{"id":2861,"date":"2024-11-10T14:40:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-10T19:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/?p=2861"},"modified":"2024-11-10T14:40:03","modified_gmt":"2024-11-10T19:40:03","slug":"novelist-bushra-rehman-from-queens-life-and-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/eternal\/novelist-bushra-rehman-from-queens-life-and-books-2861","title":{"rendered":"Novelist Bushra Rehman from Queens: Life and Books"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Bushra Rehman is a Pakistani-American writer and poet best known for her novels <em>Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion<\/em> and <em>Corona<\/em>. Her works are infused with humor and wisdom, exploring the experience of being a woman of color, a feminist, and an American Muslim. Learn more about her journey and works on <a href=\"https:\/\/queens1.one\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/queens1.one\/\">queens1.one<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a32b7ac936fb\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a32b7ac936fb\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/eternal\/novelist-bushra-rehman-from-queens-life-and-books-2861\/#Early_Years\" >Early Years<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/eternal\/novelist-bushra-rehman-from-queens-life-and-books-2861\/#First_Novel\" >First Novel<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/eternal\/novelist-bushra-rehman-from-queens-life-and-books-2861\/#First_Poetry_Collection\" >First Poetry Collection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/eternal\/novelist-bushra-rehman-from-queens-life-and-books-2861\/#Most_Famous_Book\" >Most Famous Book<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/eternal\/novelist-bushra-rehman-from-queens-life-and-books-2861\/#Other_Activities\" >Other Activities<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Early_Years\"><\/span>Early Years<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bushra Rehman grew up in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, near one of New York&#8217;s first Sunni mosques. The first book to leave a deep impression on her was <em>A Tree Grows in Brooklyn<\/em>, a semi-autobiographical novel by Betty Smith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the late 1990s, Rehman became a key figure in the local arts scene, performing her poetry at eateries, theaters, and universities. In 2002, along with writer Daisy Hernandez, Bushra published <em>Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today\u2019s Feminism<\/em>, an anthology on feminism. The book was a response to hate crimes perpetrated against people of color, particularly Muslims, following the September 11, 2001 attacks. The anthology received significant acclaim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The book briefly highlights how feminist women of color sparked socially significant activist movements such as Black Lives Matter. Additionally, young writers in the anthology discuss the power of community, racial freedom, boundaries, and differences. This collection resonated with advocates for women\u2019s rights and equality across races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"First_Novel\"><\/span>First Novel<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2013, Rehman published <em>Corona<\/em>, a lyrical, edgy, and humorous coming-of-age story about Razia Mirza, a Pakistani Muslim growing up in Corona. The novel follows Razia\u2019s journey from childhood adventures to the music scene. Her parents give her an ultimatum: come home and marry or never return. Determined, Razia refuses to let anyone block her quest for freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through each story, readers learn more about Razia&#8217;s past, which she\u2019s escaping and which propels her forward, desperate never to return home. Razia\u2019s adventures are depicted as interwoven short stories set in the late 1980s. She hitchhikes in Florida, works as a guide in a Puritan colony in Massachusetts, lives with drunken Italian anarchists, and falls in love with unusual people and places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The dialogues are emotionally charged, and the characters are vividly unique. The plot unfolds with each new page, yet Razia\u2019s life is never limited to the text; some significant events are left to the reader\u2019s imagination, adding mystery. Poets &amp; Writers named <em>Corona<\/em> the best debut fiction of 2013, and the book has become essential reading in Asian American studies across the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.queens1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/12\/gt2asiorej6ld9azerd5ss9iaahzwud7ghsw-stdwiwzzzln8cq8mmj5_bt8a15y_swdxuaw4sxgmafqzxjpsseqxul_yfq5pb0rn-amu7jnzvxt6oenltbj2qp7htoyw2lvsw2zwviox75pqndo4cm.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"First_Poetry_Collection\"><\/span>First Poetry Collection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2018, Rehman published her debut poetry collection, <em>Marianna\u2019s Beauty Salon<\/em>. This collection contains bold and humorous poems about the American dream and the paths to achieving it. The work is dedicated to Muslim immigrant women adapting to life in their new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Most_Famous_Book\"><\/span>Most Famous Book<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rehman\u2019s 2022 novel <em>Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion<\/em> garnered widespread popularity. It draws heavily on the author\u2019s own experiences, particularly her childhood in Corona in the 1980s when she discovered her queer identity. The term \u201cqueer\u201d refers to those who do not identify as heterosexual or cisgender, encompassing LGBTQ+ individuals and those who do not conform to conventional sexual orientations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inspired by the strength of her friendships with the girls she grew up with, Rehman decided to write <em>Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion<\/em>. <em>The New Yorker<\/em> named it one of the best books of 2022, and it was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award in the Bisexual Fiction category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This novel is full of vivid anecdotes. The protagonist, Razia Mirza, is a young Pakistani-American growing up in Corona, the same character from <em>Corona<\/em>. Her story explores love within the Muslim community and understanding her own identity. After meeting Angela at school, Razia\u2019s self-perception shifts further. The novel illuminates deep friendships and complex family dynamics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Other_Activities\"><\/span>Other Activities<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rehman is not only a writer and poet but also a lecturer. In her talks, she often shares her experiences as a Pakistani woman from Queens who turned silence into candid stories in her books. She has also discussed the experience of writing about influential American Muslim women who defied social norms, fighting to be themselves despite cultural pressures at home and racism outside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.queens1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/12\/9n9qxu-rs0fphbt5otyczfcqehlnawbp5rwfivpm4rz6hvwx9f2x09xkwhdqgotsgzmwroe6kbwfqsg7thmqaal7x3eonoecbp5x0eme62me4vyi1jgtvdlte-aea0mvspnoqlu1c0kvucjua3lerzg.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Her readings and lectures often include writing workshops where students learn literary techniques that help them engage memory and overcome the silence that stifles creative life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bushra Rehman is a Pakistani-American writer and poet best known for her novels Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion and Corona. Her works are infused with humor and wisdom, exploring the experience of being a woman of color, a feminist, and an American Muslim. Learn more about her journey and works on queens1.one. Early [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":419,"featured_media":2195,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1168],"tags":[2219,2210,2217,2211,2212,2214,2215,2218,2207,2221,2216,2208,2213,2209,2220],"moimportance":[81],"motype":[1158],"moformat":[83],"class_list":{"0":"post-2861","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-jobs","8":"tag-asian-american-literature","9":"tag-bushra-rehman-author","10":"tag-colonize-this-anthology","11":"tag-corona-novel","12":"tag-feminist-literature","13":"tag-immigrant-womens-stories","14":"tag-lambda-literary-award-nominee","15":"tag-mariannas-beauty-salon-3","16":"tag-muslim-american-voices","17":"tag-new-york-literary-scene","18":"tag-pakistani-american-novelist","19":"tag-poets-writers-award","20":"tag-queer-muslim-identity","21":"tag-roses-in-the-mouth-of-a-lion","22":"tag-south-asian-writer","23":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori","24":"motype-eternal","25":"moformat-vlasna"},"modified_by":"Inna Hananova","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/419"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2861"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2861\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2862,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2861\/revisions\/2862"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2861"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=2861"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=2861"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queens1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=2861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}