The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human: True Stories. Soul-Baring Moments. No Apologies.

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“A simmering, wide-ranging collection of informative nonfiction. Our verdict: Get it.” —Kirkus Reviews

Two schoolgirls in Yemen skip class, and wander into a yellow circus tent. A woman in Beirut is heartsick, waiting for her kidnapped parrot to return. A Jordanian man curses his loud neighbors during a maddening summer stuck in his hot Amman apartment. A woman recalls young summer love on the seaside in Alexandria, Egypt.
This is a first-class ticket around the world to make friends with 41 real-life strangers from 35 countries.

“…stories that examine the internal wars fought by many people: to cope with emerging sexuality, straight and queer, to gain the acceptance of a community into which one has migrated or fled or sought asylum… the pains of growing up, the riotous adventures of childhood, the safe and loving arms of mothers, fathers, uncles and aunts, and always, the question: what and where is home?” — Bina Shah, from her foreword in The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human.

Each short memoir reveals a depth of human experience in a way that you can’t help but recognize your own. It’s also an ensemble that offers a contemporary view of people with Muslim backgrounds everywhere. An antidote to apathy in a world increasingly at odds with its own values, this book is one we didn’t know we needed until we found it.

“Each story is raw and beautifully written. This anthology is worthy of applause.” —Valerie Joy
“A collection that throbs with an authentic, earnest vulnerability. It is more soul-baring dinner conversations with fascinating strangers than a detached observation piece.” —Amanda Chin