In recognition of Arab American Heritage Month, formally established by the Biden administration in April 2021, this reading list celebrates the varied cultures, achievements, and contributions of Arab American people. Through historical fiction, literary fiction, memoirs, and more, the following books reveal many facets of Arab American communities, histories, and experiences. These titles, and those selected from previous years, are available as a downloadable spreadsheet.

FICTION

Ameri, Anan. Khaled and Jamila. Interlink Books. Jan. 2026. 286p. ISBN 9781623715847. pbk. 18.95. MULTIGENERATIONAL

Assadi, Hannah Lillith. Paradiso 17. Knopf. Mar. 2026. 320p. ISBN 9780593804056. $29. HISTORICAL

Hamdan, Sara. What Will People Think? Henry Holt. May 2025. 336p. ISBN 9781250329813. $28.99. COMING OF AGE

Murr, Naeem. Every Exit Brings You Home. Norton. Feb. 2026. 336p. ISBN 9781324117902. $31.99. LITERARY

Zaher, Yasmin. The Coin. Catapult. Jul. 2024. 240p. ISBN 9781646222100. $27. LITERARY

NONFICTION

Abdul-Baki, Kathryn K. Dancing Into the Light: An Arab-American Girlhood in the Middle East. She Writes. Sep. 2023. 336p. ISBN 9781647425371. $17.30. MEMOIR

Albrecht, Charlotte Karem. Possible Histories: Arab Americans and the Queer Ecology of Peddling. University of California Press. Feb 2023. 204p. ISBN 9780520391727. $34.95. SOCIAL SCIENCES

Gorani, Hala. But You Don't Look Arab: And Other Tales of Unbelonging. Hachette. Feb. 2024. 336p. ISBN 9780306831645. $30. MEMOIR

Miller, Anna Lekas. Love Across Borders: Passports, Papers, and Romance in a Divided World. Algonquin. Jun. 2023. 256p. ISBN 9781643752334. $27. POL SCI

Shallal, Andy. A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets. OR Books. Sep. 2025. 224p. ISBN 9781682196380 $24.95. COOKING