The Inheritance of Exile: Stories from South Philly

Wow! I haven't read a collection of short stories this good in a very long time. I found the writing to be straightforward but deceptively complex. The emotions were well-developed yet without that saturation of drama that so characterizes many so-called “heartfelt” books. I felt embarrassed, sad, excited, worried, and happy along with the characters. I also think that this would be an interesting book for many people interested in Arabs or Palestinians because many people consider Arabs to be synonymous with Muslims. In fact, in this collection, only one of the characters (and her family) is Muslim; the rest are Christian, or Catholic to be specific.

I'm excited to go back and read Muaddi Darraj's book on Arab writings. I hope that she continues to write more. I can't speak highly enough of this collection.