Oregon Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 8 (1994) Winner
Diana Abu-Jaber
ダイアナ・アブ＝ジャバー
Diana Abu-Jaber
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- Syracuse, New York, U.S.
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Miami, Florida, U.S. → Portland, Oregon, U.S. → Lived in Jordan for two years during childhood
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Professor, Essayist
- Active Years
- 1990-
- Affiliations
- Portland State University, Department of English, University of Oregon (former), Iowa State University (visiting, former)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State University of New York at Oswego | English & Creative Writing | English | BA | — | United States |
| University of Windsor | English & Creative Writing | English | MA | — | Canada |
| Binghamton University | English & Creative Writing | English | PhD | — | United States |
State University of New York at Oswego
English & Creative Writing
/ English
Degree:
BA
Country:
United States
University of Windsor
English & Creative Writing
/ English
Degree:
MA
Country:
Canada
Binghamton University
English & Creative Writing
/ English
Degree:
PhD
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Oregon Book Award | Arabian Jazz | — | Oregon literary organizations | Winner |
| 2004 | PEN Center USA Award for Literary Fiction | Crescent | — | PEN Center USA | Winner |
Oregon Book Award
1994
Work:
Arabian Jazz
Organization:
Oregon literary organizations
Result:
Winner
PEN Center USA Award for Literary Fiction
2004
Work:
Crescent
Organization:
PEN Center USA
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 25 (2004) Winner
Arab American Book Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 6 (2012) Winner
Works
Major Works
Arabian Jazz
1993 NovelA novel exploring Arab-American family dynamics and cultural conflict, often using food as a lens for identity.
IdentityFamilyFood and cultureCross-cultural tension
Crescent
2003 NovelA novel about Arab immigrants and Arab-American life, exploring belonging and personal growth.
Immigrant experienceBelongingFamily history
Origin
2007 NovelA novel dealing with themes of roots, origins, and confronting one's past.
RootsPersonal historySearch for identity
Birds of Paradise
2011 NovelA story focused on family complexities and individual choices.
Family secretsCultural inheritance
Fencing with the King
2022 NovelA recent novel (2022); details are limited in provided sources but continues interest in cultural contexts and personal conflict.
Culture and the individualConflict
The Language of Baklava
2005 Nonfiction / MemoirA memoir/essay collection that uses food to explore family history and cultural roots.
Food cultureFamily historyIdentity
Life Without a Recipe
2016 Nonfiction / MemoirEssays and memoir pieces about cooking, family, and the life of a writer.
Writing and foodFamily
Silverworld
2020 Young Adult fictionA young adult fiction novel; details limited in provided sources.
Coming of ageAdventure
Bibliography
- Arabian Jazz (1993)
- Crescent (2003)
- Origin (2007)
- Birds of Paradise (2011)
- The Language of Baklava (2005)
- Life Without a Recipe (2016)
- Silverworld (2020)
- Fencing with the King (2022)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Lyrical prose with strong attention to food and culinary detailWeaves Arab-American cultural narratives into fiction and memoir
- Recurring Motifs
- Food/cookingFamilyMigration and rootsIdentity
Legacy
Known for work that examines Arab-American experience and identity often through food culture. A long-serving professor, she has contributed to multicultural perspectives in contemporary American literature.
Trivia
- Her father is Jordanian and her mother is American of Irish and German descent.
- Lived in Jordan for two years beginning at age seven.
- Often uses food culture as a motif in her work.