Arab/Jew

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist’s heart-tugging memoir of his larger-than-life father and of his family caught between worlds, uncovering the buried legacy of Arab-Jewish coexistence that reframes today’s most intractable conflicts.

Maurice Chammah’s father, Albert, was a charismatic raconteur whose untraceable accent spoke of vast distances traversed. Born in 1928 in Aleppo, Syria, Albert was the product of a long line of holy men in a Jewish community thousands of years old. Still a mere teenager, he cast out for America, ultimately reinventing himself as a cosmopolitan professor in the unlikely new home of Austin, Texas. Growing up, Maurice caught only glimpses of his family’s Arab and Jewish pasts. When Parkinson’s disease claimed Albert, Maurice was barely older than his father had been when he left Aleppo. It would fall to Maurice to use his talents as a journalist to trace his father’s hidden steps and reknit his bonds to a people that had, by then, utterly transformed.

Arab/Jew is the lovingly reconstructed account of an enigmatic father’s life, and a riveting portrait of a Jewish family’s struggle to survive in a rapidly changing Syria. Amid the rise of Zionism, Jewish populations that had once been protected minorities throughout the Islamic world came to be seen as a threat from within. For Maurice’s aunts, uncles, and cousins, this meant a day-by-day negotiation with life in a burgeoning police state, and, finally, their gut-wrenching decisions to mount dramatic escapes and leave their Arab communities—and Arab identities—behind.

More than the beautifully written story of one family in the Syrian-Jewish diaspora, Maurice’s narrative is also a reckoning with Jewish identity and Israel, where the Mizrahi community, Jews of Middle Eastern origin, anchors some of the state’s staunchest opposition to Palestinian liberation. Could their unique cultural heritage instead underpin solidarity across seemingly unbridgeable divides? With questing empathy and a stalwart commitment to justice, Maurice’s search for the remnants of Arab-Jewish identity shines new, hopeful light on the personal dimensions of one of our world’s most painful unhealed wounds.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs