The Language of Baklava

Introduction

The Language of Baklava, published in 2005, is a memoir-cookbook by Arab American author Diana Abu-Jaber. Born in Syracuse, New York, to a Jordanian immigrant father and an American mother of Irish and German descent, Abu-Jaber grew up between the two countries and cultures, and her memoir recounts her struggles to find her place between them.

This guide references the 2006 Anchor Books edition of The Language of Baklava.

Content Warning: The source material contains references to racism, anti-gay bias, the Holocaust, and suicide; it also quotes people using outdated terms for Roma and Asian people.

Plot Summary

The book relates Diana’s life from childhood and to early adulthood. The coming-of-age memoir details with humor and affection how Diana’s personality forms against the background of the contrasting influences in her life. Diana places food at the center of her life, and thus each chapter of her story contains at least one recipe that relates to the events and emotions she recalls.

The memoir begins when Diana is six and living in America. Her father (“Bud”) is a Jordanian immigrant, and her mother is of German and Irish descent; Diana physically resembles her mother, which sometimes causes confusion for both her and others.