These books are similar in theme, subject matter, and/or feel to the Anissa of Antioch series.
Fiction:
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years.
Exodus by Leon Uris – The epic saga of Israel’s earliest days and the people who fought to make it their home. Weaving together fact and fiction, history and dramatic storylines, this novel is one of the most influential narratives of the founding of the Jewish state.
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant – Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah’s voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood – the world of the red tent.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, loss and fate, with the escalating dangers around them in Kabul.
The Third Target by Joel Rosenberg – A New York Times foreign correspondent hears that ISIS has captured a cache of chemical weapons inside Syria and he pursues the story at all costs.
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini – In this tale revolving around parents, children, siblings, cousins, and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most.
The Crimson Field by Rosie Malek-Yonan – Based on real events and true family chronicles set to the backdrop of the Assyrian Massacres of 1914-1918 in Urmi, Iran, the Assyrian tragedy unfolds in this epic novel. The author recounts her grandmother’s lifelong struggle to come to terms with a momentary decision made in haste during the brutality of the Assyrian Massacres and Genocide.
Non-fiction:
Crucified Again by Raymond Ibrahim – This well-documented book details the persecution of Christians by Muslims, around the globe, and from Medieval times through the present day.
Not Even My Name: A True Story by Thea Halo – Sano Halo was a 10-year-old girl when she was torn from her ancient, pastoral way of life in the mountains and sent on a death march that annihilated her family. Stripped of everything she had ever held dear, even her name, Sano was sold by her surrogate family into marriage when still a child to a man three times her age. This is the unforgettable story of Sano Halo’s survival, as told to her daughter, Thea. It is a riveting account of exile from the genocide carried out during and after World War I in Turkey, which ended the 3000-year history of the Pontic Greeks. During this time, almost 2 million Pontic Greeks and Armenians were slaughtered and millions of others were exiled.
The Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank – One of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust, Ann Frank’s wartime diary has been the basis for several plays and films, and documents her experiences hiding from the Nazis in a secret annex during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.
Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices by Mosab Hassan Yousef – The oldest son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a founding member of Hamas and its most popular leader, young Mosab assisted his father for years while being groomed to assume his legacy, politics, status, and power. But everything changed when Mosab became a Christian, turning away from terror and violence, and embracing the teachings of another famous Middle East leader.
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali – In this powerful memoir, Ayaan Hirsi Ali tells her fascinating life story, from her traditional Muslim childhood in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya, to her intellectual awakening and activism in the Netherlands, and her current life under armed guard in the West. One of today’s most admired and controversial political figures, Ayaan Hirsi Ali burst into international headlines after an Islamist murdered her colleague, Theo van Gogh, with whom she made the movie Submission.
Chronicle of Pilgrimage to the Holyland – This beautiful, coffee-table book chronicles the 2,000 year history of Christians traveling to and residing in the Holy Land with rare illustrations, historic maps, and stunning photographs.