Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Map of Salt and Stars | 2018 | Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar | Buy |
| 2 | The Thirty Names of Night | 2020 | Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar | Buy |
Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar’s two novels share a structure — dual timelines connecting present-day Syrian Americans to historical journeys across the Middle East. The Map of Salt and Stars pairs a modern refugee story with a medieval adventure, while The Thirty Names of Night connects a contemporary artist’s identity search to their grandmother’s life.
Both books draw on Joukhadar’s Syrian heritage and explore themes of displacement, belonging, and the stories that link generations. The Map of Salt and Stars won the Middle East Book Award, and The Thirty Names of Night won the Lambda Literary Award and the Stonewall Book Award.