The Contemporary Writers Series will be hosting award-winning author, Diana Abu-Jaber, on March 24, as the fourth and final guest writer for the 2010-2011 series.

Abu-Jaber, a New York native, grew up in a cultured household, with her Jordanian father and American mother. The presence of these two cultures is present throughout her works, with her novel Arabian Jazz even considered as the first mainstream Arab-American novel.

“Mostly, I just want to entertain people, maybe get them to think a little. I’m essentially a story-teller,” Abu-Jaber said. “Campuses are their own cultures and ecosystems and traveling to these sorts of events is a fascinating way for a writer to learn about what young people are thinking about and interested in.”

Abu-Jaber moved to Jordan for two years when she was seven, and has spent time between the U.S. and Jordan since. These experiences, heavily present in her writing, also comes through into her lectures. Topics frequently addressed by Abu-Jaber include writing and creativity, multiculturalism and identity politics, food and creativity, the art of the novel and memoir.

“She has led a fascinating life,” said Dr. Daniel Brooks, Professor of English at Aquinas who attended graduate school with Abu-Jaber. “Her Jordanian roots have given her quite a unique perspective, not just on Middle Eastern and American culture, but on diversity in the world at large.”

Abu-Jaber has won numerous awards for her work, including a National Endowment for the Arts Writing Fellowship, the Oregon Book Award for Arabian Jazz, the American Book Award for Crescent and the PEN Center USA Award for Literary Fiction for Crescent.

“What I’ve been most impressed by in her writing is her very vibrant and precise sensory detail,” Dr. Brooks said. “Whether writing about the smells of nature, the tastes of food, or the sounds of human interaction, the inspired descriptions make the reader’s senses come alive.”

Abu-Jaber will be on campus on Thursday March 24, with her lecture beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Wege Ballroom.

“I’m really looking forward to my trip and I may even surprise you with a little sample of my new novel that’s coming out this fall,” Abu-Jaber said.

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