5Other stories in the collection explore the clash
between Pakistan and America, depicting female
characters who are usually first-generation im-
migrants or temporary residents in the United
States. Their encounters with the West inevitably
lead to damaging consequences. The women end
up uprooted, suspended between the two worlds,
no longer comfortable about their home culture
yet unable to assimilate into the new one. The two
worlds are presented as “touching but never quite
mingling.” When the protagonist of “Demons of
the Past” learns she is an adopted child and em-
barks on a literal and figurative journey to dis-
cover her roots, the knowledge she gains brings
about only disillusionment and discomfort. The
story suggests she would be better off not know-
ing her past.
In all of these stories, gender and race are piv-
otal constituents of the characters’ hybrid identi-
ties. The only story in which the racial and cultural
background does not play a significant role is “The
Arrangement,” an insightful analysis of a complex
relationship between two childhood friends and
the strength of parental love.
Abdullah is currently working on two novels
depicting the lives of Pakistani women. The first
one relates the experiences of a woman represent-
ing the Pakistani diaspora in the United States,
whereas the latter focuses on the violation of
women’s rights in Pakistan.
Bibliography
Abdullah, Shaila. Beyond the Cayenne Wall: Collection
of Short Stories. New York: iUniverse, 2005.
Shaila Abdullah. “Beyond the Cayenne Wall.” Avail-
able online. URL: http://www.shailaabdullah.com.
Downloaded on March 6, 2006.
Izabella Kimak
Abu-Jaber, Diana (1959– )
Born in Syracuse, New York, to a Jordanian fa-
ther and an American mother, Diana Abu-Jaber
has spent her life in between America and Jordan.
Formally, her education includes an M.A. from the
University of Windsor, studying under Joyce Carol
Oates, and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from SUNY
Binghamton, studying under American novelist
John Gardner. Informally her education comes
from the experience and stories of her family. She
says in a 2003 interview that “I grew up inside the
shape of my father’s stories.... These stories ex-
erted a powerful influence on my imagination, in
terms of what I chose to write about, the style of
my language, and the form my own stories took”
(“Author Biography”).
To this point, her writing includes two novels—
ARABIAN JAZZ (1993) and Crescent (2003)—and a
memoir, The Language of Baklava (2005). In ad-
dition, she has published several essays devoted
to Arab-American identity. Crescent is about a
Lebanese chef, Sirine, who falls in love with an
Iraqi professor of literature, Hanif. Set in an Arab
and Persian community of Los Angeles, this novel
chronicles the unusual love story of the heroine and
her quest for happiness in the United States. Food,
storytelling, and exile are all important subjects
within the novel. In her memoir, The Language of
Baklava, Abu-Jaber pays homage to the epicurean
fascination of her childhood surrounded by food
and stories. Indeed, while trying to re-create that
past, she has created a loving tribute to her family
members and her memories, as well as to the food
that spiced the stories and characters. This memoir
also contains recipes for some of the Middle East-
ern dishes she remembers.
For readers her literary career provides a voice
to a developing generation of Arab-American writ-
ers. As she writes, “It’s a rare and lovely experience
to feel like someone really has seen [and heard]
you” (“Seeing Ourselves”). Abu-Jaber certainly is
a writer that America will see and hear more of in
the future.Bibliography
Abu-Jaber, Diana. “Seeing Ourselves.” Editorial.
Washington Post, 21 October 2001, 807.
“BookBrowse.com. Author Biography: Diana
Abu-Jaber.” Available online. URL: http://www.
bookbrowse.com/biographies/inex.cfin?author_
number-915. Downloaded on March 15, 2006.
Matthew L. MillerAbu-Jaber, Diana 5