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The New Arab Staff

Assia Belgacem

Assia Belgacem

Assia Belgacem is a French-Algerian book reviewer with a focus on Muslim and Arab literature

Book Club: An exquisite homage to the tapestry of Arab oral storytelling, Chelsea Abdullah's The Stardust Thief is a wonderful and thoroughly entertaining journey into a magical world filled with jinn, ghouls and secrets.

22 June, 2022

With incidents of xenophobia on the rise in an increasingly hostile European environment, many have internalised white narratives about their identity. I Refuse to Condemn provides a safe space as to how people of colour have sought to respond.

11 August, 2021

Book Club: In a magical realist masterclass, Leila Aboulela interrogates the double identities of the Muslim diaspora. Littered with Islamic references, Sufi poetry, and Celtic folklore, it's an authentic representation of Islamic consciousness.

15 July, 2021

Book Club: Carol Isaacs's stunning graphic novel is a vivid journey into the history of Iraq's Jewish community.

11 September, 2020

Book Club: Massoud Hayoun's intimate memoir weaves family history with politics in a powerful exploration of Arab Jewish identity.

14 August, 2020

Book Club: Medina Tenour Whiteman contemplates identity and belonging in a poignant memoir on her experiences as a white Muslim.

08 July, 2020