Dancing into the Light - by Kathryn Abdul-Baki (Paperback)

About the Book

This cross-cultural, Arab/American story--an optimistic tale of joy, renewal, and the power of love, music, and dance--explores how a young girl growing up in Tehran and Kuwait experiences the loss of her American mother and her brother, yet is lifted from grief through the love of her devoted Arab father and her strong women relatives.

Book Synopsis

This cross-cultural, Arab/American story-an optimistic tale of joy, renewal, and the power of love, music, and dance--explores how a young girl growing up in Tehran and Kuwait experiences the loss of her American mother and her brother, yet is lifted from grief through the love of her devoted Arab father and her strong women relatives.

Review Quotes

2023 Sarton Awards Shortlist: Memoir
Silver Medal from Nonfiction Authors Association

"This eloquently composed remembrance has a musical lilt and emotionality, and it effectively relates the joys, fears, and tragedies the author experienced during a youth spent learning to navigate two cultures. . . . filled with detailed descriptions of Arab food and dress, and of the warmth and closeness of family connections, while offering an intriguing view of expatriate life. A well-composed, poignant reflection on an international childhood."
-Kirkus Reviews

PAST PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR:

For A MARRIAGE IN FOUR SEASONS:

"An often beautifully written work that lays its characters low with grief and lifts them high with the bliss of travel."

-- Kirkus Reviews

"The drama, serene Spain setting, and complicated family relations make A Marriage in Four Seasons a must-read."

--Bookbub

For FIELDS OF FIG AND OLIVE:

"It is difficult to heap enough praise on this author for her astonishingly vivid depictions of landscape and her ability to evoke spirit of place."

--Seattle Times

"The skillful and realistic presentation of characters...along with other narrative techniques, contributes to making her collection one of the most successful of its kind."

--World Literature Today

"She has been blessed with the ability to make foreignness familiar."

--Chicago Sun Times

"Her politics are feminist, her theme is human ethics, and her writing is finely honed."

--Ms. Magazine

"She challenges Western ways of thinking about the nature and behavior of Arab women and men."

--The Trenton Times

For TOWER OF DREAMS:

"She shines in her ability to penetrate the psyche of young Arab women."

--Seattle Times

For GHOST SONGS:

"A tranquil and beautiful novel."

--Philadelphia City Paper

"She presents Arab culture in narratives of exquisite technique, deep insights, and beautiful English. It bids fair to establish her as an Arab-American fiction writer worthy of wide recognition."

--World Literature Today