In this current political climate, being a Palestinian is a hazard. However, there are common grounds where East meets West. The Hookah Girl is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel of a childhood as a Christian Palestinian in America. Told in short stories and with narrative ranging from growing up in a refugee family to how to roll waraq (stuffed grape leaves), this book is an account of living in two seemingly different cultures that actually aren't very different at all.
I really liked this book -- it was clever and entertaining, but I really enjoyed reading the point of view of the author. It is always good to view things from someone so different. Especially since it is so popular to pretend that Arabs, and especially Palestinians, are not real humans. As the author points out, the history is so complex and difficult to grapple with.
