Customer Reviews

California's Arab Americans

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Janice Marschner is my California Harry Potter author; I can't wait for the next volume to hit the book racks. Her "California 1850" is a seminal reference book on every county in our state in its puberty. It made me realize what younsters we are compared to 'the old countires' of our parents' origins. Anecdotes make it encouragingly readable. I feel it should be in every Califonira home, library, school, and on historical society bookshelves.

"California's Arab Americans" is volume one of a series she plans on the minorities that spice our Calfornia stew. The fact that there are several pages on my colorful maternal MALOUF family who pulled into Los Angeles in 1890, might make me appear somewhat prejudiced. The background chapters on immigrations, customs and ethnic individuality should be of common interest. It might help to help improve the status of ethnic minorities in times of suspicion, fear and hatred.

I, for one, am anxious to learn more about the Basques, Slavs, Orientals, etc. who are distributed thruout our State, some still with regional enclaves which perpetuate language, cuisine, religion, and festivals. Homogeneity is drab and tasteless; vive la difference!

Janice is a unique researcher and raconteuse. Brava! Encore!

A slice of our everyday lives you may have missed --- Arab Americans immigrated to California like many others. They are hard workers, family oriented and caring individuals. If you don't believe that, please read Janice Marschner's "California's Arab Americans." Her thumbnail snaphot of their difficult war-ridden history is a good refresher for the reader and makes their integration into American society, as put forth by Marschner, seem that much more remarkable.

This book does a great job communicating an important truth: Arab Americans are the people right next door. They are the owners of many landmark businesses in California towns. They are among the familar faces in our community as council members, board members, state representatives and participants in the movie industry. Janice Marschner has structured the book so that the information is easy to access and the sideboards, with topics like Arabic Writing and Names, Arab Cuisine and Key Issues of Conflict in Arab World, make obtaining that information even more convenient. This book will be appreciated by teachers and others interested in knowing more about the people of California.

Marschner's book is a refreshing change during these turbulent political times. So many new books tend to paint a superficial and grossly unfair portrayal of Arab Americans. With insight and sensitivity into the political and cultural history of Arab Americans, Marschner paints a compelling and accurage picture of a community in the spotlight.

Nidal Ibrahim
Editor
Arab American Business Magazine

A deeply researched primer about the Arab world, with 15 chapters & a bibliography, covering the history of the Arab American families in the counties of California, complete with photos of families, religious & community centers.

RebeccasReads recommends CALIFORNIA'S ARAB AMERICANS as a resource, a history & a record of emmigrations from the Middle East to America during the past century.

Award-winning author Janice Marschner has meticulously researched and ably written California's Arab Americans. This is a uniformly excellent regional history and an ideal reference resource for all ages focusing upon the history of Arab Americans in the state of California and the contributions Arab Americans have made from the 1800's down to the present day. An informed and informative, easy-to-follow, and inherently fascinating discourse, California's Arab Americans is highly recommended reading and could well serve as a template for similar presentations on the contributions of Arab Americans in other states.