Author event with Sama'an Ashrawi reading from his debut book 'Baba Was a Rolling Stone', with a discussion moderated by Houston Poet Laureate Aris Kian.
Sama'an Ashrawi is at Cactus Music on Thursday, October 15, for a reading and discussion around his debut book, Baba Was a Rolling Stone. He'll read from the book, and then Houston Poet Laureate Aris Kian (2023-2025) will moderate a conversation with him. The evening wraps up with complimentary refreshments from Saint Arnold Brewing.
Ashrawi is a Palestinian-American storyteller, filmmaker, and music journalist, and Baba Was a Rolling Stone is his first book, published by Rough Trade Books. It centers on his relationship with his father, Baba, a founding member and lead vocalist of Al-Bara' (The Blooms), the pioneering Palestinian rock band of the 1960s. The story is told in the voice of 'the writer,' who sets out to track down a member of that band, and it unfolds as a series of road trips that open up diasporic family histories and the great traditions of American music—early blues, New York hip-hop, hardcore punk, indie, and classic funk. It also touches on stand-up, visual art, graffiti, and fashion.
There's a local connection in there, too: Ashrawi's friendship with Texas rapper Bun B figures as a formative mentorship from when he first started writing about music and culture. The book is as much about those musical lineages as it is about his own family, and the reading and discussion will give you a chance to hear him talk through those connections in person.
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It's a free event, starting at 5:30 PM at Cactus Music.
