Burqas Baseball And Apple Pie: Being Muslim in America - Softcover

"Idliby is an eloquent and informed spokeswoman for her faith, and voices like hers are needed in today's charged political climate." --Publishers Weekly "An unflinchingly intimate and honest examination of some of the most difficult issues that have come to define the 'coming of age' experiences of American Muslims. This is essential reading for those who have ever feared or been feared and anyone who has ever asked, 'Where are the moderates?'" --Reza Aslan, author of Zealot and No god but God "Burqas, Baseball and Apple Pie is a lovely and lyrical look into the life of one American Muslim woman and her family. It will expand and enrich your view of Islam and America." --Eboo Patel, author of Sacred Ground: Pluralism, Prejudice and the Promise of America "A powerful memoir of being a Muslim woman and mother in post-9/11 America. It touches the soul of the reader and brings home the simple truth that the heart of America and the heart of Islam can indeed beat together as one." --Kamran Pasha, author of Mother of the Believers "In this thoughtful and courageous memoir, Ranya Tabari Idliby takes on the intolerance of so-called 'patriots' and the fundamentalism of those who consider themselves religious 'purists' and teaches us all important lessons about what it really means to be an American and a Muslim." --James Zogby, founder and president, Arab American Institute, and author of Arab Voices

For many Americans, the words 'American' and 'Muslim' simply do not marry well; for many the combination is an anathema, a contradiction in values, loyalties, and identities. This is the story of one American Muslim family--the story of how, through their lives, their schools, their friends, and their neighbors, they end up living the challenges, myths, fears, hopes, and dreams of all Americans. They are challenged by both Muslims who speak for them and by Americans who reject them. In this moving memoir, Idliby discusses not only coming to terms with what it means to be Muslim today, but how to raise and teach her children about their heritage and religious legacy. She explores life as a Muslim in a world where hostility towards Muslims runs rampant, where there is an entire industry financed and supported by think tanks, authors, film makers, and individual vigilantes whose sole purpose is to vilify and spread fear about all things Muslim. Her story is quintessentially American, a story of the struggles of assimilation and acceptance in a climate of confusion and prejudice--a story for anyone who has experienced being an "outsider" inside your own home country.