Sirwan Kajjo

Nothing But Soot Sirwan Kajjo

Kawa is a twentysomething Kurdish man whose quest for a permanent home never ends. He leaves his native Syria as a teenager and lives in Lebanon for a while. He then moves to the United States where he settles permanently. This coming-of-age novel narrates Kawa's story as he goes through several stages of identity crisis, while living in his new homeland. The novel tackles issues such as sexuality, love, religion, and ethnic politics in a diverse Middle East.