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Arab in America
The eye-opening story of the life of an average Arab-American struggling with his identity in an increasingly hostile nation. Using the graphic novel as his medium, Lebanon-born Toufic El Rassi chronicles his experience growing up Arab in America. Keen observations, clever insights and painful honesty make El Rassi's work shine as a critical 21st century memoir.
From childhood through adolescence, and as an adult, El Rassi illustrates the prejudice and discrimination Arabs and Muslims experience in American society. He contends with ignorant teachers, racist neighbors, bullying classmates, and a growing sense of alienation. El Rassi recounts his personal experiences after the 9/11 attacks and during the implementation of new security and immigration laws that followed.
El Rassi gives context to current world events, providing readers with an overview of the modern history of the Middle East, including the Gulf wars. He also examines the roles American films and news media play in creating negative stereotypes of Arab-Americans, showing how difficult it is to have an Arab identity in a society saturated with anti-Arab images and messages.
From childhood through adolescence, and as an adult, El Rassi illustrates the prejudice and discrimination Arabs and Muslims experience in American society. He contends with ignorant teachers, racist neighbors, bullying classmates, and a growing sense of alienation. El Rassi recounts his personal experiences after the 9/11 attacks and during the implementation of new security and immigration laws that followed.
El Rassi gives context to current world events, providing readers with an overview of the modern history of the Middle East, including the Gulf wars. He also examines the roles American films and news media play in creating negative stereotypes of Arab-Americans, showing how difficult it is to have an Arab identity in a society saturated with anti-Arab images and messages.
117 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2007
6 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
Toufic El Rassi
3 books9 followersToufic El Rassi is a painter, graphic novelist, and historian. He is an instructor in the Painting Department at The Art Institute of Chicago where he currently teaches comics. He is the author of Arab in America and the the upcoming Baghdad Burning.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
April 23, 2008
How would you feel if you experienced discrimination on a daily basis? How would you feel if you grew up in the United States but were constantly treated as an outsider? What if the FBI paid a visit to your family for no other reason other than your ethnic background? These are some of the experiences Toufic El Rassi addresses in his beautifully drawn memoir, "Arab in America."
El Rassi uses the comic book format and an ironic sense of humor to address attitudes towards Arab Americans as well as U.S. intervention in the Middle East. I appreciated this refreshing approach to politics and identity because it doesn’t shy away from the real issues and instead attacks them head on in a unique style. The original artwork and personal stories draw you in, and before you realize it- you are alternately cringing and laughing along with the character while he tries to fit in with average White Americans and find his place in American society.
Arab in America is also a good primer for those interested in current events and the Middle East in particular. El Rassi manages to delve into the history of the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli crisis and the current U.S. invasion of Iraq, as well as little known cases of ordinary Americans who were interrogated, detained, and/or deported for little more than having the wrong last name or being in the wrong place at the wrong time after September 11, 2001.
I would recommend this book for fans of graphic novels, students of history and politics and anyone open minded enough to put themselves in the shoes of a young Arab American faced with the constant stereotypes and misinformation prevalent in American culture.
El Rassi uses the comic book format and an ironic sense of humor to address attitudes towards Arab Americans as well as U.S. intervention in the Middle East. I appreciated this refreshing approach to politics and identity because it doesn’t shy away from the real issues and instead attacks them head on in a unique style. The original artwork and personal stories draw you in, and before you realize it- you are alternately cringing and laughing along with the character while he tries to fit in with average White Americans and find his place in American society.
Arab in America is also a good primer for those interested in current events and the Middle East in particular. El Rassi manages to delve into the history of the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli crisis and the current U.S. invasion of Iraq, as well as little known cases of ordinary Americans who were interrogated, detained, and/or deported for little more than having the wrong last name or being in the wrong place at the wrong time after September 11, 2001.
I would recommend this book for fans of graphic novels, students of history and politics and anyone open minded enough to put themselves in the shoes of a young Arab American faced with the constant stereotypes and misinformation prevalent in American culture.
November 2, 2015
So this title raises certain expectations. For only three words, it covers a lot of ground. So would you expect this book to be an uplifting account of growing up in the USA, of being different from the dominant culture, but respected for those differences and encouraged to join in everyone's reindeer games, and treated as a person and not as a two-dimensional representation of an entire group? Yeah, I didn't think so. That said, this is a fairly upbeat and enlightening book. Toufic doesn't seem bitter or despairing or furious. This book is intended to enlighten more than condemn. He talks about how "Arab" is not synonymous with "Muslim" among other topics. I actually learned quite a bit from this book. I did notice a few unfortunate spelling errors here and there, but hand lettering can be hard to correct. Hopefully readers won't let that detract from their enjoyment. There is one point where he mentions the infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner and refers to the sentiment as, "immature." I'm still trying to decide if he intended, "premature," and it was a typo, or whether it was a pointed dig at the former president ...
March 8, 2023
Intriguing and honest. Toufic’s experience has left me with more thoughts, questions and perspectives that are unknown to me.
October 3, 2018
Okay, I get it, it sucks to be Arab in America. The author give good examples, but I feel like he really has the skills to put this together as a graphic novel. There is a lot of repetitive art and huge blocks of text, exactly the kind of things you want to avoid in a comic.
April 23, 2015
I'm half-Lebanese and found this book deeply relatable. His narratives about racism and his struggles with racial identity are things that I think many Arabs who were raised in America can connect with.
The strength of this graphic novel is that it is informative. Those who are non-Arab can see the struggles of being an Arab-American. Those who are Arab American can see that others share similar experiences.
Sadly the novel doesn't truly embrace its medium. The images aren't effectively used for narrative and the novel reads almost as a set of annotated pictures. The novel is a semi-fluid list of deeply personal observations, experiences, and frustrations. In addition, several typos are present throughout the novel.
I would recommend this book to others for the simple fact that its subject matter is unique. There are few other novels that speak about the struggles of being Arab American with such clarity. But it is hard to recommend it as a good graphic novel.
The strength of this graphic novel is that it is informative. Those who are non-Arab can see the struggles of being an Arab-American. Those who are Arab American can see that others share similar experiences.
Sadly the novel doesn't truly embrace its medium. The images aren't effectively used for narrative and the novel reads almost as a set of annotated pictures. The novel is a semi-fluid list of deeply personal observations, experiences, and frustrations. In addition, several typos are present throughout the novel.
I would recommend this book to others for the simple fact that its subject matter is unique. There are few other novels that speak about the struggles of being Arab American with such clarity. But it is hard to recommend it as a good graphic novel.
June 15, 2017
The story here is largely autobiographical, relating both personal and national events leading up to 9/11 and the fallout afterwards. El Rassi's voice is important as a snapshot of American racism because he makes it very clear that anti-Arab sentiments did not suddenly appear after 9/11, as some would argue. Rather, 9/11 gave new fire and "legitimacy" to a problem stretching back to the Crusades and further.
El Rassi tackles some really big subjects that are often "expected" or are typical of Arab/Middle Eastern writers, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the War in Iraq, the Gulf War and British and American colonialism in the region. He also talks about his own failures to speak up for others and his reluctance to join in activism, which is something I know I've felt and struggled with as well.
I think what really set this apart for me is that, while he was critical of the hawkish nature of the Republicans and conservatives after 9/11, he also brought light to some of the discrimination he got from the leftist doves as well. They were not straightforward, and he describes how they overspoke him, when he tried to articulate himself as a person of color.
This is a problem with white liberals, and it is refreshing to see it expressed plainly. El Rassi crafts something that is simultaneously a snapshot of the time but is also an analysis of privilege. He gives a moderate voice that is critical of the institution of racism and Islamophobia in a dialog fraught with extremism.
El Rassi tackles some really big subjects that are often "expected" or are typical of Arab/Middle Eastern writers, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the War in Iraq, the Gulf War and British and American colonialism in the region. He also talks about his own failures to speak up for others and his reluctance to join in activism, which is something I know I've felt and struggled with as well.
I think what really set this apart for me is that, while he was critical of the hawkish nature of the Republicans and conservatives after 9/11, he also brought light to some of the discrimination he got from the leftist doves as well. They were not straightforward, and he describes how they overspoke him, when he tried to articulate himself as a person of color.
This is a problem with white liberals, and it is refreshing to see it expressed plainly. El Rassi crafts something that is simultaneously a snapshot of the time but is also an analysis of privilege. He gives a moderate voice that is critical of the institution of racism and Islamophobia in a dialog fraught with extremism.
April 16, 2023
This book does a great job at explaining the difference between being Arabic, and being Muslim. The book also shows how america treated Arab people (or people who look Arabic) during the gulf war and post 9/11. I don’t remember a world before 9/11 and I especially don’t really remember the reaction to it so it was very enlightening to hear it from someone who experienced hate during that time.
January 11, 2018
I loved this book because it Shows how lots of Arabs or Muslims are misjudged or not fairly being treat because of their beliefs or because of their religion and how how it impacts their lives.
October 28, 2021
Enjoyed. Felt a bit dated, and I didn’t love the structure, but the heart and message still comes through loud and clear.
February 13, 2022
This is a graphic essay I suppose about El Rassi’s experiences directly after 9/11. Overall, the book stays a bit on the surface about Islamophobia, going over events that are by now a bit a familiar, since El Rassi doesn’t focus on his own experiences, but weaves those in with explorations of politics of representation and current events, and stories of Muslims being scapegoated or suspected for no reason. I suppose I would have liked this to be more updated, but that is not a fault of the writer at all; it just is that his book is a good one for people just learning about the subject. I will say that I appreciated his critique of finding himself in activist spaces and interacting with white liberals who so badly wanted to be allies that they actually did not realize how condescending and dismissive they were to him or how they approached this topic. It reminded me in a way of MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” where he talks about the danger of moderates–how they do not necessarily see themselves in opposition to the fight for civil rights and therefore become challenging adversaries towards progress. In that moment, El Rassi for sure shows a unique perspective, but once again it is based on his personal experience. Overall, I like the genre; I just wish there was in-depth analysis, not a fast-paced sound bitey type of panel style in his work to tackle this subject.
March 13, 2012
This was interesting, perplexing and frustrating. It's a deeply political and personal book, but it suffers from a huge lack of introspection and, to my eyes, perspective. The story of an immigrant to the US from Lebanon. He did not initially identify with Middle East politics, but became increasingly marginalised - this seemed to be mostly due to him encountering increasing prejudice as he got older, which then found expression in a sense of injustice at the relationship between the West and the Middle East.
It's a sad tale, but the problem I have is that the kind of things he complains about just seem to be the usual idiots that people encounter, and then forget. He clearly hasn't, and worse then seems to ascribe those worst characteristics to all Americans. Beyond that, he is also horrified at the horrors perpetrated against arabs by Western powrs, but says not a word about those perpetrated by Arabs (the first gulf war being a case in point - nothing about Saddam Hussein and the Ba'athist regime for invading Kuwait).
A frustrating read, which I didn't feel worked as anything more than polemic.
To be fair, I may be misremembering some of this, but I honestly don't think the book is worth going back in order to give the benefit of the doubt.
It's a sad tale, but the problem I have is that the kind of things he complains about just seem to be the usual idiots that people encounter, and then forget. He clearly hasn't, and worse then seems to ascribe those worst characteristics to all Americans. Beyond that, he is also horrified at the horrors perpetrated against arabs by Western powrs, but says not a word about those perpetrated by Arabs (the first gulf war being a case in point - nothing about Saddam Hussein and the Ba'athist regime for invading Kuwait).
A frustrating read, which I didn't feel worked as anything more than polemic.
To be fair, I may be misremembering some of this, but I honestly don't think the book is worth going back in order to give the benefit of the doubt.
April 25, 2017
My reading of this was probably colored by recently reading (and loving) Amy Waldman's "The Submission," which also addressed American perceptions of Arabs after 9/11.
While Waldman's account covered the actions and reactions of a diverse group of people - widows, Muslims, immigrants, New Yorkers, etc. - Toufic El Rassi's graphic novel is a pure account of his experiences as an Arab-American after the Twin Towers fell. His experiences are well drawn, both literally and figuratively. The examples of discrimination and ignorance towards Arab-Americans after 9/11 are eye-opening for a reader unaware of the issues. And his own personal struggles - wanting to protest, but with the threat of deportation, choosing to stay home - bring a unique voice to the story.
If someone were looking for this type of narrative specifically, I would steer them in this direction. However, if they're just looking for a good book, there are many others I would recommend before this.
While Waldman's account covered the actions and reactions of a diverse group of people - widows, Muslims, immigrants, New Yorkers, etc. - Toufic El Rassi's graphic novel is a pure account of his experiences as an Arab-American after the Twin Towers fell. His experiences are well drawn, both literally and figuratively. The examples of discrimination and ignorance towards Arab-Americans after 9/11 are eye-opening for a reader unaware of the issues. And his own personal struggles - wanting to protest, but with the threat of deportation, choosing to stay home - bring a unique voice to the story.
If someone were looking for this type of narrative specifically, I would steer them in this direction. However, if they're just looking for a good book, there are many others I would recommend before this.
May 13, 2008
Everything makes this guy mad. He hates the people who ignore the fact that he's middle eastern, he hates the people who try to be interested. He hates post-911 war-mongering, he hates peaceniks. About half-way through you realize who he really hates: himself.
What's missing from this book is any genuine understanding or analysis of his own culture. He seems completely disconnected from the country he was born in (Lebanon), only interested in claiming the slight knowledge edge that allows him to look down at his fellow Americans. Not once in the book does he refer to any aspect of Middle Eastern culture or Islam with affection or pride. Work through your own issues, dude, or at least develop a little empathy.
What's missing from this book is any genuine understanding or analysis of his own culture. He seems completely disconnected from the country he was born in (Lebanon), only interested in claiming the slight knowledge edge that allows him to look down at his fellow Americans. Not once in the book does he refer to any aspect of Middle Eastern culture or Islam with affection or pride. Work through your own issues, dude, or at least develop a little empathy.
Read
June 29, 2020Instead of choosing a single book for this month’s book club I choose to read a series of graphic novels that related to immigration, diaspora, and cultural identity. There was not a singular grand narrative produced from these graphic novels but I choose to read a series to understand how the medium of graphic novel lends itself to the immigrant experience. I also wanted my ten hours and it didn’t take too long to read just one.
To provide context here is the list of books that I read:
Persepolis 1 and 2 by Marjane Satrapi. This series is highly celebrated not only as a graphic novel but as a memoir. It documents the narrator's life growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and subsequent relocation during her early adult years. The series reflects the struggles of cultural identity in an increasingly globalized world. The work has been translated into many languages and has been turned into a film.
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang: This work is more simplistic in nature and tells two overlapping stories of an American boy whose Chinese cousin visits him parallelling an ancient Chinese tale of “The Monkey King.” The novel touches upon internalized racism within second generation people.
Arab in America by Toufic El Rassi: Another memoir that details life for a Lebanese immigrant in a post 9/11 American landscape. He blends historical narratives with personal accounts in discussing the hostility he faces as being Arab in America.
Vietnamerican by GB Tran: The novel details the trip of a second generation Vietnamese man visiting Vietnam with his family. Initially disconnected from his Vietnamese heritage he begins to understand nuances of his family’s behavior stemming from the tragedies they faced during the Vietnam war.
Palestine by Joe Sacco: I read this novel thinking it fit under the scope of my initial criteria. Instead of being a self reflexive piece exploring cultural identity it read more as a visual account of gonzo journalism, exploring the tensions among Palestinians and Israelis.
I do not have a clear understanding of the communities I work with. I don’t ever expect to fully understand those experiences. However, it is my responsibility when doing service work to immerse myself in these communities and attempt to listen to the experiences of others. The limiting scope of media portrayals often creates unjust assumptions of “exotic others”. Even though some of us may have had first hand experience with multiculturalism each individual experiences it in a different capacity. This is demonstrated by the wide range of experiences detailed in the works above. Although they all deal to some degree with relocation and identity formation it is discussed in different capacities. This has included a focus on internalized racism, systemic inequality, historical prejudices, and/or globalization. In a greater context they paint a larger image of diaspora. Paying attention to the breadth of work available allows for me to better connect with the people who I work with, many of whom have had similar experiences to the ones portrayed.
Although I think these graphic novels relate to the work we do in discussing identity politics and how that informs our interactions with each other I am choosing to look at the medium of graphic novels. CTEP is geared towards empowering folks by engaging them with modern technology. Although it is not a complete parallel I think consciousness building graphic novels can be an engaging tool that can promote empowerment as well. English language learners or others without literacy skills can still find graphic novels accessible. They have been noted as being less intimidating than traditional novels and can be popular with youth. They can engage people in new ways that they have not been engaged in before. In fact, Vietnamerican was chosen as one of the St Paul Public Libraries official recommendation for youth reading. Many schools are adding graphic novels to their curriculum as well, effectively promoting a diverse literacy pattern.
I would largely recommend these texts as well as others to promote a diverse understanding of the term literacy. At CTEP we focus on technological literacy but there is room to explore other realms. There are spaces in which we can discuss multiliteracy, traditional textual literacy, digital media literacy and also importantly critical literacy. These are necessary tools for empowerment because they allow for people to have a greater sense of agency in their life. People are not only able to find stories that resonate with them on a very intimate level but they are also able to explore that within different contexts of their life. There are many mediums that have the ability to do this, I advocate that more people explore graphic novels as one of those options.
I have many more recommendations if people are interested in exploring this world
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (sexuality)
Stitches by David Small (disability)
March by John Lewis (MLK and 1960s era American Civil Rights movement)
The Real Cost of Prisons (Prison Industrial Complex)
Mauz by Art Spiegelman (Holocaust)
Blankets by Craig Thompson (Religion)
I wouldn’t be a true geek if I didn’t include some things I just think are cool:
DMZ, Day Trippers, Chew, Astonishing X-Men
Rycroft, K. F. (2014). "Graphic Novels: Preparing for a Mulitmodal and Multiliterate World."Student Pulse, 6(08). Retrieved from http://www.studentpulse.com/a?id=907
To provide context here is the list of books that I read:
Persepolis 1 and 2 by Marjane Satrapi. This series is highly celebrated not only as a graphic novel but as a memoir. It documents the narrator's life growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and subsequent relocation during her early adult years. The series reflects the struggles of cultural identity in an increasingly globalized world. The work has been translated into many languages and has been turned into a film.
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang: This work is more simplistic in nature and tells two overlapping stories of an American boy whose Chinese cousin visits him parallelling an ancient Chinese tale of “The Monkey King.” The novel touches upon internalized racism within second generation people.
Arab in America by Toufic El Rassi: Another memoir that details life for a Lebanese immigrant in a post 9/11 American landscape. He blends historical narratives with personal accounts in discussing the hostility he faces as being Arab in America.
Vietnamerican by GB Tran: The novel details the trip of a second generation Vietnamese man visiting Vietnam with his family. Initially disconnected from his Vietnamese heritage he begins to understand nuances of his family’s behavior stemming from the tragedies they faced during the Vietnam war.
Palestine by Joe Sacco: I read this novel thinking it fit under the scope of my initial criteria. Instead of being a self reflexive piece exploring cultural identity it read more as a visual account of gonzo journalism, exploring the tensions among Palestinians and Israelis.
I do not have a clear understanding of the communities I work with. I don’t ever expect to fully understand those experiences. However, it is my responsibility when doing service work to immerse myself in these communities and attempt to listen to the experiences of others. The limiting scope of media portrayals often creates unjust assumptions of “exotic others”. Even though some of us may have had first hand experience with multiculturalism each individual experiences it in a different capacity. This is demonstrated by the wide range of experiences detailed in the works above. Although they all deal to some degree with relocation and identity formation it is discussed in different capacities. This has included a focus on internalized racism, systemic inequality, historical prejudices, and/or globalization. In a greater context they paint a larger image of diaspora. Paying attention to the breadth of work available allows for me to better connect with the people who I work with, many of whom have had similar experiences to the ones portrayed.
Although I think these graphic novels relate to the work we do in discussing identity politics and how that informs our interactions with each other I am choosing to look at the medium of graphic novels. CTEP is geared towards empowering folks by engaging them with modern technology. Although it is not a complete parallel I think consciousness building graphic novels can be an engaging tool that can promote empowerment as well. English language learners or others without literacy skills can still find graphic novels accessible. They have been noted as being less intimidating than traditional novels and can be popular with youth. They can engage people in new ways that they have not been engaged in before. In fact, Vietnamerican was chosen as one of the St Paul Public Libraries official recommendation for youth reading. Many schools are adding graphic novels to their curriculum as well, effectively promoting a diverse literacy pattern.
I would largely recommend these texts as well as others to promote a diverse understanding of the term literacy. At CTEP we focus on technological literacy but there is room to explore other realms. There are spaces in which we can discuss multiliteracy, traditional textual literacy, digital media literacy and also importantly critical literacy. These are necessary tools for empowerment because they allow for people to have a greater sense of agency in their life. People are not only able to find stories that resonate with them on a very intimate level but they are also able to explore that within different contexts of their life. There are many mediums that have the ability to do this, I advocate that more people explore graphic novels as one of those options.
I have many more recommendations if people are interested in exploring this world
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (sexuality)
Stitches by David Small (disability)
March by John Lewis (MLK and 1960s era American Civil Rights movement)
The Real Cost of Prisons (Prison Industrial Complex)
Mauz by Art Spiegelman (Holocaust)
Blankets by Craig Thompson (Religion)
I wouldn’t be a true geek if I didn’t include some things I just think are cool:
DMZ, Day Trippers, Chew, Astonishing X-Men
Rycroft, K. F. (2014). "Graphic Novels: Preparing for a Mulitmodal and Multiliterate World."Student Pulse, 6(08). Retrieved from http://www.studentpulse.com/a?id=907
May 10, 2008
OH MY GOD.
This guy had an agenda, and it was a stupid one.
I have never seen the breadth of anti-Arab sentiment he was talking about, and I am not completely oblivious. Furthermore, he shows very little appreciation for the culture that he is so mad at everybody else being so down on. And he's snotty about people who protest the wars.
This book was defensive without being self-reflective. And it seriously suffered. Blech.
This guy had an agenda, and it was a stupid one.
I have never seen the breadth of anti-Arab sentiment he was talking about, and I am not completely oblivious. Furthermore, he shows very little appreciation for the culture that he is so mad at everybody else being so down on. And he's snotty about people who protest the wars.
This book was defensive without being self-reflective. And it seriously suffered. Blech.
November 21, 2008
There was a lot of great information in this, and I liked the main character's perspective. I liked the art as well. My main criticism would be that the art and text didn't really work together -- it read more like an illustrated text rather than a graphic novel at times.
February 13, 2016
An autobiography by an American of Arab descent and what he and other Arabs (and other dark-skinned people because 'Murica) had to go through before and after 9/11. Spoiler alert: racism still exists.
April 11, 2021
Originally published in 2007, I read the 2016 edition in 2021. Obviously the 2016 edition does not touch on the Trump years, the Muslim ban, or the general rise in white supremacy over those years.
In this graphic memoir, El Rassi discusses his childhood growing up in a very white community, largely unaware that he was "different" until middle school, when he began to be teased for being of Middle Eastern descent/Arab. When he goes to college and 9/11 happens, he begins to be more interested in--and more afraid of--protesting. He gains his American citizenship so he feels safe participating in protests. It is not an easy nor quick process, despite the fact that he speaks fluent English and was raised as an American. He discusses the people he meets there, protesting--who, he notes, are largely white and happy to tell others what they should think, how they should protest also. I found this especially interesting because I see this all the time in local groups. The virtue-signaling of talking about how woke one is, when what these people are actually doing is speaking for other populations. Let them speak for themselves!
In between telling his own experiences, he also gives bits of history: music and movies that portray Arabs in a certain way (often with no Arab actors); people who have been held for years on questionable charges due to their origin; people who have been harrassed due to Americans' general misunderstanding of what "Arab" is; an explanation of "Arab" vs "Muslim".
Very interesting, would be a great read for high schoolers (or anyone interested in learning more). History, memoir, and a good explanation of how he (El Rassi) so often doesn't feel like it fits in.
In this graphic memoir, El Rassi discusses his childhood growing up in a very white community, largely unaware that he was "different" until middle school, when he began to be teased for being of Middle Eastern descent/Arab. When he goes to college and 9/11 happens, he begins to be more interested in--and more afraid of--protesting. He gains his American citizenship so he feels safe participating in protests. It is not an easy nor quick process, despite the fact that he speaks fluent English and was raised as an American. He discusses the people he meets there, protesting--who, he notes, are largely white and happy to tell others what they should think, how they should protest also. I found this especially interesting because I see this all the time in local groups. The virtue-signaling of talking about how woke one is, when what these people are actually doing is speaking for other populations. Let them speak for themselves!
In between telling his own experiences, he also gives bits of history: music and movies that portray Arabs in a certain way (often with no Arab actors); people who have been held for years on questionable charges due to their origin; people who have been harrassed due to Americans' general misunderstanding of what "Arab" is; an explanation of "Arab" vs "Muslim".
Very interesting, would be a great read for high schoolers (or anyone interested in learning more). History, memoir, and a good explanation of how he (El Rassi) so often doesn't feel like it fits in.
February 4, 2018
Pretty interesting book for an American Jew like me to read, El Rassi's Arab in America is a quick graphic novel journey into what it has been like for one Arab to get by in post-9/11 America. The author came to the US from Beruit as a baby, but has felt like an outsider every day. He's confronted by angry Americans who think he's Mexican, or he's Iranian, that's he's dumb, or can't speak English, or most of all that he's a terrorist. El Rassi educates on the differences between Arab and Muslim, as well as on a host of people who "look like" him who've been swept up in various raids and treated brutally. It's not a pretty picture.
The sections on Palestinians and Israelis feel oversimplified to me. I think there are many Jews who don't consider the victims of their government's actions; in this case, I don't think El Rassi tries hard enough to understand the varied perspectives of Jews around the world. That's a problem.
The sections on Palestinians and Israelis feel oversimplified to me. I think there are many Jews who don't consider the victims of their government's actions; in this case, I don't think El Rassi tries hard enough to understand the varied perspectives of Jews around the world. That's a problem.
April 25, 2024
2. 5 stars. I picked up this graphic memoir (graphic essay?) as it was on Solano County's list of April recommendations for their year-long reading challenge (Arab American Heritage Month). It was written in 2007 so is an interesting snapshot of the post 9/11 years. The author does a good job of explaining his feelings of being marginalized in the U.S., but I wish the book had taken a broader view (i.e., I wanted to know where and what the author was doing at this time and now -- he's now a professor, but may not have been in 2007). I did learn a lot about some events like the first Gulf War, the civil war in Lebanon, etc., so definitely educational on that front, and it also contained some basic information other readers less familiar with the subject mind find helpful (e.g., what is the actual meaning of the word "Arab").
May 7, 2017
This well-drawn, well-researched, and well-argued graphic autobiography impressed me. El Rassi moved with his family from Beirut to Chicago when he was 6 months old, yet he has never felt at home in the US since the day in elementary school when he realized he was the only non-white in his class. His story of being an unwilling outsider is familiar from reading autobiography by blacks, hispanics, gays, and others. Yet his post-9/11 fears are unique and realistic. He made me see the plight of both Arabs and Muslims living in the US more clearly than I had from having Muslim friends and Arab colleagues.
March 17, 2024
3.5 stars
This book is good for people who don't know much about what it's like to be Arab in America. I would've given it four stars, but I felt like the illustrations didn't inform the story very much, which is one of my favorite things about graphic novels. I think the author has a lot of contradicting thoughts (ex: wanting to speak up yet felt the risk was too high), which is totally understandable when you're Arab in America. I appreciated the honest nuance and expression of feelings mixed with other people's stories and brief history lessons.
This book is good for people who don't know much about what it's like to be Arab in America. I would've given it four stars, but I felt like the illustrations didn't inform the story very much, which is one of my favorite things about graphic novels. I think the author has a lot of contradicting thoughts (ex: wanting to speak up yet felt the risk was too high), which is totally understandable when you're Arab in America. I appreciated the honest nuance and expression of feelings mixed with other people's stories and brief history lessons.
May 16, 2018
Interesting graphic novel. There was a lot of text for a graphic novel and I would have liked to learn more about Toufic and his family and friends and relationships with the people around him. He focuses a lot on events happening around the world and then maybe a page or two about his reactions and his life. I really wanted to know more about him and his family and their lives in the USA. All around though, a good story and full of interesting information.
December 24, 2023
Based off the title was expecting it to be more about common Arab experiences and just feeling othered and isolated from culture blah blah blah but he did such a good job in analyzing Arab politics and neoliberalism (😾).
If ur not Arab read this and it is especially so relevant today! And fuck America ya ibn sharmoota
If ur not Arab read this and it is especially so relevant today! And fuck America ya ibn sharmoota
June 18, 2019
Not much to say about this except: wow! The hatred and ignorance of my fellow Americans is really disturbing. Not a beautiful book, but well-laid-out, powerful, and effective. I read it in an hour and really couldn't put it down.
July 8, 2021
I was struck by the detail of self-portrait in this book from the beginning and it all made sense near the end when the author describes embracing and focusing on their own "difference" and the beauty of those differences.
November 12, 2025
Through this graphic novel we are given a face to our fears. As Toufic shares: “Who we are is in large part determined by how we are viewed by others and apparently ‘scary’ or threatening is how Americans see me.”
October 8, 2018
#ownvoices
June 10, 2021
Good overview of 9/11 and aftermath for Arab Americans.
September 22, 2022
This book should be a mandatory read in schools/universities.
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