the bonds between fathers and sons. . . . This is writing of the highest quality."--The Sunday Times (U.K.)

If you want to discover the captivating history of the Jews, then keep reading...

The Jewish people are one of the oldest living people groups on the planet. The Jews lived alongside the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, and Sumerians-all of whom have since disappeared from the pages of history. Yet the Jews still remain. Despite all of the odds, Jewish culture, language, laws, and religion have remained intact over the course of thousands of years.

Even after being kicked out of their homeland and scattered all over the globe, the Jews were able to hold their customs close to their heart. While in exile, they developed special rules to live by through rabbinical works, such as the Talmud, which gave them a moral compass by which to live, no matter where they might end up. This was a great source of comfort for the Jewish people even while having to live in less than encouraging environments. Their traditions kept them strong.

Even from the worst ghettoes in Europe, great minds, such as Moses Mendelssohn, came forth and illuminated the world with their ideas. This light shined so brightly that soon the full emancipation of Jews became the norm in the civilized world. But then, in the middle of the 20th century, disaster struck when the Nazis came to power in Germany.

This horrific regime brought death and destruction upon the Jewish people on a scale that the world had never seen before. Yet despite the horrors of the Holocaust, the Jews survived. Not only did they survive, but their ancient homeland of Israel was also soon revived and reborn. When Israel became a state in 1948, the great dream of having a Jewish safe haven became a reality.

This is the history of the Jews.

In History of the Jews: A Captivating Guide to Jewish History, Starting from the Ancient Israelites through Roman Rule to World War 2, you will discover topics such as

• The origin story of the Jewish people
• How the Jews first established Israel
• About the judges and kings who ruled Israel
• The Babylonian captivity
• Life under Roman rule
• How Christianity emerged from Judaism
• The Jewish emancipation
• The Holocaust
• The formation of Israel
• And much, much more!

So if you want to learn more about the history of the Jews, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button!

Bring the Bold Flavors of Palestine into Your Kitchen

Re-create traditional, flavorful Palestinian meals at home with this comprehensive collection of Middle Eastern recipes. From familiar favorites like Dawali (Stuffed Grape Leaves with Beef), Shawarma and Baklawa, to more complex meals like Musakhan, Palestine's national dish, Heifa Odeh has carefully adapted her family recipes with streamlined techniques, making it easier than ever to enjoy a taste of Palestine.

Explore the full range of this rich cuisine from boldly flavored breakfasts like Ka'ek El Quds (Jerusalem Sesame Bread) and satisfying mains like Pomegranate Molasses & Harissa Salmon, to sweet treats like traditional Palestinian Knafeh, Fig & Honey Pistachio Cake and beyond. Whether you have been making Arab cuisine for ages or you are looking to expand your repertoire, this cookbook has something for everyone.

A unique history of the ancient Near East that compellingly presents the life stories of kings, priestesses, merchants, bricklayers, and others

In this sweeping history of the ancient Near East, Amanda Podany takes readers on a gripping journey from the creation of the world's first cities to the conquests of Alexander the Great. The book is built around the life stories of many ancient men and women, from kings, priestesses, and merchants to brickmakers, musicians, and weavers. Their habits of daily life, beliefs, triumphs, and crises, and the changes that people faced over time are explored through their own written words and the buildings, cities, and empires in which they lived.

Rather than chronicling three thousand years of rulers and states, Weavers, Scribes, and Kings instead creates a tapestry of life stories through which readers will come to know specific individuals from many walks of life, and to understand their places within the broad history of events and institutions in the ancient Near East. These life stories are preserved on ancient clay tablets, which allow us to trace, for example, the career of a weaver as she advanced to become a supervisor of a workshop, listen to a king trying to persuade his generals to prepare for a siege, and feel the pain of a starving young couple and their four young children as they suffered through a time of famine. What might seem at first glance to be a remote and inaccessible ancient culture proves to be a comprehensible world, one that bequeathed to the modern world many of our institutions and beliefs, a truly fascinating place to visit.

Philip Pullman, author of 'His Dark Materials' trilogy, has remarked that "after nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world." This new collection of Rumi stories fills that need.

This fresh prose translation of 105 short teaching stories by Rumi, which form the core of the six-volume Masnavi, explores the hidden spiritual aspects of everyday experience. Rumi transforms the seemingly mundane events of daily life into profound Sufi teaching moments. These prose gems open the mystical portal to the world of the ancient mystic.

These stories include well-known and popular tales such as "Angel of Death," "The Sufi and His Cheating Wife," "Moses and the Shepherd," "Chickpeas," and "The Greek and Chinese Painters" as well as the less commonly quoted parables: "The Basket Weaver," "The Mud Eater," and "A Sackful of Pebbles."

Rumi's voice alternates between playful and authoritative, whether he is telling stories of ordinary lives or inviting the discerning reader to higher levels of introspection and attainment of transcendent values. Mafi's translations delicately reflect the nuances of Rumi's poetry while retaining the positive tone of all of Rumi's writings, as well as the sense of suspense and drama that mark the essence of the Masnavi.

It's library day, and Yasmin is the helper! She loves shelving books, but suddenly, Yasmin discovers that her own special book is missing. How will she find it among all the other books?

The new National Geographic Treasury of Egyptian Mythology is a stunning tableau of Egyptian myths, including those of pharaohs, queens, the boisterous Sun God Ra, and legendary creatures like the Sphinx. The lyrical storytelling of award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli dramatizes the timeless tales of ancient Egypt in the year when Angelina Jolie will make Cleopatra a multimedia star. And just like the popular National Geographic Treasury of Greek Mythology, the stories in this book will be beautifully illustrated to bring ancient characters vividly to life.

The stories are embellished with sidebars that provide historical, cultural, and geographic context and a mapping feature that adds to the fun and fascination. Resource notes and ample back matter direct readers to discover more about ancient Egypt. With its attractive design and beautiful narrative, this accessible treasury stands out from all other mythology titles in the marketplace.

An ordinary Gazan's "devastating contemporary war journal" that chronicles his struggle to survive Israel's invasion of Gaza (Michael Ondaatje, author of The English Patient)

The Drone Eats with Me is an unforgettable rendering of everyday civilian life shattered by the realities of twenty-first-century warfare. Israel's 2014 invasion of Gaza lasted 51 days, killed 2,145 Palestinians (578 of them children), injured over 11,000 people, and demolished more than 17,000 homes.

Atef Abu Saif, a young father and novelist, puts an indelibly human face on these statistics, providing a rare window into the texture of a community and the realities of a conflict that is too often obscured by politics.