The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf

By Mohja Kahf

Book Overview

Syrian immigrant Khadra Shamy is growing up in a devout, tightly knit Muslim family in 1970s Indiana, at the crossroads of bad polyester and Islamic dress codes. Along with her brother Eyad and her African-American friends, Hakim and Hanifa, she bikes the Indianapolis streets exploring the fault-lines between "Muslim" and "American."

When her picture-perfect marriage goes sour, Khadra flees to Syria and learns how to pray again. On returning to America she works in an eastern state -- taking care to stay away from Indiana, where the murder of her friend Tayiba's sister by Klan violence years before still haunts her. But when her job sends her to cover a national Islamic conference in Indianapolis, she's back on familiar ground: Attending a concert by her brother's interfaith band The Clash of Civilizations, dodging questions from the "aunties" and "uncles," and running into the recently divorced Hakim everywhere.

Beautifully written and featuring an exuberant cast of characters, The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf charts the spiritual and social landscape of Muslims in middle America, from five daily prayers to the Indy 500 car race. It is a riveting debut from an important new voice.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786715197
• ISBN13: 9780786715190
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: PublicAffairs
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.4" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

An illuminating book - addressing some of the central issues of our times

A book that yields rich insights on several dimensions. The dominant one is what it is like to grow up as a minority within the American culture - and not just any old minority, but as a Muslim, which parts of American society are actively trying to demonize. It was the "flip-side" of my own experience, living as a non-Muslim in the very heartland of Islam, Saudi Arabia, for a quarter century. While I was never forced to deal with issues of assimilation, Ms. Kahf's character, Khadra, must wrestle with the parts of her heritage that are essential, and those that can be jettisoned. How many religious injunctions are merely codified fetishes, illustrated by the refusal to eat any meat from the deli because of the meat-cutter? There are numerous important sub-themes. The timeless subject of male-female relations, with that "Islamic twist" is shown in a realistic light, covering a spectrum of possibilities. Through her characters, Blu and Bitsy, who were Khadra's roommates at various periods, Ms. Kafh is able to illustrate nuances in beliefs that are all too often generalized. Blu is Jewish, and there is much agreement between these "daughters of Abraham," except on that haram subject of Israel and Palestine. Bitsy is Iranian, and leaves notes around the apartment blaming "the Arabs" for all of Iran's problems. Khadra's trip to Saudi Arabia, to complete the Haj, was more uneven. There is no question that cocaine exists in the Kingdom, but I found the particular scene in which it was depicted playing heavily towards that stereotypical view of rich, decadent Saudis. More realistic, and more insightful are her dealings with the mutawaa (the religious police), and in particular how various Saudi males refuse to confront their arrogance and inappropriate behavior. Ms. Kafh is clearly erudite, in a most important trans-cultural way. Her epigraphs ground her novel in the wider world of ideas, and these selections range from Rumi and Al-Arabi to James Baldwin and Leonard Cohen. A strong book, which addresses some of the central issues of our times.... And is strongly recommended.

Wish everyone would read this one!

The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf is an amazingly balanced book, presenting a 3-dimensional representation of growing up in Islam in America. The author is very honest and even-handed. I was surprised at how much I could identify with Khadra and how much I could identify with those who angered and hurt her. This book should be read by everyone. Very thought-provoking and perspective-changing.

This You Need to Know

Mohja Kahf has written a deeply moving representation of American life through a lens that very few of us can ever know. I know that my life is fuller with a newfound understanding of Muslim culture and the hardships that unknowing/uncaring non-Muslims can present to our American brothers and sisters.

Wonderful Read

This book is - great! I can't say enough positive things about it. It should be included in that new body of "American Literature." Outstanding. Good for all ages - by that I mean if you are 18 or 80. If you are Muslim, or anti-muslim or curious at all about the people in your world, if you love books, if your heart is open or if your heart is closed. This book is a gem. Buy it and share it with all your friends.

A Looking Glass that is well needed!

This book sheds light to the possible struggles, challenges, trials and experiences of the new "immigrant muslim family" who try to establish and create an identity for themsleves in the U.S., while making sure to always remember their "ROOTS". It also magnifies and brings to life the reality of the "mosaic" of American muslim life, the secular challenges faced by the entire ummah which humbly reminds us we are all human and imperfect. It also magnifies the reality of how Islam shines through many interpretive lights (Sunni, Shia, Sufi, etc.) All with the same intention. To worship the one true God. A book long overdue for the American muslim like myself. Excellent read.