The United States Through Arab Eyes: An Anthology of Writings (1876-1914)

The first Arab immigrants to New York or Alaska or San Francisco were 'small' men and women, preoccupied with eking a living at the same time as confronting the challenges of settling in a new country. They had to come to terms with new race communities such as Indians, Chinese and Blacks, the changing role of women, and the Americanisation of their identity.

Their writings about these experiences - from travellers and emigrants, rich and poor, men and women - took the form of travelogues a...