Critical Praise

"The cultural perspective and setting are a nice break from the wartime norm, as is the unexpected ending."

—Publishers Weekly

"Infused with love and longing, Sweet Dates in Basra weaves a colorful tapestry of life in a multilayered society with all of its charms --- family life, street life, markets, foods, and celebrations --- a story that is rich in detail and highly absorbing."

—Yvette Raby, coauthor of The Lost World of the Egyptian Jews

"Jiji’s breezy tale of star-crossed love is a reminder of the power of the heart over the strictures of tradition."

—Ariel Sabar, author of My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for His Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq

"This novel is a powerful love poem. American readers will be fascinated by the solidarity and comradeship between the Muslim and Jewish families as they suffer crisis after crisis."

—Professor Saadi Simawe, author of Out of the Lamp