Join Us for an Author Talk and Reading Aug. 22 at the Arab American National Museum

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Pease join us for an evening filled with heart and plenty of humor Thursday, August 22, from 6 to 8 p.m.  Author Ghassan Zeineddine will discuss and read from his debut short story collection, Dearborn, at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn.  The city is home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans outside of the Middle East and was the inspiration for Zeineddine’s book.

We’ll enjoy drinks and appetizers and have time to mingle before Zeineddine talks and takes questions. We’ll gather in the library of this unique museum, the first and only in the country devoted to documenting and sharing Arab American contributions that shaped the economic, political, and cultural landscapes of American life. The museum tells the Arab American story through the voices and experiences of Arab Americans.

Zeineddine is a native of Lebanon who received a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University in 2005All 10 stories in his book relate to the city of Dearborn, where he lived from 2018 to 2023 while teaching at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.  He calls Dearborn the one place in the U.S. he felt immediately at home.  He now lives in Ohio and teaches creative writing at Ohio’s Oberlin College.

Zeineddine wanted his book to highlight the broad diversity of Arab Americans who live in Dearborn through stories that span decades and vary in theme.  His characters grapple with issues like generational conflict and identity in stories that are often touching but always have humor, a nod to how Zeineddine says he views the world.  He says humor is a way to engage people even with the most serious subjects.

Dearborn has won a number of awards and was named a 2024 Michigan Notable Book. Prior to Dearborn, Zeineddine co-edited the creative nonfiction anthology Hadha Baladuna: Arab American Narratives of Boundary and Belonging while still living in Dearborn. 

For more about the book see https://tinhouse.com/book/dearborn. If you bring a copy to our event, Zeineddine will be happy to sign it

WHEN:  Thursday, August 22, 2024, 6-8 p.m. Our event starts at 6 right after the museum closes, so please plan to arrive before 6 p.m.  It concludes at 8 p.m.

WHERE: Arab American National Museum in the Library, 13624 Michigan Avenue
Dearborn, MI 48126, 313-429-2535, https://arabamericanmuseum.org/ 

COST: $20 per person paid in advance. 

PARKING: Please enter the Museum through the front door. Free, lighted parking is available in the large municipal parking lot behind the Museum. 

RSVP to secure your spot.

NOTE: Since our event starts at 6 p.m. just as the museum closes, you may wish to consider getting there early to tour the museum on your own. Hours are Thursday and Friday 11-6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12-6 p.m. Museum admission (separate from our ticket price): General museum admission is $8; Seniors (age 59 and over), students and educators with ID pay $4; and free to museum members and children aged 5 and under. Please confirm details at their website: https://arabamericanmuseum.org/ 

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WHEN
August 22, 2024 at 6:00pm - 8pm
WHERE

Arab American National Museum

13624 Michigan Ave
Museum Library
Dearborn, MI 48126
United States
17 RSVPS

Will you come?

$20.00 Dearborn Book Talk Aug. 22, 2024 Dearborn Book Talk Aug. 22, 2024