The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human

"A simmering, wide-ranging collection of informative nonfiction. Our verdict: Get it." —Kirkus Reviews

Two schoolgirls in Yemen skip class, and wander into a yellow circus tent. A woman in Beirut is heartsick, waiting for her kidnapped parrot to return. A Jordanian man curses his loud neighbors during a maddening summer stuck in his hot Amman apartment. A woman recalls young summer love on the seaside in Alexandria, Egypt.

This is a first-class ticket around the world to make friends with 41 real-life strangers from 35 countries.

"...stories that examine the internal wars fought by many people: to cope with emerging sexuality, straight and queer, to gain the acceptance of a community into which one has migrated or fled or sought asylum… the pains of growing up, the riotous adventures of childhood, the safe and loving arms of mothers, fathers, uncles and aunts, and always, the question: what and where is home?” — Bina Shah, from her foreword in The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human.

Each short memoir reveals a depth of human experience in a way that you can’t help but recognize your own. It's an ensemble that also offers a contemporary view of people with Muslim backgrounds everywhere. An antidote to apathy in a world increasingly at odds with its own values, this book is one we didn’t know we needed until we found it.

“Each story is raw and beautifully written. This anthology is worthy of applause.” —Valerie Joy

“A collection that throbs with an authentic, earnest vulnerability. It is more soul-baring dinner conversations with fascinating strangers than a detached observation piece.” —Amanda Chin

The talented writers you'll meet:Hanan Al-Shaykh, Leila Aboulela, Indlieb Farazi Saber, Abeer Y. Hoque, Kamin Mohammadi, Ali Bader, Sholeh Wolpé, Youssef Rakha, Threa Almontaser, k. eltinaé, Sepideh Zamani, Medina Tenour Whiteman, Saedia Rouass, Asma Elbadawi, Hisham Bustani, Noreen Moustafa, Samina Hadi-Tabassum, Shokouh Moghimi, Barrak Alzaid, Lydia Abedeen, Duaa Randhawa, Ameena Hussein, H. Masud Taj, Neymat Raboobee, Mona Merhi, Samini Najmi, Criselda Yabes, Tharik Hussain, Marina Reza, Naazish YarKhan, Wasan Qasim, Shiraza Ibrahim, Fatima Muhammed, Amika Elfendi, Salahdin Imam, Wardah Abbas, Shirazuddin Siddiqi, Samia Ahmed, Erdağ Göknar, Summi Siddiqui, and Amira Pierce.

The second edition was designed by Camden Richards, 2024.

Early Praise for the 1st Edition, Penguin SEA 2019

“Anthologies highlighting Muslim voices are not anomalies in the literary spaces, but rarely do we see an anthology that attempts to compile stories across several Muslim worlds; The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human is one that manages to achieve this goal.”

Aisha Yusuff, UK on The New Arab.

“The collection manages to bring out ideas of devotion, family, and paints a comprehensive picture of the values Muslims hold dear, regardless of which part of the world they’re in, uncovering the potential and beauty of what it means not just to be Muslim, but a human, in today’s tumultuous times.”

on Bakchormeeboy.com, Singapore.

“I came to this book expecting to read stories steeped in Islamic practices and religious beliefs. Instead, I got a kaleidoscopic spread of intimate encounters, humanness all laid bare. The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human is a collection that throbs with an authentic, earnest vulnerability. It is more soul-baring dinner conversations with fascinating strangers than detached observation piece. Herein lies its strength.”

Amanda Chin @mandaisreading, Singapore.

“The stories aren’t masked in any way at all. It’s pure ugly truth about living as a Muslim in either their own country, as immigrants in western countries, and the challenges we face in embracing and practicing the religion itself.”

Aiza @biblio_mom, Malaysia.

“These tales vividly breathe into life a number of personal, intimate accounts rekindling historical events or extraordinary encounters that render a profound significance in these writers’ lives. They excellently capture the thought of collectivity and depth of us humans; that despite the vast lacuna of our differences, we are bound by similar experiences and steered by the same sentiments of compassion for one another.”

Lui @myquietnook, Philippines.