What Is Distinctive About Arab-American Writing Today? Ten Leading Arab-American Writers Speak to the Huffington Post (PHOTOS)

We asked some of the brightest stars in the Arab-American literary firmament what they think most stands out about Arab-American literature today. Every new strain of literature in this country undergoes familiar periods of marginalization and ghettoization (perhaps self-reinforced), before breaking through into the mainstream. At some point, readers and critics stop thinking of the hyphenated literature from an exoticizing perspective, and instead treat the writing on its own terms. To what extent has this process already happened with Arab-American writing, or is still happening? Who are the writers making the most original contributions, in fiction, poetry, and other genres? Are there circumstances unique to them, in finding acceptance and legitimacy for their work, or is their path to recognition perhaps even aided--in a strange twist of irony--by the very attention presently focused on the Middle East? These writers, with a diverse inheritance of Arab-American culture, share their thoughts, and we hope you will too.

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Sinan Antoon

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A few months after 9/11 I was invited to a conference at Tufts University on "Arab-American Writing Post 9/11." I submitted an abstract for a paper entitled "A Rabid American Writing Today." The organizers corrected the title thinking "Rabid" was a typo! To write and try to publish (let alone work, and live) in the U.S. while Arab or Muslim after 9/11, means choosing one of two paths. The first entails self-orientalization and on it one proceeds to perform one's circumscribed role as the entertaining, but always safe and grateful Arab in the grand political and cultural circus. There are always openings and many Arab-Americans are more than willing to play the role (you know the names). There might be an improvised moment here or there and some indignation, but the narrative is, more or less, fixed for the Uncle Toms. The other path is that of standing outside the coliseum and distracting and disturbing the citizens-spectators on their way in or out. Screaming at times, if necessary, to point to other directions. Whispering, at others, into their ears stories about barbarians both in Rome itself and abroad. It's not easy being a barbarian in Rome. The Romans rarely listen, but the barbarian has to keep it real. Sinan Antoon is an Iraqi-American poet, novelist, filmmaker, and translator, the author of two novels (including I'jaam: An Iraqi Rhapsody), and two poetry collections. Read Sinan's work here and here, and watch him here, here, and here.

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A few months after 9/11 I was invited to a conference at Tufts University on "Arab-American Writing Post 9/11." I submitted an abstract for a paper entitled "A Rabid American Writing Today." The organizers corrected the title thinking "Rabid" was a typo! To write and try to publish (let alone work, and live) in the U.S. while Arab or Muslim after 9/11, means choosing one of two paths. The first entails self-orientalization and on it one proceeds to perform one's circumscribed role as the entertaining, but always safe and grateful Arab in the grand political and cultural circus. There are always openings and many Arab-Americans are more than willing to play the role (you know the names). There might be an improvised moment here or there and some indignation, but the narrative is, more or less, fixed for the Uncle Toms. The other path is that of standing outside the coliseum and distracting and disturbing the citizens-spectators on their way in or out. Screaming at times, if necessary, to point to other directions. Whispering, at others, into their ears stories about barbarians both in Rome itself and abroad. It's not easy being a barbarian in Rome. The Romans rarely listen, but the barbarian has to keep it real.

Sinan Antoon is an Iraqi-American poet, novelist, filmmaker, and translator, the author of two novels (including I'jaam: An Iraqi Rhapsody), and two poetry collections. Read Sinan's work here and here, and watch him here, here, and here.

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[ana williams]

08:44 AM on 10/04/2010

Hi,
Experiencing the distinction I feel American writers, after 9/11 are much inclined towards writing the realistic things happening around. Likewise, Arab American writers are fragmented ones, they write about literature and any other thing. may be fiction.

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[Nasrine]

11:50 AM on 10/01/2010

Nice! I wish I had the time to perfect the art of writing b/c I have several stories, movies and screen plays in my mind, that I know could enhance this topic.

[FairuzGhowar]

10:25 PM on 09/29/2010

You missed the Great Suheir Hammad

[TeacupKitten]

02:21 PM on 09/29/2010

Distinctive challenges?

Hmm, being Arab. As one author put it, people zero in on where you are from and not the content of your writing. Hopefully talking about this will change that a little.

[lee4713]

02:00 PM on 09/29/2010

Please forgive my ignorance regarding non-Western literature. I have heard that the Arab literary tradition is not novel-based but instead is represented by epic and other poetry (like English and other literature before the 18th century). Obviously, Arab-American writers have lived and worked in the Western tradition and thus absorbed the prose form. Perhaps they are able to combine the lyricism of poetry with the immediacy of prose, thus elevating the canon and creating a new art form.

[eric14]

08:39 AM on 09/29/2010

Looks like a lot of great stories about which I know nothing. So, where are the TV dramas? Where are the movies? If an Iranian can make a great movie in a taxi.... Come on!! I want movies.

[Sardar Mohkim Khan]

04:03 AM on 09/29/2010

Very informative posts. its good to read different opinions from different writers expressing their views on what Writing is and what difference can languages create..