Books like The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf

Name: The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf
Author: Mohja Kahf

📘 The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf

Khadra Shamy, a Syrian immigrant, is raised in a devout Muslim family in 1970s Indiana. Guided by her brother Eyad and African‑American friends Hakim and Hanifa, she explores the city by bike while negotiating the clash between Islamic tradition and American life. A troubled marriage forces her to leave for Syria, where she reconnects with faith. Upon returning to the U.S., she works in an eastern state, avoiding the haunting memory of a Klan‑induced murder in Indiana. When assigned to cover an Islamic conference in Indianapolis, Khadra revisits familiar streets, attends her brother’s interfaith band concert, and reconnects with old friends. The novel captures the complexities of emigration, social integration, and ethnic relations as a young woman balances her religious identity with the American environment.

First publish date: August 22, 2006

Genre: General Fiction/General Fiction

Authors: Mohja Kahf

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