"It's kind of refreshing,
being able to have literary conversations..."

Jonathan Curiel interviews Diana Abu-Jaber for the San Francisco Chronicle as she tours for the paperback release of Crescent--and she's happier this time around to actually talk about the novel, instead of being dragged into the political discussions around its publication last year, in the early months of the invasion of Iraq. This Fresh Air show from April 2003 bucked the trend for the most part; another conversation for Aljadid is quite interesting as well.

New Yorkers can see Abu-Jaber at Alwan for the Arts on June 2 and Coliseum Books on June 3.