Figs and Fate: Stories about Growing Up in the Arab World Today

by Elsa Marston

A collection of five stories portraying Arab life in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, and Iraq today.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Young Adult, Middle East

Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

About the author

Elsa Harik, known professionally as Elsa Marston, is an American author of children's books about the Middle East and North Africa. She died after completing her last book, "I Just Kept Walking."

Reviews

[Jim March · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marston's collection of short stories all contain young protagonists (age 10-13) and give a glimpse of life in a variety of Middle Eastern countries. Within these five stories, the reader gains insights into the daily lives of children in another part of the world. Dealing with issues such as social class, as seen through the eyes of a wealthy government official's daughter named Rania. Marston's first story touches on issues of class through the eyes of innocence, as Rania doesn't see any reason why she can't be friends with a poor farmers daughter (Fayza) from school, and can't understand why her mother is so opposed to the friendship. In another story, a young boy named Rami decides that his new art teacher would be perfect for his older brother, Marwan. Rami and his family live in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, and his brother Marwan, a former engineering student who was forced to drop out of school to support his family, is embarrassed by his impoverished state. Marwan has resisted all his family's attempts to find him a bride due to his shame about working as a salesman, pushing a cart around the market. As a result, Rami is forced to scheme constantly trying to push the two together.

In all, these five stories provide an excellent look at life in a variety of Middle Eastern countries through the eyes of young protagonists on the verge of adolescence. Going beyond the typical surface features of life in another part of the world, Marston refuses to look at food and holidays in her slice of life portrayals. Rather, throughout her stories, she touches on significant themes and in characterizing her stories, gives a fair cross section of real life that has as many striking similarities to American life as it does glaring differences.

Appropriate for grades 5-9, no non-audio format available.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Figs and Fate: Stories about Growing Up in the Arab World by Elsa Marston is a collection of short stories written from the perspective of a teen living in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestinian Refugee Camp, and Iraq. There is a story of a rich Egyptian girl from an upper class family, who want to be friends with a local farm girl. Her family disapproves of the friendship and sends her away to a fancy school in Cairo. Another story is of a boy in Syria who has divorced parents. His father tells him that he will no longer get to live with his mother. Suhayl learns to make homemade hummus and a spaghetti dinner for his mother, because she works too hard and comes home to cook for him every night. Together they enjoy one last dinner together. The five stories introduce the reader to different customs and cultures, but the same issues that face many teens.

The strength of this book was that it introduced readers to multiple cultures in short, easy to read stories. The weakness was that they most of the stories were sad and made the reader feel that there was more to tell. Overall, I did not enjoy the book.

The short stories could be used in units about friendship, family dynamics, and sacrifice. I don’t know that students would actually read the entire book. However, the short stories make it a good read aloud book.

This book is no longer in print. However, upon further study, I found that the stories have been included in a new book called Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World (2008).

Winner of the Middle East Outreach Council Book Award

[KerriRowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

According to Editor-in-Chief Lyn Miller-Lachmann, the five stories in Figs and Fate offer a window into often misunderstood and stereotyped Middle Eastern cultures. These five stories contain amazing characters that encounter dilemmas, giving the reader a glimpse of what young Arab teens experience. As a reader, I was given the opportunity to visualize the surroundings of these characters and feel a small percent of what these characters feel more often than not. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to read this book, even though some of the stories will pull at your heartstrings. I was partial to the stories In Line and Hand of Fatima. These two stories were about everyday issues such as friendship, family and honor. I believe this book would be good for grades fifth through eighth. I think there are many ways to use the stories. Using them at different times came to mind, especially if you wanted to focus on each chapter’s message.

[Crista Goluch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories that were assembled to give the world a glimpse in to everyday life in the Middle East. Each story is different, although all 5 mention eating figs and the course of the main character’s fate. The interesting thing about the stories is the range of characters from wealthy to poor, male to female and so on.

Unfortunately, I thought that each story was missing a little something. It seemed that once I got into a story it was time to start a new one.

This book could be used when working on the short story writing process. One could even use it as a companion book when looking into units on the Middle East.

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are short stories about coming of age in the Middle East.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elsa Marston's Figs and Fate is a collection of interconnected short stories that offer a nuanced and intimate portrait of adolescence in the Arab world. The stories, set in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, a Palestinian refugee camp, and Iraq, provide a multifaceted perspective on the lives of young people grappling with complex societal, familial, and personal challenges.  

Marston's skillful storytelling immerses readers in the rich tapestry of Arab culture, revealing its complexities and contradictions. Through the eyes of her young protagonists, she explores the impact of political instability, economic disparities, and traditional gender roles. Each story serves as a microcosm of the broader societal issues faced by the region, while simultaneously delving into the personal struggles of its characters.

By providing a glimpse into the lives of young Arabs, Marston challenges stereotypes and fosters empathy. Her stories humanize a region often reduced to headlines, inviting readers to connect with individuals on a personal level. The author's sensitivity to the cultural nuances of each setting enhances the authenticity of her narrative.

[Terrence Spurlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard to keep up with.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a westerner who wants an idea of what it is like to grow up in the Middle East, Figs and Fate is a decent place to start. Like Marston, I am a westerner who has family in the Middle East and has spent time there. The issues which she chooses to highlight in the stories - class issues, gender issues, family relationships - all mesh with my experience there, and in that way they felt authentic. All of the things which happened in the stories I could imagine happening to a cousin or a young person I knew.

However, in another important way they feel inauthentic - as an outsider to the culture, Marston is able to see things that someone who grew up in the Middle East most likely could not see about their own culture. And in some cases, her characters seem to have an awareness which is, well, foreign. And they sometimes feel a bit contrived, as if the author started with a particular cultural quirk or issue that she wanted to raise and then built a story around it. Additionally, I was thrown a couple times by days of the week in the book. In all of the countries Marston writes about (with the exception of Lebanon) the work week runs from Sunday through Thursday, so Thursday night is the equivalent of a Friday night in the West. A couple times in the stories, I was surprised by children going to school or people going to work on a Friday. I assume this change was made to make the stories understandable for Westerners. This isn't a bad thing, but it made the stories feel slightly less real and made it clear that Marston had a specific (Western) audience in mind as she wrote.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were five short stories that made up a lovely set of tales about young kids halfway around the world. Each story could just as well have been set in the United States - there were parents who didn't want their daughter associating with lower class friends, a new art teacher who would make the perfect wife for a bachelor older brother, a young man who just wants to do something nice for his mom, a young woman who struggles between her parents' expectations and her own dreams, and the final story talks about the sacrifices we make for other' happiness. Each story has a likeable young person as the main character, each character has a typical dilemma, and each one is concluded well, if not happily. The setting, food and terms of endearment are the only indications that these stories are happening somewhere far away, and these subtle descriptions provide a wonderful atmosphere. The purpose of this book was to make children of the Arab world real to children in the Western world, and she succeeded. I highly recommend this book.
The short story format provides an easily digestible way of reading that might be appealing to those who get bored easily or get impatient while reading. The real problems and characters should appeal to those who like realistic fiction. These would each be a great starting point for a discussion on different cultures and their similarities. Readers who are experiencing similar problems as the characters might find some solace or spark in the way they handle their dilemmas.
Nothing obviously objectionable.

[Brandi Rae Fong · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars...This was read for books club, and there were some nice discussion points about class and gender. Overall though, it was just okay.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t read many young adult books so I may be out of touch but this book seemed to be way over agenda driven – to present the problems of young people in Arab countries today and show how much they have in common with young people in the U.S. Although some of the stories are okay, I felt like I was reading a book from 9th grade English text and kept expecting a list of those inane questions that come at the end of the stories in those texts. (Whoever had the job of writing those questions seems to have been hired by the people who put “Book Club Questions” at the end of books today.) Unlike Shabanu, the characters in Figs do not really have a voice and many of the situations seem contrived. That said, there is insight into class divisions, refugees status and changing roles of women.

[528_Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summary and opinion: This book is a collection of Arabic stories in various places. It was hard to determine if the stories were all recent. Only one story gives a date of 2000. The other stories give a sense of them being older, but I am unfamiliar with the current state of these countries, so they might be a current story.(Granted the title claims they are more current, but the stories seemed more old fashioned.) I have to admit. I really didn't like this book. The stories needed more information. They left you wondering what happens next.

Grades: High School

School Ideas:
- Research the individual countries

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Figs and Fate is a collection of coming of age short stories by Elsa Marston. The stories are about teen life in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, a refugee camp, and Iraq. The Middle Eastern settings are described with great detail. An author's note helps explain each story.

This collection of stories is good for discussing multicultural issues. Classes that did not have time to read the whole book could read just one story.

Good for students grade 5-9.

Connections:
http://www.mitaliperkins.com/pdf/Arab...

[529_Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book about five short stories from Arab children. The stories were interesting and from different parts of the Arab world. One criticism is that the stories leave you hanging, you really want to know more. The stories give the reader a closer look at the Arab world.

This book could be used in a unit on different cultures in the world. It could also be used in a unit on short stories.

[Dayna Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five charming and moving short stories of teenagers growing up in the Middle East. Each story shows the challenges of growing up and growing up in the Arab world. The settings range from Baghdad, to Syria, to Egypt, to Lebanon, to a refugee camp in Palestine. A excellent look at a world few in America get a close look at; teens will realize that even in other countries they all face some of the same issues growing up.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories were fine and possibly even accurate but I had difficulty believing a middle aged woman from the U.S. could have any clue about what growing up in the middle east - in a refugee camp or even the Egyptian countryside - could be like, even if her husband was from Lebanon.

[Rzan N Mah]

i loved the whole five stories...

[Book-a-neer]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12972723

[Maeve]

Great short stories about young teens growing up in the Middle Eastern countries of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, etc... Loved the stories and seeing the world through others eyes.