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Randa Jarrar

ランダ・ジャラー

Randa Jarrar

Aliases: Ra Jarrar
Pen Names: Ra（Shortened name used on social media and informally）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1978-01-01 （Chicago, Illinois, United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English, Arabic
Residence History
Kuwait (childhood) → Egypt (childhood) → New York area (after return to U.S.) → Fresno, California (faculty position)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Translator, University professor (creative writing)
Active Years
2004-2025
Affiliations
California State University, Fresno (faculty)

Education

Sarah Lawrence College
Degree: BA
Country: United States
Studied creative writing
University of Texas at Austin
Middle Eastern Studies (MA)
Degree: MA
Country: United States
MA in Middle Eastern Studies
University of Michigan
Creative Writing (MFA)
Degree: MFA
Country: United States
Earned an MFA in creative writing

Awards

Million Writers Award
2004
Work: Online short story (winning piece)
Category: Best short story online
Organization: storySouth / Million Writers Award
Result: 受賞
Hopwood Award
2007
Work: Best Novel (A Map of Home)
Category: Best Novel
Organization: University of Michigan Hopwood Awards
Result: 受賞
Arab American Book Award
2009
Work: A Map of Home
Organization: Arab American National Museum
Result: 受賞
Story Prize Spotlight Award
2016
Work: Him, Me, Muhammad Ali
Organization: The Story Prize
Result: 受賞
American Book Award
2017
Work: Him, Me, Muhammad Ali
Organization: Before Columbus Foundation
Result: 受賞
PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award
2017
Work: Him, Me, Muhammad Ali
Organization: PEN Oakland
Result: 受賞
Creative Capital Award
2020
Organization: Creative Capital
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

A Map of Home

2008 Novel (coming-of-age/autobiographical elements)

A coming-of-age novel with autobiographical elements following the protagonist through immigrant experiences, family dynamics, and identity conflicts.

MigrationFamilyIdentityHumor and satire

Him, Me, Muhammad Ali

2016 Short story collection (fiction)

A collection of short stories addressing identity, family, corporeality, and contemporary experiences through biting humor and wit.

IdentityFamilyEmbodimentHumor

Love Is an Ex-Country

2021 Memoir / Nonfiction

A candid memoir tracing the author's life, family history, immigrant experiences, and reflections on love and lost homelands.

MigrationFamily historyTrauma and recovery

Bibliography

  • A Map of Home (2008)
  • Him, Me, Muhammad Ali (2016)
  • Love Is an Ex-Country (2021)

Translations by Author

  • Hassan Daoud, The Year of the Revolutionary New Bread-making Machine (2007, translation)
  • Jo Glanville (ed.), Qissat: short stories by Palestinian women (2006, translation/translation contribution)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Caustic, witty humorAutobiographical candid narrationPolitically and culturally engaged critical voice
Recurring Motifs
Migration and belongingFamily conflict and love/hateBody and gender expressionExile and lost homeland

Legacy

Randa Jarrar is recognized for candid, caustic narratives about immigrant experience and family history; she has received multiple literary awards but has also attracted controversy for political statements. She remains an influential voice in contemporary American literature.

Quotes

  • I'm trans and femme. I use the names Ra and Randa. He/him/she/her are my pronouns.
    Source: Twitter (author's tweet, 2021) (2021)
  • "a generous and smart and amazing racist" (comment about Barbara Bush; generated controversy)
    Source: Social media post (2018) (2018)

Trivia

  • She publicly uses both he/him and she/her pronouns.
  • Won the Million Writers Award for an online short story in 2004.
  • Drew major controversy in 2018 for comments about Barbara Bush.
  • Teaches creative writing at California State University, Fresno.