Hasan Dudar’s Carryout is a marrow-deep collection of linked stories rooted in the Arab diaspora, with themes of displacement and identity, as well as threads of melancholy and humor. Out now from the University of Iowa Press, the book follows Ziad Idilbi, a Palestinian refugee from Lebanon, and his wife Salma, a Lebanese refugee who escaped the war in Beirut, as they set roots in Toledo, Ohio. The displaced couple open a carryout, a corner store, from which they carve out a living. They have three children: eldest son Mustafa, only daughter Nawal, and youngest son, Walid — an aspiring poet.
With great lucidity and wit, Dudar brings readers a vivid portrait of immigrants and refugees who have no other choice but to create a new community for themselves in the United States. Carryout is poignant and tender — a mosaic of life experiences and the complex inner monologues of characters who are grappling with the complicated legacy that is displacement.
I spoke with Dudar about the inspiration behind Carryout, the complexities of the corner store, and major themes embedded in his debut.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarification.
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