The Arab of the Future, Vol 1

Sattouf, Riad. The Arab of the Future, Vol 1: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1978-1984. 2015. 154p. ISBN 978-1-62779-344-5.

As a blue-eyed blond child, Riad is very comfortable in his life in France. His mother is French, and his father is Syrian, but has been studying in France for a while now and hasn't been back home to visit in a decade. His father loves France for its freedoms, but longs for a strong and united pan-Arab society he could lead. After one more encounter with racism in France, Riad's father exiles himself and his family to Libya, where he got a job at the university, so he can raise Riad in an Arab society. 

Things in Libya are strange. There are no locks on doors, and anyone can claim an empty house, something Riad's family experiences on their first night when they return from a walk only to discover someone now lives in their home. Riad meets new friends and begins to learn the customs of the country. Food is rationed, and people are not free to express themselves. Riad is visited by his grandmother and his uncle from Syria, who are mesmerized by his long blond hair. His maternal grandmother also visits, and soon the family returns to France, with a new baby on the way.

Back in France, a younger brother is born, and the family packs up again and this time moves to Syria. The contrast between the two societies is shocking to Riad, but like every child he is resilient and learns to adapt to a new society. His mother, however, is not thrilled to be here. Over the next two years they save a lot of money, but Riad has to navigate complicated family relationships with undertone of political strife and racism as he is called a Jew. When the family once again returns to France, Riad is excited. However, this is just a summer break, and they're heading once again back to Syria.

An autobiographical graphic novel, The Arab of the Future portrays a dysfunctional society and a father always seeking a better future just around the corner. Fans of Persepolis will enjoy the similarities between Riad's early life and that of Marjane.

The story continues in The Arab of the Future 2.

Refugee

Gratz, Alan. Refugee. 2017. 338p. ISBN 978-0-545-88083-1. Available at FIC GRA on the library shelves.

Over the history of humanity, conflicts have always created waves of refugees seeking to escape horrific conditions. In the last five years, the plight of refugees has been brought to the forefront of people’s consciousness and it has been featured repeatedly in the news. The Syrian civil war pushed millions of people away from their homes. It is in this climate of fear and destruction that in 2015 Mahmood’s apartment in Aleppo is destroyed by a missile. His parents and younger brother and sister survive, but they must escape the combat zone. Mahmood’s father decide they must risk the trip to Germany and safety. But this will involve crossing many international borders in countries that are hostile to Syrian refugees, and which will include a desperate raft trip from Turkey to Greece.

In 1994, Cuba is experiencing social tensions due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The subsidized fuel and food it provided the Communist island have now ended, and Fidel Castro’s dictatorship is barely able to hang on. Isabel’s father participated in a demonstration and was arrested and beaten by the security forces, who promised to return and hurt him more. When Castro announces that anyone who wants to leave can, Isabel, her father and heavily pregnant mother secure passage aboard their neighbor’s hastily constructed raft and strike out for Florida. If they can reach land, they will be safe and welcomed by the Americans. If stopped in the waters, they will be returned to Cuba.

In 1939, Josef and his family are persecuted in Germany for being Jewish. His father spent time in Dachau, the infamous concentration camp, and when the opportunity presents itself to book passage aboard a ship for Cuba, the family does not hesitate. Josef’s father is a broken man, however, and the pain and torture he endured have destroyed his spirit. Josef must step up and become the man of the family. Despite sailing away from Germany, the St. Louis’ crew is German, and portraits of Adolf Hitler still adorn the dining rooms and hallways.

As all three teens set out to escape, they will live horrors beyond words, but also encounter friends and forge a determined identity. Though separated by decades, the lives of these refugees intertwines at the end of the novel, demonstrating that actions today can have a powerful impact in the lives of those not yet born.

The Rise of ISIS: The Modern Age of Terrorism

Kennon, Caroline. The Rise of ISIS: The Modern Age of Terrorism. 2017. 104p. ISBN 978-1-5345-6056-7. Available at 956.05 KEN on the library shelves.

In the last ten years, no other organization has challenged modern Western society more than ISIS. The rise and partial fall of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria contributed to the emergence of decentralized and radical terrorism and has led to an increase in anti-Muslim incidents in the United States and around the world. Following the invasion of Iraq, many Iraqis opposed the American presence. Inspired by Al Qaeda, several individuals formed an organization called Al Qaeda in Iraq and fought against the Americans. Over time, this terrorist organization was severely crippled and its leadership removed multiple times, yet it adapted and grew until it controlled significant portions of Iraq and Syria. In the process it abandoned its allegiance to Al Qaeda, which it deemed not aggressive enough, and pursued its expansion and stated goal of establishing a caliphate.

Denounced by Muslims around the world, ISIS still attracted disaffected youths to the battlefields of Syria and Iraq. Military offensives have been necessary to push it back and to destroy its operational control of oil fields and cities. Pushed out of its last city stronghold, ISIS is once again crippled, but not yet defeated. This book provides a history of ISIS, from the world events that inspired its creation to how it rose in power and potency. Measures taken to deal with this threat are discussed, and an explanation of its social media strategy is given. Finally, photos illustrate life under ISIS and in surrounding areas.

Students of history and those interested in learning how a terrorist group came to occupy significant territorial portions of Iraq and Syria will appreciate this comprehensive introduction to one of the world’s worst terrorist organizations.