In which we realize we might find something different than what we are looking for
Stranger in the Desert: A Family Story by Jordan Salama
Stars: 5
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
What is it that makes us want to connect with the past, to try and follow in the footsteps of our ancestors? Why are we so intrigued with finding out about the people and places we came from? Genealogy has been an avid past time for generations but what can learning about our great-great-great grandparents tell us about ourselves?
I think Jordan Salama was thinking along those lines when he set out for Argentina, looking to follow in the footsteps of his great grandfather, a traveling salesman, and see if he can find any “lost Salamas”, children begotten along the routes. But Jordan is also embracing the notion of the traveling Jew, as his book explores his family’s journeys from Syria, to South America, and then back to the Arab world, to Argentina, and then finally to America. He explains the uncertainty that has accompanied Jews throughout history, as they have both metaphorically and literally have had their bags packed, ready to flee. This book is an exploration of what it means to be from a place and what home embodies.
This book came out in February but the audiobook comes out today, July 17th. I am sure the physical book is an excellent read but to be honest, this feels like a story that needs to be heard. Not only because it is the oral traditions that are so important to Jordan’s story but since language is such an vital part of the Salamas’ heritage, to hear the magic of the words in those various languages brings even more depth to the book.
Finally, I try not to get political here but I think it is essential to read from different points of views to get a full sense of things, which is why I believe people should read various newspapers, magazines, books, etc, so they are not just reinforcing their own world view. And right now, the current situation in the Middle East is incredibly fraught and though I think some things that the Israeli government is doing is truly horrific, I think that Salama’s book highlights how Jews, much like other peoples, are not just one thing or from one place. And if you want to fully understand the current situation, you need to read stories like this. History is complicated.
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