Him, Me, Muhammad Ali

Jarrar follows up her novel, A Map of Home, with a collection of stories depicting the lives of Arab women, ranging from hypnotic fables to gritty realism. In “The Lunatics’ Eclipse,” Qamar, infamous for trying to bring down the Moon, must escape her arranged marriage to flee with Hilal, a man building a rocket to space. In “Building Girls,” Aisha struggles with her Egyptian roots, and Perihan—who moved to the U.S.—can’t let go of them fast enough; together the childhood friends find a common language for their past and sexuality. “Lost in Freakin’ Yonkers” finds Aida disowned by her family after deciding to have a baby out of wedlock. “A Sailor,” in which a husband refuses to get mad at his wife for having an affair, is a nuanced portrait of a relationship. In the title story, after her father dies Kinshasa searches for her history in a missing photograph of Muhammad Ali posing with her father. Often witty and cutting, these stories transport readers and introduce them to a memorable group of women. (Oct.)