New Book Opens Window of Understanding to Arab American Culture

posted on: Apr 9, 2009

A hilarious new book—the first of its kind—by Arab-American and native Pittsburgher, Dalel B. Khalil, examines with humor and candor the stark differences between the Arab and American cultures.

Using insightful, sharp humor to tackle sensitive cultural issues and foster cross-cultural understanding, Khalil comically instructs how to retain one’s sanity in the battle of the ultimate culture clash.

Arabic women deal with very serious issues which they often feel powerless to change. Western women, on the other hand, are raised to be extremely assertive and fight for their rights. So…one who is both Arab and American is very often, very confused. She’s got one foot planted firmly in a traditional world whose cultural rules haven’t changed in over 2,000 years, while her other foot is skidding on a thin piece of ice, the mega liberal free-for-all called America. And she’s trying to balance, walking on both.

This lighthearted survival guide takes its readers on a fun-filled journey inside the “kooky” minds of those mysterious people, and offers hilarious explanations as to why we have absurd cultural rules such as arranged marriages, and why Hip-Hop has its roots in the streets of Damascus.

“From Veils to Thongs: An Arab Chick’s Survival Guide to Balancing One’s Ethnic Identity in America” comes at a time when the international climate is causing Americans to want to learn more about Eastern cultures, giving them a new and realistic reference point of what the average “Arab chick” is all about. Not limited to Arab-Americans, and not about religion or politics, “From Veils to Thongs” will interest anyone who is curious about other cultures, as well as those foreigners who left their “traditional” culture to live and make a new life in a “liberal” one.

About the Author

Dalel B. Khalil is a Syrian-American who survived growing up in the crossfire of two of the most diametrically opposed cultures—the East and the West. She has worked as a reporter, anchor, talk show host and morning show co-host for three of Pittsburgh’s top radio stations, (WDVE, WAMO, KDKA). This is her first book.

For more information:
Visit the author’s Web site at http://www.dalelkhalil.com