RAFF ELLIS
AUTHOR OF THE AWARD-WINNING MEMOIR, KISSES FROM A DISTANCE
The Black Syrian examines a life of discrimination experienced by the Lebanese American author while growing up in the small town of Carthage, New York. The old adage certainly applies here: “God made the country, man made the city, but the Devil made the small town.”
Our author’s experiences came about primarily because he was easily recognizable as an offspring of Lebanese immigrants. His father owned a frequently visited tobacco shop where Ellis began working at the age of nine. Ellis’s reflections, as recorded in his book, began at an early age and continued throughout his adulthood. The treatment he received came from a variety of sources and encompassed a multitude of situations.
From reviewer Anthony Rahayal: “The Black Syrian tells Raff Ellis’s story as a journey to uncover and connect with an uncharted emotional DNA, a heritage invisible to medical science but deeply felt by all those who carry it.”
Heather Ibrahim-Leathers, another reviewer, wrote: “In his delightful memoir The Black Syrian, the indefatigable Raff Ellis invites us into his 93-year life journey through the vibrant landscape of his Lebanese American heritage. With wit and charm, Ellis bares all as he shares experiences growing up between two cultures while navigating the challenges of scarcity, ambition, duty, and love.”
