Dearborn

Starred review from August 7, 2023
Zeineddine’s striking debut collection details an endearing cast living in the Arab American community in Dearborn, Mich. In “Speedoman,” a group of husbands and wives who routinely lounge in the community pool and spa become obsessed with a newcomer who exclusively wears a Speedo to the pool. The husbands see the stranger as a symbol of their past lives and pine for their youth, while the wives are infatuated with his form and literary interests, for their “thriving book club.” “Marseille” follows the elderly Madame Ayda, who survived the sinking of the Titanic, as she reveals secrets from her past to journalist Ibrahim, including that her husband, Nabil perished in the ship’s sinking. In “Rabbit Stew,” a 17-year-old Lebanese immigrant welcomes his cherished uncle on his first visit to America but discovers his war stories of Beirut may not be completely accurate, causing the narrator to question their bond. Each story strikes a chord, and Zeineddine is adept at finding different angles to engage the collection’s themes of identity, race, and gender. This genuine offering speaks as much to the heart as the head.