An Immigrant Love-Hate Story of What it Means to Be American You know that feeling of being at the wrong end of the table? Like you’re at a party but all the good stuff is happening out of earshot (#FOMO)? That’s life—especially for an immigrant. What happens when a shy, awkward Arab girl with a weird name and an unfortunate propensity toward facial hair is uprooted from her comfortable (albeit fascist-regimed) homeland of Iraq and thrust into the cold, alien town of Columbus, Ohio—with its Egg McMuffins, Barbie dolls, and kids playing doctor everywhere you turned? This is Ayser Salman’s story. First comes Emigration, then Naturalization, and finally Assimilation—trying to fit in among her blonde-haired, blue-eyed counterparts, and always feeling left out. On her journey to Americanhood, Ayser sees more naked butts at pre-kindergarten daycare that she would like, breaks one of her parents’ rules (“Thou shalt not participate as an actor in the school musical where a male cast member rests his head in thy lap”), and other things good Muslim Arab girls are not supposed to do. And, after the 9/11 attacks, she experiences the isolation of being a Muslim in her own country. It takes hours of therapy, fifty-five rounds of electrolysis, and some ill-advised romantic dalliances for Ayser to grow into a modern Arab American woman who embraces her cultural differences. Part memoir and part how-not-to guide, The Wrong End of the Table is everything you wanted to know about Arabs but were afraid to ask, with chapters such as “Tattoos and Other National Security Risks,” “You Can’t Blame Everything on Your Period; Sometimes You’re Going to Be a Crazy Bitch: and Other Advice from Mom,” and even an open letter to Trump. This is the story of every American outsider on a path to find themselves in a country of beautiful diversity.

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 I was three years old when my parents moved me and my brother from Baghdad to Columbus, Ohio. I was taken out of daycare centers because of some incident, and I had to pee in my pants while sitting at the lunch table. #2 I had a very strong aversion to milk, which led to me not drinking it. I also avoided group restroom times at day care because of the way the kids would play doctor, half the school population lying face-down on the floor with their pants pulled down while the other half sat next to them and lightly spanked them. #3 I never took to Columbus, Ohio. I had fond memories of driving along the Olentangy River, but that was probably because we were now heading out of the state into our new home of Kentucky. I don’t miss Columbus, except for its awesome COSI and OSU. #4 My family moved a lot, which was a common occurrence for us. I remember going to different schools every year because my family could not get comfortable in one place.

A high-quality, full-colour pictorial history of the Owls, illustrated throughout.

An Immigrant Love-Hate Story of What it Means to Be American. "A rare voice that is both relatable and unafraid to examine the complexities of her American identity.” —Reza Aslan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth You know that feeling of being at the wrong end of the table? Like you’re at a party but all the good stuff is happening out of earshot (#FOMO)? That’s life—especially for an immigrant. What happens when a shy, awkward Arab girl with a weird name and an unfortunate propensity toward facial hair is uprooted from her comfortable (albeit fascist-regimed) homeland of Iraq and thrust into the cold, alien town of Columbus, Ohio—with its Egg McMuffins, Barbie dolls, and kids playing doctor everywhere you turned? This is Ayser Salman’s story. First comes Emigration, then Naturalization, and finally Assimilation—trying to fit in among her blonde-haired, blue-eyed counterparts, and always feeling left out. On her journey to Americanhood, Ayser sees more naked butts at pre-kindergarten daycare that she would like, breaks one of her parents’ rules (“Thou shalt not participate as an actor in the school musical where a male cast member rests his head in thy lap”), and other things good Muslim Arab girls are not supposed to do. And, after the 9/11 attacks, she experiences the isolation of being a Muslim in her own country. It takes hours of therapy, fifty-five rounds of electrolysis, and some ill-advised romantic dalliances for Ayser to grow into a modern Arab American woman who embraces her cultural differences. Part memoir and part how-not-to guide, The Wrong End of the Table is everything you wanted to know about Arabs but were afraid to ask, with chapters such as “Tattoos and Other National Security Risks,” “You Can’t Blame Everything on Your Period; Sometimes You’re Going to Be a Crazy Bitch: and Other Advice from Mom,” and even an open letter to Trump. This is the story of every American outsider on a path to find themselves in a country of beautiful diversity.

Richard Zakkas story began in Aden, a British colony, during the 1950s. At an early age, it occurred to him how every detail in life is so perfect. No accidents, even in what appeared to be an accident. As each snowflake is original in character and majestic in beauty, tiny in size, it will always fall in its perfect place on earth according to Gods perfect plan, a perfect 13. He realized that all of lifes events are but steps to condition his evolution to perfecting his relationship with his Maker. When he was thirteen, his family moved to the US and began a new chapter. After studying civil engineering in Texas, Richard decided to move to New York and enroll at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and became an actor. After graduation, he was fortunate to land several roles in films and commercials. At the same time, to fulfill a promise to his father who was skeptical about an acting career, he started several businesses in the Big City. A whirlwind of marriage, family, filmmaking, and successful businesses were like snowflakes landing one after another, guiding his life path. Richard weaves a fascinating story that traces the arc of a creative entrepreneurs career from one exciting endeavor to the next.