Books and Other Publications About and By Kfeirians

Books and Other Publications Written About and By Kfeirians

The following list includes books and other publications written about and by Kfeirians. Thank you to Abe J. Bassett for compiling this list. If you have additional book titles to add to this list, please email this information to reunion@kfeir.com.

I. Books with Chapters about Kfeirians

Profiles in Prominence, Vol. II
Published by Marshall University 2003
Edited by Dan & Patricia Angel
Bruce Thabit, pp 86-101

Paths to The Middle East: Ten Scholars Look Back
Albany: State University of New York Press
Edited by Thomas Naff
Ernest McCarus, A Lust for Language, pp. 181-198

American Dreams Lost and Found
Originally Published in 1980
By Studs Terkel, an American Author, Historian, Actor and Broadcaster who received the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1985 for The Good War and is best remembered for his oral histories of common Americans and for hosting a long-running radio show in Chicago.
Chapter 6 features an interview with James Abourezk

In this unique look at one of our most pervasive national myths, Studs Terkel persuades an extraordinary range of Americans to articulate their version of "The American Dream." Filtered through the lens of our leading oral historian, the chorus of voices in American Dreams highlights the hopes and struggles of coming to and living in the United States.

This is a classic work of oral history that provides an extraordinary and moving picture of everyday American lives.

II. Books about Kfeirians

Advise & Dissent, Memoirs of South Dakota and the U.S. Senate
By James G. Abourezk
Chicago: Lawrence Hill Books, 1989
A personal odyssey of James Abourezk, from his coming of age as a son of Lebanese immigrants in South Dakota, through his hardscrabble days as a farmhand, bartender, bouncer, and cook, to his entrance into a voluntary exit from the U.S. Senate. His is a quintessentially American story that entertains as it challenges the thinking of our nation.

Al-Kfeir in America
By Mary Louise Tweel Haddad
The book, which began as a dissertation for Mary’s Ph.D., was based in countless interviews with the Kfeirians of Huntington and Charleston, West Virginia making the book’s stories and facts authentic.
Introduced and Sponsored by Joseph B. Touma, MD
Published by Mid-Atlantic Highlands, Huntington, WV 2013

Note: The book listed below titled El-Kfeir, The Cradle of Genius by Arreph El-Khoury compliments Mary Haddad’s book and together they bring the best history of the Kfeirian village.

El-Kfeir, The Cradle of Genius
The Biggest Small Village in Lebanon
Editor Abe J. Bassett worked from May 2021 through March 2022 to edit and publish El-Kfeir, The Cradle of Genius on behalf of Arreph El-Khoury who passed away in 1992 leaving the unpublished chapters with Abe.

Available as a print book from store.bookbaby.com. For a 20% discount, use the code "Lebanon." Also available as an E-book from Amazon.

A Stream Out of Lebanon, the Coming of Syrian/Lebanese Emigration to Prince Edward Island
By David Weale
1988 Charlottetown Institute of Island Studies
The Lebanese in Prince Edward Island make up less than one percent of the population. Within the Canadian context that makes them a small fraction of a small fraction. But a group is not interesting or significant simply because of its numbers. By looking carefully at the small number of Lebanese who have come to the Island, we are able to learn some important things about them, about ourselves, and also about the universal themes of emigration and acculturation.

III. Books by Kfeirians

Nueden
By Father David G. Thabet - Before officially retiring in 2000, the Rev. David G. Thabet served 40 years as rector in both the West Virginia and Virginia Episcopal Dioceses.
Xulon Press - Religion Category
A treasure trove of reading, the struggle for Nueden is a struggle that each one of us experiences daily as we try and live our lives in accordance with our faith and beliefs while dealing and understanding the realties that made us human.

Through Different Eyes
By James G. Abourezk and Hyman Bookbinder
Two leading Americans, A Jew and an Arab debate U.S. Policy in the Middle East. Using a classical debate format, this book presents arguments from both sides in the Arab-Israeli dispute.

IV . Books by Abe J. Bassett

Memories of Rahija [Rahija Saad Bassett, 1891 - 1983]
Edited by Abe J. Bassett, 1992
Available by Interlibrary Loan
Also available as a downloadable PDF at http://works.bepress.com/abe_bassett/5/

Seventy remembrances of Rahija Saad Bassett written by 27 children, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends, whose accounts reveal the heart of every young Kfeirian woman who came to America to seek her way.

Abe, Son of Abraham
By Abe J. Bassett
Queenswater-Bayswater Books, Beavercreek, Ohio 2015
Available from Amazon or by Interlibrary Loan - ISBN: 978-0615939391
Also available as a downloadable PDF at http://works.bepress.com/abe_bassett/6/
Abe, Son of Abraham begins as a series of well written and funny vignettes about the author’s early years and his special relationship with his father. It concludes with remembrances of his uncles and aunts, immigrants from Lebanon.

Producer’s Notes
By Abe J. Bassett
Queenswater-Bayswater Books, Beavercreek, Ohio 2015
Available from Amazon or by Interlibrary Loan - ISBN: 978-0615939391
Also available as a downloadable PDF at https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/books/117/
The story of Ohio’s award winning theatre programs and rise to national prominence.

Additional Publications by Abe J. Bassett in the form of text and recordings:
Please use the URL below each publication to view each article or interview.

Musings on a visit to Beirut 1992
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/theater/4/

Equus, A Case for Censorship
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/theater/2/

President Kegerreis on Equus
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/theater/3/

Conversation of Effects of Equus with Michael Ferrari, Provost
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/theater/1/

George Grizzard: A Conversation with Abe J. Bassett
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/theater/8/

An Interview with Frank Barrie, English Actor
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/theater/7/

The First of the Modern Directors: The Actor-Manager Career of William Charles Macready
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/theater/10/

Preparing for College Theatre
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/theater/6

Collegiate Theatre: Alive, Diverse and Thriving
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/theater/5/

V. Books by Emily Nasrallah (July 6, 1931 - March 13, 2018)

The Birds of September
By Emily Nasrallah
Emily Daoud Abi Rached was born in the small village of Kaukaba, and raised in al-Kfeir. This story about her native village (Kfeir) and its people as the heroes. This novel describes the saga of the village people who witness their loved ones depart for more promising countries, just as they see, in the month of September, birds, head south in search of warmer places. The Birds of September was Nasrallah's first novel. It received critical acclaim and three Arabic literary prizes within the same year of publication in 1962; the prizes are: Laureate Best Novel, the Said Akl Prize, and Friends of the Book Prize.

Other Novels by Emily Nasrallah include:

Shajarat al-Difla (The Olenader Tree), published in 1968
al-Rahina (The Hostage), 1974
Tilka l-dhikrayat (Those Memories), 1980

al-Iqlaʿ ʿaks al-zaman (Flight Against Time) Translated by Issa J. Boullata), 1981 - is the story of the emigrant experience—a moving witness to the Lebanese people and to a time, the civil war. The narrative follows an elderly Lebanese couple who leave their village during the war to visit children and grandchildren in the New World.
ISBN-13: 9780920304594

al-Jamr al-ghafi (The Sleeping Ember), 1995
Ma Hadatha Fi Jouzour Tamaya (What Happened in the Tamaya Islands)

Short Stories:

Jazirat al-Wahm (The island of illusion), 1973
al-Yanbouʿ (The Spring), 1978
al-Mar'a fi 17 qissa (Women in 17 stories), 1984
al-Tahuna al-da'iʿa (The lost mill, translated by Issa J. Boullata), 1984
Khubzuna al-yami (Our daily bread), 1988
Mahattat al-rahil (Stations on a journey), 1996
Rawat lia al-ayyam (Days recounted), 1997
Al-Layali al-Ghajariyya (Gypsy Nights), 1998
Awraq Minsiah (Forgotten papers)
Aswad wa Abyiad (Black and White)
Riyah janoubiyyah (Southern Winds)

Children's Literature:

Shadi as-Saghir (Little Shadi), 1977
al-Bahira (The Resplendent Flower)
Yawmiyat Hirr (A cat's diary), 1988
ʿala Bissat al Thalj (On a Snow Carpet)
Al Ghazala (The Gazelle)
Anda al Khawta (Anda the Fool)
Ayna tathhab Anda? (Where does Anda go?)

Non-Fiction:

Nisaa' Ra'idat – Volumes 1,2 and 3 Biographies of pioneer women From the East
Nisaa' Ra'idat – Volumes 4,5 and 6 Biographies of pioneer women From the West
Fil Bal" (Recollections of start-up of Journalistic Career)

VI. Books by Jihad Y. Kahil

Jihad Youssef Kahil, born in Kfeir, March 3 1945, and raised in Kfeir till his secondary diploma at 15 years old. Son of Youssef Kahil, almost the first teacher, who started teaching in 1927, in Kfeir National School, who got married with Alice, daughter of Ayoub el Khoury and Hannie Michael.

Arabic Books by Jihad Youssef Kahil:

The Search of Oneself in the Subconscious of the Collective Unconscious, The Path of a Life in the Trips of a Disciple, Dar Nelson, 2012. Autobiography including his visits to different countries in Europe, North America and Brazil, filled with colors photos.
Rebellious Spirit Circles, The Path of the Mystic towards God, Dar Nelson, 2016
The Signs of Times, The End of an Age, Amazon, 2017
Above Perception, Spiritual Serenity, Amazon, 2018
The Myth in the Mind, The Way of Solidarity, Amazon, 2018
To the Gods and to the Ancestors, A vision from the Depths, Amazon, 2018
The Visitor, The Voice of the Transcendental Consciousness, Amazon, 2018
The Sound of the Fall, Awareness Flow, Amazon, 2019
To the Gods and to the Ancestors, Vol. II, You are the Change, E-Book, Amazon, 2020
Twilight Zone, The Top of the Esoteric Knowledge, E-Book, Amazon, 2020
Words in War Tim, Tragedy of a Nation, E-Book, Amazon, 2020
Bird of Freedom, E-Book, Amazon, 2020
Aref Ayoub el Khoury, The Threshold of Virginity, Amazon, 2020
Human, The Spirit of Time, Amazon 2021, Digital Print Only

French Books by Jihad Youssef Kahil:

La Destination Incertaine, Serial of 4 books: Révélation d’un Papillon, La Promesse, Le Purgatoire, Le Salut, Amazon, 2016
Dialogue avec mon Maitre Intérieur, La Voie vers la Realisation Mystique, Amazon, 2016
Epiphanie de L’Image Divine, Messages de Nulle Part, Amazon, 2016
A la Recherche de mes Racines, l’Enfant que J’etais, Amazon, 2017
La Destination Incertaine, Echos de ma Vie, (One Volume), Amazon, 2017
La Terre Change sa Peau, Vers un Nouvel Age, Amazon, 2017
La Regeneration de la Lecture du Texte Religieux, La Voix vers le Changement d'Attitude, Amazon 2017

English Books translated from Arabic Books by J. Y. Kaheel:

To the Gods and to the Ancestors, Searching for My Roots, Amazon, 2019
Above Perception, Spiritual Serenity, Amazon, 2019
The Myth in the Mind, Solidarity Path, Amazon, 2019
The Visitor, The Voice of Transcendental Consciousness, Amazon, (Under Translation)
To the Gods and to the Ancestors Vol II, History Must Change, Amazon, 2020
Twilight Zone, The Pinnacle of Mystical Knowledge, Amazon, 2022

7. Kfeir Before 1960, To Revive Kfeir's Heritage, Amazon, 2023

VII. Books by Frank Zakem

The Neighbourhood Family Run Corner Store Experience
Published 2002

Zakem-Marji Story, Five Generations
Published 2006
University of Prince Edward Island

VIII. Short Stories by Arreph El-Khoury (November 13, 1905 - February 11, 1992)

The Snare
“Arabia—a pilgrim returns from Mecca to find he has been mulcted of his money.”
In Oriental Stories, Vol 2, No 3, Summer, 1932

A Woman of the Hills
Short Story Fiction, Language: English, 1933
Published in Magic Carpet.

Hillbred
Fiction, Language: English
Originally published in Asia Magazine in December 1936.
In 1947, published in The World of Great Stories: 115 stories, the best of modern literature.

A recently found newspaper article from the McDowell County Observer dated Friday, July 10, 1936 stated that Arreph, a local writer, recently received word that the first installment of his short story, Resurrection is to appear in this month's edition of Syrian Light, a monthly newspaper published in Oklahoma City. "There will probably be three installments of the story", the author said. A copy of this article is shown on this website in the section Family News, Family History page created for Arreph. The article goes on to mention other published stories by Arreph including Wager and Bride of the Brave which appeared in Syrian World, The Snare (see above) which was published in Oriental Stories and A Woman of the Hills (see above) which appeared in Magic Carpet. He has also written short stories for Colliers.

IX. Publications by Colette Khoury (1931 - )

Colette Khoury (Arabic: كوليت خوري) (also written as Kulit Khuri, Colette al al-Khuri, Colette Khuri) is a Syrian novelist and poet, born in 1931, daughter of Suhail al-Khoury, who is also the granddaughter of former Syrian Prime Minister Fares al-Khoury. Khoury graduated from Damascus University with a bachelor's degree in French literature and she received a diploma from the school of literature in Beirut. Khoury's notability stirs from her work in politics and literature. Her work as a writer focuses on love and erotica, a subject that was previously taboo in Syrian culture. In 1959, her book Days With Him (Ayyam Maahou) shocked the Arab world in which she wrote openly about love.

Colette was born into a notable family, as her grandfather, Fares al-Khoury is known as a hero for his resistance to the French. In addition, her father had been minister for village and town affairs. Khoury was also very patriotic, as she wrote several collections of stories about the 1973 October War, also known as the Yom Kippur War one of which was called Luminous Days (1984).

Khoury was a pioneer of Arab feminism, and wrote angry stories in the 1950s about men and their selfishness. Khoury's career began in 1957 and has spanned more than 6 decades. Her literary career began with the publication of a collection of poems in French entitled "Vingt Ans" (Beirut, 1958). In it Khoury expressed her discontent with social constraints and the emptiness and aimlessness of her life; she also described her attempts to find salvation in love. Much of Khoury's work stemmed from her desire to avoid blatant retaliation; writing was the best and only way she could express herself. Khoury dedicated her work to immersing herself in the female psyche, particularly defending women's right to love. Khoury once said, "Since I always felt the need to express what was welling up inside me...the need to protest, the need to scream...and since I didn't want to scream with a knife, I screamed with my fingers and became a writer." Many of Khoury's stories covered topics like love and erotica, particularly from a female's perspective. Khoury has written more than 20 novels, as well as many political and literary articles.

Days With Him - Ayyām maʻah (1961)
One Night - Laylah wāḥidah (1961)
Kiyān (1968)
Dimashq baytī al-kabīr (1970)
Qiṣṣatān (1972)
Wa-marra ṣayf (1975)
Daʼwah ilá al-Qunayṭirah (1976)
al-Ayyām al-maḍīʼah : qiṣaṣ (1984)
Wa-marra ṣayf : riwāyah (1985)
Imraʼah : majmūʻat qiṣaṣ (2000)
al-Marḥalah al-murrah : qiṣaṣ ṭawīlah (2002)
Sa-talmisu aṣābiʻī al-shams : qiṣṣah ramzīyah (2002)
Fī al-zawāyā-- ḥakāyā : tisʻ qiṣaṣ wa-masraḥīyah (2003)
Kūlīt Khūrī : būḥ al-yāsmīn al-Dimashqī (2008)
Wa-yabqá al-waṭan fawqa al-jamīʻ (2010)

X. Books by American Historian Alixa Naff (September 15, 1919 - June 1, 2013)

Alixa Naff was a Lebanese-born American historian. She focused much of her research on the first wave of Arab American immigration to the United States at the turn of the 20th century.

Dr. Naff is considered the mother of Arab American Studies. She believed that the Arab American immigrants’ experience was important to research. When she found that primary materials were non-existent, she went out and collected and preserved oral histories and artifacts.

Alixa Naff was born to Faris and Yamna Naff in Rashaya al-Wadi, a village about 8 miles north of Kfeir Zeit, located in present-day Lebanon within the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. Her family immigrated to the United States in 1921. They arrived in Spring Valley, Illinois on January 1, 1922, and lived there until moving to Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1929. They moved to Detroit, in June 1931, where her father worked in the grocery industry.
Naff documented Arab immigration to the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This first wave of mostly Christian immigrants was the first major emigration from the Middle East to the U.S. Naff donated her collection of artifacts and oral histories from early Arab immigrants to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

Naff had driven throughout the nation to collect oral histories and family heirlooms for the collection. She amassed more than 450 oral histories, 2,000 photographs, and more than 500 artifacts. The personal and household objects included such items as kibbe pounders, Middle Eastern musical instruments, peddler’s boxes, and clothing.

The Faris and Yamna Naff Collection, which was named in honor of her parents, is available for research through the National Museum of American History.
Dr. Naff’s work has been featured in a variety of publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. She has also appeared in numerous television and radio programs, including NPR and CNN.

Dr. Naff’s work is important because it helps to shed light on the often-overlooked history and experiences of Arab Americans. She has shown that Arab Americans have played a vital role in American society since the late 19th century and that they continue to make important contributions to the country today.

Articles and Chapters in Books

Arabs In America: A Historical Overview, Chapter 1, pp 8 – 29, of “Arabs in the New World,” Edited by Sameer Y. Abraham and Nabeel Abraham. Wayne State University, 1983

The Early Arab Immigrant Experience, pp. 9 - 22, in The Development of Arab-American Identity, edited by Ernest McCarus, Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press, 1994

Arab Detroit: From Margin to Mainstream (2000)
Wayne State University Press

“Arab American and the War on Terror: From Patriotism to Profiling” (2002)

‘The Syrian American Diaspora and the Making of an Arab American Identity” (2004)

“Arab Americans and the Politics of Citizenship” (2006)

“The Arab American Experience in the post-9/11 Era” (2008)

“Arab Americans and the 2008 Presidential Election” (2009)

“Arab Americans and the 2016 Presidential Election” (2017)

Books by Alixa Naff

Becoming American: The Early Arab Immigrant Experience (1985)
Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, Illinois, 376 pp.

The Arab Americans (1999)
Chelsea House Publishers, Philadelphia

XI. Books about the Lebanese experience

1. Taking Root, Volume II, Bearing Fruit
The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, 1985
Note: While not by or directly about Kfeirians, the chapters describe the Lebanese experience in coming to America.

2. The Syrian Yankee
By Salmon Rizk
Perhaps the best-known piece of Arab American literature in the middle part of the century. The book has been called "a classic of the immigrant biography genre", especially for the way Rizk's story portrays the American Dream and the virtues of cultural assimilation at the expense of his home country, which he finds loathsome when he returns for a visit.

3. House of Stone: A Memoir of Home, Family, and a Lost Middle East
By Anthony Shadid
House of Stone is the story of a battle-scarred home and a war correspondent’s jostled spirit, and of how reconstructing the one came to fortify the other. In this poignant and resonant memoir, the author of the award-winning Night Draws Near creates a mosaic of past and present, tracing the house’s renewal alongside his family’s flight from Lebanon and resettlement in America.