This groundbreaking anthology is a collection of new plays by American writers of a variety of Middle Eastern backgrounds, from artists born in Egypt and Iran, to Israeli and Palestinian Americans. These plays-written in a diversity of theatrical styles ranging from lyrical drama to satiric comedy-are personal and political, fresh and important. They represent artists negotiating the complexities of Middle Eastern identity in America, while dealing with the ravages of war and violence in their families' homelands.

Included are: "Ten Acrobats in an Amazing Leap of Faith" by Yussef el-Guindi
"Between Our Lips" by Nathalie Handal
"Nine Parts of Desire" by Heather Raffo
"The Black Eyed" by Betty Shamieh
"Call Me Mehdi" by Torange Yeghiazarian
"Browntown" by Samir Younis
"Desert Sunrise" by Misha Shulman

Holly Hill is the author of "Playing Joan" and "Actors' Lives," published by Theatre Communications Group. A critic and feature writer published widely in the United States and United Kingdom, Hill was the former New York theater correspondent for "The Times" of London and the director of the Arabic Theater Project from 1997 to 2000.

Dina Amin is the assistant professor of Arab Literature & Culture and Theatre at Villanova University. She directs in the United States and Egypt, in Arabic and English. Amin has published in major academic journals and has translated a number of Arabic plays into English.

He was absolutely, positively certain that he never wanted children. Ever. Sean Strubbe was determined that children were not for him and so he never planned on having them. But God had other plans. One day, the inevitable happened. Sean woke up, and in an instant, his life was changed forever. This is the story of a man turned father who learned that the very thing that he so despised was, in fact, the very thing he needed. Sean never would have imagined that God would use the son that he never wanted to teach him so many valuable things about the gospel of Christ. This story will change the way you look at the world around you. Could it be that we are missing out on valuable life lessons that God is using to teach us more about Him? Could it be possible that you and I are surrounded by extraordinary moments that are being orchestrated by God to show us more about the gospel of Christ? Maybe, just maybe, if we slowed down and took a closer look at the events and circumstances around us we would be surprised by what we saw.