Praise for From Here:
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A 2024 Finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction
A 2024 Rise: Feminist Book Project Nonfiction Pick
A 2023 Kirkus Best Book
A 2023 Publishers Weekly Best Book
A 2023 School Library Journal Best Book
A 2023 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
A 2024 Missouri Dogwood Book Award Selection
“Books All Young Georgians Should Read” 2024 Pick
A NCSS-CBC 2024 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
A Shondaland.com Best Book for May 2023
★ “This is a must-add to any high school biography/memoir section. Mufleh’s story is one of strength and courage, and shines light on the injustices in our world…She adeptly balances the luxury of her experience in Jordan with the conflict she often felt as a gay Muslim woman. It weaves together experiences from Muslim faith, being gay and not accepted by family, immigration, and the Middle East. …You need to put this one on your high school shelf now, but it won’t stay there long.” —School Library Journal, starred review
★ “A powerful, honest account of an activist’s experiences of being gay in a culture she loves but in which it’s hard to see a place for herself. . . Mufleh’s raw descriptions of finding her place in the world are relatable: Questions of choosing between living your truth or your family’s will speak to readers of many backgrounds. . . Mufleh’s journey shows that acceptance and reconciliation are possible and that those we love can grow and learn. . . A poignant glimpse into human imperfections and the struggle to find one’s place in the world.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ “This affecting memoir by refugee advocate Mufleh (Learning America) chronicles her internal struggle to reconcile her identity as a gay Arab Muslim woman. Via clear-eyed prose…this poignant reflection on choice, family, and living one’s truth provides insight into Mufleh’s relationship with her heritage, and how these experiences helped shape her identity and advocacy work.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Activist and author Luma Mufleh masters the beauty of vulnerability in her latest memoir, From Here. Growing up in Jordan … Mufleh had to hide the person she was becoming, especially as she grappled with her attraction toward women. Mufleh understood that if anyone found out she was a lesbian, her life could be in danger. When she’s accepted into college in the United States, Mufleh leaves Jordan and has to carve out a difficult new path as a refugee, finding support through friends who eventually became like family.” —Shondaland.com
“Mufleh details fears Arab women constantly encounter…[s]he methodically shares her struggles with coming out to her family and coming to terms with sexual abuse. Readers will admire Mufleh’s courage to fight for her own rights and her dedication to helping others…This story is a reminder that we have the right to live how we want and love who we want.” —Booklist
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