The first mosque in the United States was built in Maine in 1915.

Did you know that as early as 1178 a Chinese document known as the Sung Document records the voyage of Muslim sailors to America? In 1530 several million African slaves, arrived in America during the slave trade of that time and became part of the backbone of the American economy of that period. Christopher Columbus made a celebrated voyage to “the new world” in 1492 and America won its independence in 1776.

Here are some thoughts to ponder and discuss: 1) Muslims have been in America even before we were the United States of America. When strange things happen that threaten the small family’s well-being, there are those, including the local police, who erroneously believe that it is reaction to Sudah’s ethnicity – and while no one thinks it is right, they also seem to think it is not all that serious. Matt’s wife Sudah is looked at with disdain by some of their neighbors. The area of northeast North Carolina the Garratti family moves to is scenic and known for “southern hospitality”, but there are huge pockets of town folk who have never met a Muslim believer and only know of “them” from news reports after 9-11. Former New York Paramedic Matt Garratti trains as a flight medic, but when the economy forces a career relocation he moves his immigrant Pakistani-Muslim wife and infant son to North Carolina. Hyphema is a thriller involving murder, suspense, prejudice, love, and emergency medical services. Here is the HYPHEMA Book Club Discussion Pack

Hyphema by Chelle Cordero