Rajib Rahman

“Most of us can't help but live as though we've got two lives to live, one is the mockup, the other the finished version, and then there are all those versions in between.”
― André Aciman

“hope that he will not know pain or betrayal or disappointment, but of course he will, because he’s alive and that’s the price we pay.”
― John Boyne, The Elements

“Do you think I’m too Westernized?” I asked Leila as we walked back home from the library.
“What do you mean?”
“This guy, Sufyan, says I’m too Westernized.”
“The American guy? You’re letting an American guy tell you whether you’re Arab enough?”
“He’s originally Arab —” I began.
“Oh please. Arab Americans are even worse than white people. They look at you like they know you, as if they have an idea of what you’re like from stereotypes and their parents’ ancient memories. And when you don’t conform to their image it terrifies them, because they wear their Arab culture like window dressing but underneath they are as white as snow.”
― Saleem Haddad

“After all, aren’t housekeepers the bearers of all family secrets”
― Saleem Haddad