The Reading Warehouse

Saffron Dreams is a tale of love, tragedy, and redemption from the award-winning author of Beyond the Cayenne Wall...

You don't know you're a misfit until you are marked as an outcast.

From the darkest hour of American history emerges a mesmerizing tale of tender love, a life interrupted, and faith recovered. Arissa Illahi, a Muslim artist and writer, discovers in a single moment that no matter how carefully you map your life, it is life itself that chooses your destiny. After her husband's death in the collapse of the World Trade Center, the discovery of his manuscript marks Arissa's reconnection to life. Her unborn son and the unfinished novel fuse in her mind into one life-defining project that becomes, at once, the struggle for her emotional survival and the redemption of her race. Saffron Dreams is a novel about our ever evolving identities and the events and places that shape them. It reminds us that in the midst of tragedy, our dreams can become a lasting legacy.

Praise for Saffron Dreams

"Eloquently written, a must-read for any one interested in exploring the lived experiences of Muslim women in the United States."
--Ali Asani, PhD, Professor of the Practice of Indo-Muslim Languages and Cultures, Harvard University

Like Abdullah's story collection, Beyond the Cayenne Wall, this work provides a remarkable, inevitably hopeful glimpse into the daily life of Muslim woman living in America. Highly recommended."
--Faye A. Chadwell, Library Journal

"Saffron Dreams is an unflinching look at the societal pressures of widowhood, the role that art can play in the healing process, and the impact of media bias and stereotyping on the Muslim American community in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks."
--Sandhya Nankani, Literary Safari

"Following Arissa's story makes the reader realize how little most of us know and understand the world of Muslims, and how incredibly wrong so many of our perceptions are."
--Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson, Reader Views

"Shaila Abdullah's Saffron Dreams is a fascinating look at how events can quickly change a life forever. The thread of Muslim beliefs in a modern world, and especially how women balance ancient and modern traditions, is a fresh and different viewpoint."
--Sandie Kirkland, Rebecca's Reads

"A poignant story that affirms the redemptive power of storytelling. Abdullah gracefully maneuvers between sentiment and domesticity rewarding us with her insight."
--Sefi Att a, award-winning author of Everything Good Will Come

"Word artist Abdullah, through rich description and evocative detail, shares her characters' love story, how it develops and endures through conflict, chaos, and terrorism. The extraordinary power of this book is not to be missed by the serious or casual reader, for it proves that we are all one in our most elemental human needs and emotions."
--Shirley M. Hord, PhD, Scholar Laureate, National Staff Development Counci

About the Author
Shaila Abdullah is a Pakistani-American author and designer based in Austin, Texas. Her first book, Beyond the Cayenne Wall, is an award-winning collection of stories about Pakistani women struggling to find their individualities despite the barriers imposed by society. For more information, please visit www.ShailaAbdullah.com.

Saffron Dreams is Book #5 of the Reflections of America Series from Modern History Press www.ModernHistoryPress.com