The United States through Arab eyes : an anthology of writings (1876-1914) / introduced, selected, and translated by Nabil Matar.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Matar, N. I. (Nabil I.), 1949- editor, translator, writer of introduction.

Language:

Arabic

English

Subjects (All):

Arabs--United States--Attitudes.

Arabs.

Arabs--United States--Social conditions.

Immigrants--United States--History.

Immigrants.

Ethnic relations.

History.

Social conditions.

United States.

United States--Ethnic relations--History.

United States--Emigration and immigration--History.

Emigration and immigration.

Physical Description:

x, 212 pages ; 22 cm

Other Title:

Anthology of writings, 1876-1914

U.S. through Arab eyes

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, [2018]

Summary:

"The first Arab immigrants to New York or Alaska or San Francisco were 'small' men and women, preoccupied with eking a living at the same time as confronting the challenges of settling in a new country. They had to come to terms with new race communities such as Indians, Chinese and Blacks, the changing role of women, and the Americanisation of their identity. Their writings about these experiences--from travellers and emigrants, rich and poor, men and women--took the form of travelogues and newspaper essays, daily diaries and adventure narratives, autobiographies and histories, full-length books published in the Ottoman Press in Lebanon and journal articles in Arabic newspapers printed in Philadelphia, Boston, and New York. Together they show the transnational perspective of immigrants as they reflected on and described the United States for the very first time"--Back cover.

Contents:

Part 1 Emigration, the Arab Nahda, and the United States of America - An Introduction p. 1

"Our Uncle, Uncle Sam' p. 51

Section 1 Minorities

1 From The Book of the Description of Kingdoms p. 57 / Idwar Ilyas, 1876 (published 1910)

"Quakers" p. 58

"Indians" p. 59

2 From Kawkab America p. 60 / Abraham Arbeely (published 1893-5)

"A Chinese Mayor in New York" (published 27 January 1893) p. 60

"Liberation of a Captive from Among the Indians" (published 26 July 1895) p. 63

"Chinese Wedding" (published 6 December 1895) p. 64

3 From Alaska and the Klondike: Land of Gold / Jibra'il

'Assaf Mir'I, early 1890s (published 1909) p. 65

"Conversion of the Indians of Metlakahtla" p. 66

"The Second Journey" p. 71

4 From Instructive Travels in the New World p. 83 / Dr. Naguib Abdou (published 1907/1908/1909)

"The American Eagle and the Chinese Dragon: A Political Tale" p. 84

5 From The American Journey p. 87 / Prince Muhammad 'Ali Pasha, 1912 (published 1913)

"Chinatown, San Francisco" p. 95

"Indians in Sitka, Alaska" p. 97

Section 2 Women and Gender

1 From The Book of the Description of Kingdoms p. 103 / Idwar Ilyas, 1876 (published 1910)

"American Women" p. 103

"Mrs Grant Visits the Fair" p. 104

2 From The Traveler's Guidebook: And the History of America p. 104 / Saj'an Effendi 'Arij Sa'adeh (published 1896)

3 From "The [female] Syrian Emigrant" p. 107 / Miss Wadi'a Faris Rashid (published in al-Hoda, 1908)

4 From "Who has Precedence: Man or Woman?" p. 108 / Mrs Asma Sabir (published in al-Hoda, 1908)

5 From "The need to put a limit on or to pass a law prohibiting the Syrian woman from emigrating to America" p. 110 / Yusuf Effendi Ilyas Yuwakim and Yusuf Effendi Jirjis Zakham (published in al-Hoda, 1908)

"Proposal" p. 111 / Yusuf Effendi Ilyas Yuwakim

"Response" p. 112 / Yusuf Effendi Jirjis Zakham

6 From The Stranger in the West/Diwan p. 113 / Mikha'il Rustum Shuwayri (first published 1895, 2nd edition 1909)

"Story of a Syrian Woman who Lost her Son (A Real Story)" p. 113

Section 3 Identity and Americanization

1 From The Book of the Description of Kingdoms p. 115 / Idwar Ilyas, 1876 (published 1910)

"Dinner with President Grant" p. 115

2 From History of the United States Since its Discovery until Present Times, Followed by the History of Syrian Emigration and All That Pertains to It p. 118 / Basil M. Kherbawi, 1888 (published 1913)

"The First Emigrant Account" p. 118

3 From The Traveler's Guidebook: And the History of America p. 123 / Saj'an Effendi 'Arij Sa'adeh (published 1896)

"Suicide" p. 123

4 From The Syrian Soldier in Three Wars p. 125 / Jibra'il Ilyas Ward al-Tarabulsi, 1898 (published 1919)

"The American Flag" p. 126

"Enlistment, Combat in Cuba, and Return" p. 126

5 "The Greatness of America" p. 140 / Bulus Effendi al-Khawli, 1905 (published in al-Muqtataf, 1906)

6 "From the Rooftops of New York City" p. 145 / Ameen Rihani, 1907 (published in al-Rihaniyyat, vol. 1, 1968)

7 From "Syrians in America" p. 148 / Yusuf Jirjis Zakham (published in al-Muqtabas, 1910)

Section 4 Return

1 Diary of Khalil al-Sakakini: Diary, Letters, Reflections p. 155 / Khalil al-Sakakini (published 2003)

New York, Wednesday 1/1/1908 [a letter] p. 157

Saturday 11 January ad 1908 p. 160

Sunday 12 January W[estern], AD 1908 p. 161

Monday 13 January W[estern] AD 1908 p. 161

Continued. Thursday 16 January W[estern] AD 1908 p. 162

Friday 17 January W[estern] AD 1908 p. 162

Saturday 18 January W[estern] AD 1908 p. 163

Boston, Sunday 21/8 June AD 1908 p. 164

Monday 22/9 June AD 1908 p. 165

Rumford Falls, Tuesday 23 and 10 June AD 1908 p. 166

Wednesday 22 and 11 June AD 1908 p. 167

Thursday 25 and 12 June AD 1908 p. 168

Friday 26 and 13 June AD 1908 p. 169

Saturday 27/14 June AD 1908 p. 170

Sunday 28/15 June AD 1908 p. 171

28 June W[estern] AD 1908 (Sunday evening) [a letter] p. 171

Monday 29/16 June AD 1908 p. 173

Tuesday 30/17 June 1908 p. 174

Wednesday the first of July W[estern] and 18 June E[astern] AD 1908 p. 175

Thursday 2 July W[estern]/19 July E[astern] AD 1908 p. 176

Friday 3 July W[estern]/20 July E[astern] AD 1908 p. 176

Saturday 4 July W[estern]/21 July E[astern] AD 1908 p. 177

Sunday 5 July W[estern]/22 June E[astern] 1908 p. 178

Monday 6 July W[estern]/23 June E[astern] AD 1908 p. 179

Tuesday 7 July W[estern]/24 June E[astern] AD 1908 p. 180

Wednesday 8 July W[estern]/25 June E[astern] AD 1908 p. 180

Thursday 9 July W[estern]/26 June E[astern] AD 1908 p. 181

New York, 27 July W[estern] AD 1908 [a letter] p. 182

Tuesday 28 and 15 July AD 1908 p. 183

Wednesday 29 and 16 July AD 1908 p. 184

Thursday 30 and 17 July AD 1908 p. 185

Friday 31 and 18 July AD 1908 p. 185

Saturday the first of August W[estern] and 19 July E[astern] AD 1908 p. 186

Sunday 2 August W[estern] and 20 July E[astern] AD 1908 p. 187

2 August W[estern] AD 1908, Feast of St Elias [a letter] p. 188

Monday 3 August and 21 July AD 1908 p. 190

Tuesday 4 August and 22 July AD 1908 p. 190

Wednesday 5 August W[estern]/ 23 July E[estern] AD 1908 p. 191

Thursday 6 August W[estern] and 24 July E[estern] AD 1908 p. 192

Friday 7 August W[estern] and 25 July E[estern] AD 1908 p. 193

2 From The American Journey p. 193 / Prince Muhammad 'Ali Pasha, 1912 (published 1913).

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 199-204) and index.

ISBN:

9781474434355

1474434355

9781474434362

1474434363

OCLC:

1032357221