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9781617754593 English 1617754595 " A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art."--"Booklist" "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today."--"Kirkus Reviews" "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise."--"Library Journal" "Ali Eteraz s fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. "Native Believer," his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now.--Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at "Big Other" "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride."--Lorraine Adams, author of "The Room and the Chair" "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, "Native Believer" also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction."--Andrew Ervin, author of "Burning Down George Orwell's House" "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, "Native Believer" is the American novel of now. "Right now." Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down."--Scott Cheshire, author of "High as the Horses' Bridles" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs.", ""Native Believer" stands as an important contribution to American literary culture: a book quite unlike any I've read in recent memory, which uses its characters to explore questions vital to our continuing national discourse around Islam."--"New York Times Book Review," Editors' Choice "M.'s life spins out of control after his boss discovers a Qur'an in M.'s house during a party, in this wickedly funny Philadelphia picaresque about a secular Muslim's identity crisis in a country waging a never-ending war on terror."--"O, the Oprah Magazine" " A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art."--"Booklist" "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today."--"Kirkus Reviews" "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise."--"Library Journal" "Who wants to be Muslim in post-9/11 America? Many of the characters in Ali Eterazs new novel "Native Believer" have no choice in the matter; they deal in a variety of ways with issues of belonging and identity in a society bent on categorizing, stereotyping, and targeting Muslims."--"KPFA Pacifica" "Ali Eteraz s fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. "Native Believer," his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now.--Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at "Big Other" "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride."--Lorraine Adams, author of "The Room and the Chair" "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs.", "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page. --"Publishers Weekly" on "Children of Dust" Ali Eteraz s much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a millennial dandy, lapsed believer, aesthete, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M. s world gradually fragments around him--his military-contractor wife refuses to start a family because of a debilitating illness; he is abandoned by his best friend and mentor; and he loses his respectable job at an ad agency after a politically charged confrontation with his boss--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters other young men and women grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks, and wrestlers, M. reconstitutes, and vows never again to face the specter of degradation and humiliation as a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs. Ali Eteraz is based at the San Francisco Writer s Grotto. He is the author of the coming-of-age memoir "Children of Dust" (HarperCollins) and the surrealist short story collection "Falsipedies & Fibsiennes" (Guernica Ed.). Eteraz s short fiction has appeared in the "Chicago Quarterly Review," "storySouth," and "Crossborder," and his nonfiction has been highlighted by NPR, the "New York Times," and the "Guardian." Recently, Eteraz received the 3 Quarks Daily Arts & Literature Prize judged by Mohsin Hamid, and served as a consultant to the artist Jenny Holzer on a permanent art installation in Qatar. Eteraz has lived in the Dominican Republic, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf, and Alabama.", "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride."--Lorraine Adams, author of "The Room and the Chair" "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used fifty-six years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, "Native Believer" also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction."--Andrew Ervin, author of "Burning Down George Orwell's House" "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, "Native Believer" is the American novel of now. "Right now." Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down."--Scott Cheshire, author of "High as the Horses' Bridles" Praise for "Children of Dust" by Ali Eteraz: "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page."--"Publishers Weekly" "The gripping story of a young man exposed to both the beauty and ugliness of religion."--Laila Lalami, author of "The Moor's Account" "An astoundingly frightening, funny, and brave book. At a time when debate and reform in the larger landscape of the Muslim world, and in countries like Pakistan in particular, are virtually non-existent, "Children of Dust" is a call to thought."--Fatima Bhutto, author of "The Shadow of the Crescent Moon" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s world gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best-friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks, and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, Native Believer also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction." -- Andrew Ervin , author of Burning Down George Orwell's House Praise for Children of Dust by Ali Eteraz: "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page." -- Publishers Weekly "The gripping story of a young man exposed to both the beauty and ugliness of religion." -- Laila Lalami , author of The Moor's Account "An astoundingly frightening, funny, and brave book. At a time when debate and reform in the larger landscape of the Muslim world, and in countries like Pakistan in particular, are virtually non-existent, Children of Dust is a call to thought." -- Fatima Bhutto , author of The Shadow of the Crescent Moon Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s world gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best-friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks, and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, Native Believer is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today." -- Kirkus Reviews "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride." -- Lorraine Adams , author of The Room and the Chair "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, Native Believer is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in Lolita . But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape." -- Molly Crabapple , author of Drawing Blood "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, Native Believer also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction." -- Andrew Ervin , author of Burning Down George Orwell's House "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, Native Believer is the American novel of now. Right now. Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down." -- Scott Cheshire , author of High as the Horses' Bridles Praise for Children of Dust by Ali Eteraz: "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page." -- Publishers Weekly "The gripping story of a young man exposed to both the beauty and ugliness of religion." -- Laila Lalami , author of The Moor's Account "An astoundingly frightening, funny, and brave book. At a time when debate and reform in the larger landscape of the Muslim world, and in countries like Pakistan in particular, are virtually non-existent, Children of Dust is a call to thought." -- Fatima Bhutto , author of The Shadow of the Crescent Moon Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, Native Believer is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "M.''s life spins out of control after his boss discovers a Qur''an in M.''s house during a party, in this wickedly funny Philadelphia picaresque about a secular Muslim''s identity crisis in a country waging a never-ending war on terror." -- O, the Oprah Magazine "[A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art." -- Booklist "Eteraz''s narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today." -- Kirkus Reviews "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise." -- Library Journal "Ali Eteraz's fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. Native Believer , his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now. -- Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera''s list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at Big Other "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride." -- Lorraine Adams , author of The Room and the Chair "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, Native Believer is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it''s one of the most incisive novels I''ve ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in Lolita . But whereas Nabokov''s work was set in the heyday of America''s cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape." -- Molly Crabapple , author of Drawing Blood "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, Native Believer also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction." -- Andrew Ervin , author of Burning Down George Orwell''s House "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, Native Believer is the American novel of now. Right now. Eteraz''s writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down." -- Scott Cheshire , author of High as the Horses'' Bridles Ali Eteraz''s much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.''s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, Native Believer is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "M.'s life spins out of control after his boss discovers a Qur'an in M.'s house during a party, in this wickedly funny Philadelphia picaresque about a secular Muslim's identity crisis in a country waging a never-ending war on terror."--"O, the Oprah Magazine" " A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art."--"Booklist" "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today."--"Kirkus Reviews" "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise."--"Library Journal" "Ali Eteraz s fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. "Native Believer," his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now.--Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at "Big Other" "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride."--Lorraine Adams, author of "The Room and the Chair" "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, "Native Believer" also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction."--Andrew Ervin, author of "Burning Down George Orwell's House" "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, "Native Believer" is the American novel of now. "Right now." Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down."--Scott Cheshire, author of "High as the Horses' Bridles" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs.", "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used fifty-six years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, "Native Believer" also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction."--Andrew Ervin, author of "Burning Down George Orwell's House" Praise for "Children of Dust" by Ali Eteraz: "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page."--"Publishers Weekly" "The gripping story of a young man exposed to both the beauty and ugliness of religion."--Laila Lalami, author of "The Moor's Account" "An astoundingly frightening, funny, and brave book. At a time when debate and reform in the larger landscape of the Muslim world, and in countries like Pakistan in particular, are virtually non-existent, "Children of Dust" is a call to thought."--Fatima Bhutto, author of "The Shadow of the Crescent Moon" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s world gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best-friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks, and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "[A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art." -- Booklist "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today." -- Kirkus Reviews "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise." -- Library Journal "Ali Eteraz's fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. Native Believer , his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now. -- Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at Big Other "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride." -- Lorraine Adams , author of The Room and the Chair "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, Native Believer is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in Lolita . But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape." -- Molly Crabapple , author of Drawing Blood "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, Native Believer also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction." -- Andrew Ervin , author of Burning Down George Orwell's House "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, Native Believer is the American novel of now. Right now. Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down." -- Scott Cheshire , author of High as the Horses' Bridles Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, Native Believer is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs.
9781617754593 English 1617754595 " A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art."--"Booklist" "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today."--"Kirkus Reviews" "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise."--"Library Journal" "Ali Eteraz s fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. "Native Believer," his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now.--Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at "Big Other" "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride."--Lorraine Adams, author of "The Room and the Chair" "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, "Native Believer" also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction."--Andrew Ervin, author of "Burning Down George Orwell's House" "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, "Native Believer" is the American novel of now. "Right now." Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down."--Scott Cheshire, author of "High as the Horses' Bridles" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs.", ""Native Believer" stands as an important contribution to American literary culture: a book quite unlike any I've read in recent memory, which uses its characters to explore questions vital to our continuing national discourse around Islam."--"New York Times Book Review," Editors' Choice "M.'s life spins out of control after his boss discovers a Qur'an in M.'s house during a party, in this wickedly funny Philadelphia picaresque about a secular Muslim's identity crisis in a country waging a never-ending war on terror."--"O, the Oprah Magazine" " A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art."--"Booklist" "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today."--"Kirkus Reviews" "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise."--"Library Journal" "Who wants to be Muslim in post-9/11 America? Many of the characters in Ali Eterazs new novel "Native Believer" have no choice in the matter; they deal in a variety of ways with issues of belonging and identity in a society bent on categorizing, stereotyping, and targeting Muslims."--"KPFA Pacifica" "Ali Eteraz s fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. "Native Believer," his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now.--Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at "Big Other" "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride."--Lorraine Adams, author of "The Room and the Chair" "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs.", "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page. --"Publishers Weekly" on "Children of Dust" Ali Eteraz s much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a millennial dandy, lapsed believer, aesthete, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M. s world gradually fragments around him--his military-contractor wife refuses to start a family because of a debilitating illness; he is abandoned by his best friend and mentor; and he loses his respectable job at an ad agency after a politically charged confrontation with his boss--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters other young men and women grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks, and wrestlers, M. reconstitutes, and vows never again to face the specter of degradation and humiliation as a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs. Ali Eteraz is based at the San Francisco Writer s Grotto. He is the author of the coming-of-age memoir "Children of Dust" (HarperCollins) and the surrealist short story collection "Falsipedies & Fibsiennes" (Guernica Ed.). Eteraz s short fiction has appeared in the "Chicago Quarterly Review," "storySouth," and "Crossborder," and his nonfiction has been highlighted by NPR, the "New York Times," and the "Guardian." Recently, Eteraz received the 3 Quarks Daily Arts & Literature Prize judged by Mohsin Hamid, and served as a consultant to the artist Jenny Holzer on a permanent art installation in Qatar. Eteraz has lived in the Dominican Republic, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf, and Alabama.", "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride."--Lorraine Adams, author of "The Room and the Chair" "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used fifty-six years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, "Native Believer" also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction."--Andrew Ervin, author of "Burning Down George Orwell's House" "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, "Native Believer" is the American novel of now. "Right now." Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down."--Scott Cheshire, author of "High as the Horses' Bridles" Praise for "Children of Dust" by Ali Eteraz: "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page."--"Publishers Weekly" "The gripping story of a young man exposed to both the beauty and ugliness of religion."--Laila Lalami, author of "The Moor's Account" "An astoundingly frightening, funny, and brave book. At a time when debate and reform in the larger landscape of the Muslim world, and in countries like Pakistan in particular, are virtually non-existent, "Children of Dust" is a call to thought."--Fatima Bhutto, author of "The Shadow of the Crescent Moon" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s world gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best-friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks, and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, Native Believer also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction." -- Andrew Ervin , author of Burning Down George Orwell's House Praise for Children of Dust by Ali Eteraz: "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page." -- Publishers Weekly "The gripping story of a young man exposed to both the beauty and ugliness of religion." -- Laila Lalami , author of The Moor's Account "An astoundingly frightening, funny, and brave book. At a time when debate and reform in the larger landscape of the Muslim world, and in countries like Pakistan in particular, are virtually non-existent, Children of Dust is a call to thought." -- Fatima Bhutto , author of The Shadow of the Crescent Moon Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s world gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best-friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks, and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, Native Believer is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today." -- Kirkus Reviews "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride." -- Lorraine Adams , author of The Room and the Chair "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, Native Believer is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in Lolita . But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape." -- Molly Crabapple , author of Drawing Blood "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, Native Believer also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction." -- Andrew Ervin , author of Burning Down George Orwell's House "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, Native Believer is the American novel of now. Right now. Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down." -- Scott Cheshire , author of High as the Horses' Bridles Praise for Children of Dust by Ali Eteraz: "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page." -- Publishers Weekly "The gripping story of a young man exposed to both the beauty and ugliness of religion." -- Laila Lalami , author of The Moor's Account "An astoundingly frightening, funny, and brave book. At a time when debate and reform in the larger landscape of the Muslim world, and in countries like Pakistan in particular, are virtually non-existent, Children of Dust is a call to thought." -- Fatima Bhutto , author of The Shadow of the Crescent Moon Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, Native Believer is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "M.''s life spins out of control after his boss discovers a Qur''an in M.''s house during a party, in this wickedly funny Philadelphia picaresque about a secular Muslim''s identity crisis in a country waging a never-ending war on terror." -- O, the Oprah Magazine "[A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art." -- Booklist "Eteraz''s narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today." -- Kirkus Reviews "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise." -- Library Journal "Ali Eteraz's fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. Native Believer , his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now. -- Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera''s list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at Big Other "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride." -- Lorraine Adams , author of The Room and the Chair "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, Native Believer is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it''s one of the most incisive novels I''ve ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in Lolita . But whereas Nabokov''s work was set in the heyday of America''s cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape." -- Molly Crabapple , author of Drawing Blood "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, Native Believer also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction." -- Andrew Ervin , author of Burning Down George Orwell''s House "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, Native Believer is the American novel of now. Right now. Eteraz''s writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down." -- Scott Cheshire , author of High as the Horses'' Bridles Ali Eteraz''s much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.''s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, Native Believer is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "M.'s life spins out of control after his boss discovers a Qur'an in M.'s house during a party, in this wickedly funny Philadelphia picaresque about a secular Muslim's identity crisis in a country waging a never-ending war on terror."--"O, the Oprah Magazine" " A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art."--"Booklist" "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today."--"Kirkus Reviews" "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise."--"Library Journal" "Ali Eteraz s fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. "Native Believer," his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now.--Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at "Big Other" "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride."--Lorraine Adams, author of "The Room and the Chair" "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, "Native Believer" also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction."--Andrew Ervin, author of "Burning Down George Orwell's House" "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, "Native Believer" is the American novel of now. "Right now." Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down."--Scott Cheshire, author of "High as the Horses' Bridles" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs.", "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, "Native Believer" is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used fifty-six years ago in "Lolita." But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape."--Molly Crabapple, author of "Drawing Blood" "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, "Native Believer" also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction."--Andrew Ervin, author of "Burning Down George Orwell's House" Praise for "Children of Dust" by Ali Eteraz: "A gifted writer and scholar, Eteraz is able to create a true-life Islamic bildungsroman as he effortlessly conveys his coming-of-age tale while educating the reader...His catharsis transcends the page."--"Publishers Weekly" "The gripping story of a young man exposed to both the beauty and ugliness of religion."--Laila Lalami, author of "The Moor's Account" "An astoundingly frightening, funny, and brave book. At a time when debate and reform in the larger landscape of the Muslim world, and in countries like Pakistan in particular, are virtually non-existent, "Children of Dust" is a call to thought."--Fatima Bhutto, author of "The Shadow of the Crescent Moon" Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s world gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best-friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks, and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, "Native Believer" is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs., "[A] poignant and profoundly funny first novel....Eteraz combines masterful storytelling with intelligent commentary to create a nuanced work of social and political art." -- Booklist "Eteraz's narrative is witty and unpredictable...and the darkly comic ending is pleasingly macabre. As for M., in this identity-obsessed dandy, Eteraz has created a perfect protagonist for the times. A provocative and very funny exploration of Muslim identity in America today." -- Kirkus Reviews "In bitingly funny prose, first novelist Eteraz sums up the pain and contradictions of an American not wanting to be categorized; the ending is a bang-up surprise." -- Library Journal "Ali Eteraz's fiction has encompassed everything from the surreal and fantastical to the urgently political. Native Believer , his debut novel, explores questions of nationality, religion, and the fears and paranoia in American society circa right now. -- Vol. 1 Brooklyn Included in John Madera's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at Big Other "Ali Eteraz has written a hurricane of a novel. It blows open the secrets and longings of Muslim immigration to the West, sweeping us up in the drama of identity in ways newly raw. This is no poised and prettified tale; buckle in for a uproariously messy and revealing ride." -- Lorraine Adams , author of The Room and the Chair "Merciless, intellectually lacerating, and brutally funny, Native Believer is not merely a Gonzo panorama of Muslim America--it's one of the most incisive novels I've ever read on America itself. Eteraz paints our empire with the same erotic longing and black, depraved wit that Nabokov used sixty years ago in Lolita . But whereas Nabokov's work was set in the heyday of America's cheerful upswing, Eteraz sets the country in the new, fractious world order. Here, sex, money, and violence all stake their claims on treacherously shifting identities--and neither love nor god is an escape." -- Molly Crabapple , author of Drawing Blood "Ali Eteraz has written a novel, both heartbreaking and exultant, about how it feels to get scalded by the great melting pot. He is a writer of tremendous nuance, sensitivity, and insight. An enormous triumph in its own right, Native Believer also points toward an even brighter future for American fiction." -- Andrew Ervin , author of Burning Down George Orwell's House "Knife-sharp and ruthlessly funny, Native Believer is the American novel of now. Right now. Eteraz's writing is exciting, beautiful, and jam-packed with intelligent surprise. I saw myself among its infidels and dreamers, its pornographers and heathens, its believers, the lovers, and the lost. I could not put it down." -- Scott Cheshire , author of High as the Horses' Bridles Ali Eteraz's much-anticipated debut novel is the story of M., a supportive husband, adventureless dandy, lapsed believer, and second-generation immigrant who wants nothing more than to host parties and bring children into the world as full-fledged Americans. As M.'s life gradually fragments around him--a wife with a chronic illness; a best friend stricken with grief; a boss jeopardizing a respectable career--M. spins out into the pulsating underbelly of Philadelphia, where he encounters others grappling with fallout from the War on Terror. Among the pornographers and converts to Islam, punks and wrestlers, M. confronts his existential degradation and the life of a second-class citizen. Darkly comic, provocative, and insightful, Native Believer is a startling vision of the contemporary American experience and the human capacity to shape identity and belonging at all costs.