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Portrait of Hala Alyan

Hala Alyan

Palestinian American poet, novelist, and clinical psychologist

Born
1986
Born in
Carbondale, Illinois, USA
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Why Hala is here

Hala Alyan is an award-winning Palestinian American poet and novelist whose work delves deeply into the Palestinian diaspora's identity and the impact of displacement. Her novel "Salt Houses" has won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award, marking significant milestones in her literary career.

Their story

Hala Alyan is a Palestinian American poet, novelist, and clinical psychologist who has received recognition for her literary work that often reflects on the themes of identity and displacement. She has lived in various places including Kuwait, Oklahoma, Texas, Maine, and Lebanon, enriching her experience of diverse cultures and environments that deeply influence her writing.

In pictures

Milestones

The moments that shaped Hala’s path.

  1. Completing her PsyD from Rutgers University.

  2. 2017

    Publication of her debut novel "Salt Houses" (2017) - May 2, 2017.

  3. Winning the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.

  4. Winning the Arab American Book Award.

  5. 2019

    Publication of "The Twenty-Ninth Year" collection of poetry (2019).

  6. 2025

    Published the memoir I’ll Tell You When I’m Home.

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. Contributions to psychological literature through her work as a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma and addiction.

  2. Published The Arsonists’ City in 2021, exploring family, exile and memory.

  3. Her extensive body of poetry, recognized with multiple awards, which has been influential in American and Arab-American literary circles.

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