If there is one thing about me that my readers know about me is that I love to travel the world, see new places and meet the wonderful people who represent their different cultures. I have traveled over the years to thirty-eight countries and have loved every minute of it. With that said, my travel days halted on March 13, 2020 when a "Stay at Home" order was mandated with the outbreak of COVID-19. I had a cruise planned, a 21-Day through the Panama Canal to celebrate my husband's retirement, which sadly to say, was cancelled. Now what? That's the beauty of reading. A fantastic novel, well-written, can transport me anywhere into the world and allows me to visit the countries, meet the people, and get a glimpse into their culture. I love that about reading. Today's book by Jacob Nader, "A Lantern in the Shade: An Arab-American Historical Fiction Novel of Love, Family, and Self-Discovery," is one of those novels. Thank you Jacob for allowing me to travel in my mind as I read your glorious book. Take a look at it.
– July 26, 2020
by Jacob Nader (Author)
An Arab-American Historical Fiction Novel of
Love, Family and Self-Discovery.
“I really enjoyed reading this book, it made me feel heard in
some ways, most of the topics he talked about felt very real and hit home, and
he did a wonderful job shining the light on important [Middle East and Arab]
regional topics. I teared up at the end of it." – Reader Review
A Lantern in the Shade is an epic historical fiction saga that draws on a blend of Middle
Eastern cultures and poignant, dramatic prose to tell the story of an Arab
immigrant family's quest for truth and honor –– offering a unique perspective
that heralds the rich and vibrant history of the Middle East, while unveiling
oppressive challenges some marginalized communities face in their day-to-day lives,
including the struggles for women’s rights and LGBTQ acceptance.
Nour is a young Arab woman with a coming of age story
desperate to be told –– she is faced with the impossible task of reconciling
with her father’s heavily-guarded secrets and her mother’s deteriorating mental
health. She struggles to prevent her own dreams from falling by the wayside, as
she fights to hold her family together.
Years later, Nour’s son Jacob takes a harrowing journey to
Saudi Arabia, fraught with peril and wonder, to be closer to his family’s
homeland -- yearning to uncover lost details about his mother's life. Should
Jacob succeed, he will finally achieve his life-long aspiration to honor his
mother's dreams and shed light on their family’s deepest-held mysteries. But if
he fails, he might just become a lost soul consumed by the sinking sands of the
Arabian Desert…
Reader Reviews
“I
truly enjoyed reading this book, it made me feel heard in some ways, most of
the topics he talked about felt very real and hit home, and he did a wonderful
job shining the light on important [Middle East and Arab] regional topics. I
teared up at the end of it."
This
book is a game-changer. Nader's writing is transporting - offering his readers
a warm & engaging glimpse into a world they may have never entered before
while introducing a deeply engaging & relatable family of characters. There
is a magical charm that pervades his writing, as he guides us from the past to
the present, from deep comfort & familiarity to heart-pounding seduction
and danger. Would be great for book clubs. Definitely a must-read!
Product Details
· Paperback: 374 pages
· Publisher: Independently
published (July 26, 2020)
· Language: English
· ISBN-13: 979-8644467372
· ASIN: B08DG1G6TB
· Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.9 x
9 inches
Jacob Nader is an author and visual artist. He wrote his debut
novel, A Lantern in the Shade, while living in Saudi Arabia. Jacob hopes his
writing sheds light on people from the Middle East, while dispelling the myths
and misconceptions around their history and way of life and introduces his
readers to their many rich and vibrant cultures. Jacob was born in Cleveland,
Ohio, to a Syrian/Lebanese-American mother and Italian-American father. He now
lives in New York City and has plans to write his second novel.
