March Fiction Book Club: Too Soon by Betty Shamieh

Schedule

Tue Mar 18 2025 at 07:00 pm to 08:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Old Town Books | Alexandria, VA

Join us as we discuss Too Soon by Betty Shamieh at our March Fiction Book Club!
About this Event

Old Town Books' Fiction Book Club is free and open to the public. While buying the book at OTB is not required to attend, we would greatly appreciate it to help keep our free literary programming sustainable! Buy your copy of Too Soon at the shop or online and note "book club" to get 10% off.

By attending any and all Old Town Books events you are agreeing to our code of conduct.

Old Town Books is committed to creating accessible events and spaces for the widest possible audience. Please reach out to us at [email protected] for reasonable accessibility accommodations.


About the book:

“A Palestinian American Sex and the City.” —The Atlantic • “Wonderfully brash and sparkling...This book fills in gaps in our understanding.” —Oprah Daily • “Shamieh balances her characters’ painful family history and their boisterously funny voices.” —New Yorker
A funny, sexy, and heart-wrenching literary debut that explores exile, ambition, and hope across three generations of Palestinian American women.
Arabella gets an unexpected chance at love when she’s thrust into a conflict and history she’s tried to avoid all her life.
Zoya is playing matchmaker for her last unmarried granddaughter and stirring up buried memories.
Naya is keeping a secret from her children that will change all their lives.
Thirty-five-year-old Arabella, a New York theatre director whose dating and career prospects are drying up, is offered an opportunity to direct a risqué cross-dressing interpretation of a Shakespeare classic—that might garner international attention—in the West Bank. Her mother, Naya, and grandmother, Zoya, hatch a plot to match her with Aziz, a Palestinian American doctor volunteering in Gaza. Arabella agrees to meet Aziz, since her growing feelings for Yoav, a celebrated Israeli American theatre designer, seem destined for disaster...
With biting hilarity, Too Soon introduces us to a trio of bold and unforgettable voices. This dramatic saga follows one family’s epic journey fleeing war-torn Jaffa in 1948, chasing the American Dream in Detroit and San Francisco in the sixties and seventies, hustling in the New York theatre scene post-9/11, and daring to stage a show in Palestine in 2012. Upon learning one of them is living on borrowed time, the three women fight to live, make art, and love on their own terms. A funny, sexy, and heart-wrenching literary debut, Too Soon illuminates our shared history and asks, how can we set ourselves free?

Where is it happening?

Old Town Books, 130 South Royal Street, Alexandria, United States
Tickets

USD 0.00

Old Town Books

Host or Publisher Old Town Books

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Alexandria

High Tea
Tue, 18 Mar, 2025 at 05:00 pm High Tea

Lady Camellia

An Evening with Judge Paul Matey
Tue, 18 Mar, 2025 at 06:00 pm An Evening with Judge Paul Matey

The Basilica School of Saint Mary

ART NONPROFIT
Wicked Vibes
Tue, 18 Mar, 2025 at 06:30 pm Wicked Vibes

Petal's Edge Floral Design

WORKSHOPS ART
Moms & Mocktails: Cozy Reading & Sip Night
Tue, 18 Mar, 2025 at 06:30 pm Moms & Mocktails: Cozy Reading & Sip Night

2034 Eisenhower Ave

March Coffee & Conversation with Mayor Gaskins (DRBA MEMBER EVENT)
Wed, 19 Mar, 2025 at 07:30 am March Coffee & Conversation with Mayor Gaskins (DRBA MEMBER EVENT)

Piece Out Del Ray

City Manager's Breakfast
Wed, 19 Mar, 2025 at 08:30 am City Manager's Breakfast

AlexRenew

BUSINESS CONFERENCES
Seal the Deal: Win Clients with Mortgage Know-How
Wed, 19 Mar, 2025 at 01:00 pm Seal the Deal: Win Clients with Mortgage Know-How

1701 Duke St

Lost Ladies of Literature Book Club
Wed, 19 Mar, 2025 at 06:00 pm Lost Ladies of Literature Book Club

2200 Mt Vernon Ave

ART LITERARY-ART
Unlocking Success in Real Estate: Join Our Exclusive Home Sellers Workshop!
Fri, 16 Jun, 2023 at 06:00 pm Unlocking Success in Real Estate: Join Our Exclusive Home Sellers Workshop!

5100 Leesburg Pike Suite #200

WORKSHOPS ART
In-person class: Intro to the Art of Sushi (DC)
Thu, 25 Jan, 2024 at 06:30 pm In-person class: Intro to the Art of Sushi (DC)

Lost Boy Cider

WORKSHOPS ART
Master Public Speaking and Captivate Your Audience (VIRTUAL 5 WEEK PROGRAM)
Sat, 27 Apr, 2024 at 06:00 pm Master Public Speaking and Captivate Your Audience (VIRTUAL 5 WEEK PROGRAM)

Route 1

PUBLIC-SPEAKING WORKSHOPS
Candle Making Workshop
Thu, 16 May, 2024 at 05:30 pm Candle Making Workshop

PlantHouse - Alexandria

WORKSHOPS ART
Tipsy Tuesday Workshop
Tue, 28 May, 2024 at 06:30 pm Tipsy Tuesday Workshop

PlantHouse - Alexandria

WORKSHOPS ART
Dried Floral Gold Hoop Workshop
Sun, 09 Jun, 2024 at 01:30 pm Dried Floral Gold Hoop Workshop

PlantHouse - Alexandria

WORKSHOPS ART
Boozy Bonsai Workshop
Sun, 16 Jun, 2024 at 01:30 pm Boozy Bonsai Workshop

PlantHouse - Alexandria

WORKSHOPS ART
An Epic, Fun-Filled Scavenger Hunt! -  Alexandria Old Town Made New
Thu, 29 Aug, 2024 at 08:00 am An Epic, Fun-Filled Scavenger Hunt! - Alexandria Old Town Made New

301 King St

ART TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Eradicating the Inner War: A Journey Inward for Healthcare Professionals
Tue, 10 Sep, 2024 at 04:00 pm Eradicating the Inner War: A Journey Inward for Healthcare Professionals

Alexandria

WORKSHOPS KIDS
Rug Tufting Workshop
Sat, 05 Oct, 2024 at 11:00 am Rug Tufting Workshop

Tufting.co Studio

ART WORKSHOPS
Concerts at Christ Church
Mon, 14 Oct, 2024 at 12:15 pm Concerts at Christ Church

Christ Church Alexandria

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
The Sonic Alchemy Workshop: Awaken Your Creative Expression Through Music
Fri, 22 Nov, 2024 at 12:00 pm The Sonic Alchemy Workshop: Awaken Your Creative Expression Through Music

Alexandria

WORKSHOPS ART

What's Happening Next in Alexandria?

Discover Alexandria Events