Book Club

Book Club: 11 years have passed since the January 25th revolution in Egypt sent tremors around the world. In a seminal piece of literature, we learn about the trials and tribulations of one of the revolution's main instigators, Alaa Abdel Fattah.

Book Club: The New Arab sits down with journalist John Lyons, whose new book, Dateline Jerusalem: Journalism's Toughest Assignment, examines the current stranglehold of the Israeli lobby within Australia and how to shift the current narrative.

Book Club: Written in an almost dream-like state, Palestinian author Nayrouz Qarmout's debut offering is a spellbinding collection of life, loss and love in Gaza. Reminiscent of Naguib Mahfouz, Qarmout's creativity presents Gaza as it should.

Book Club: It has often been said that pre-Oslo, Palestinian refugees of 1948 built a state within a state in Lebanon. In Erling Lorentzen Sogge's ethnographic study, he shines a spotlight on the lived experiences of those within 'Ayn al-Hilwe.

Book Club: Author Omar Mouallem talks more about his illuminating new book, Praying to the West: How Muslims Shaped the Americas, examining the kaleidoscope that is Islam in the Americas and how this diversity has impacted host communities.

Book Club: 2021 has played host to a stunning array of titles from Arab authors. From magical realism and poignant social commentary to poetry and theoretical deep-dives, The New Arab rounds up some our favourite books from Arab authors in 2021.

Book Club: This new book examines how, despite a rising tide of political paranoia shaping the mainstream perception of British Muslims, the community is able to thrive in a system where their allegiance to the state is constantly questioned.

Book Club: Di Giovanni's personal and multi-faceted portrait of Christians in the Middle East is a welcome departure from texts that seek to demonise other religions in the region, or use Christians as a politico-religious pawn in foreign policy.

Book Club: In an enlightening examination of religions, Mehmet Karabela's Islamic Thought Through Protestant Eyes elaborates how, in the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation, Islam became a key theological concern in Western Europe.

In a deeply personal book, Hilary Clinton's chief of staff Huma Abedin writes about how her faith enabled her to get over her broken marriage, with a trip to pilgrimage site Makkah becoming the pivotal moment of change for the US political staffer.