SALT HOUSES is a debut novel by Hala Alyan
which follows four generations of the Yacoub family and received starred
reviews from Kirkus ("A
deeply moving look inside the Palestinian diaspora.") and Publishers Weekly ("Chapters focus on different family members as time and geography
shift.").
I generally enjoy multi-generational stories and this one,
while dealing with all of the interpersonal conflict amongst family members,
also served to educate (or at least prompt questions) about cultural patterns and
challenges in parts of the Middle East over the last 50 years. This fictional family
seemed relatively affluent, but still faced major disruptions and felt the
impact of the Six- Day War (1967 Arab–Israeli War), the invasion of Kuwait and conflicts
in Beirut, Lebanon. At one point, a character muses, "What is life? ... Continuing to move, enduring, not stopping even when there is pain. That's all life is, he wants to tell her. It's continuing."
Consider pairing this with non-fictional works like Fast Times in Palestine, and add SALT HOUSES to your “to
be read” pile. What else is already there? What are you looking forward to
reading or recommending for summer reading?
