18 pages • 36 minutes read
Naomi Shihab NyeMy Uncle’s Favorite Coffee Shop
Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1998A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
"A Palestinian Might Say" by Naomi Shihab Nye (2019)
Told in the voice of an unnamed Palestinian, this short poem from Nye’s 2019 The Tiny Journalist examines notions of home and belonging.
"Two Countries" by Naomi Shihab Nye (1995)
Utilizing a rich, extended metaphor, “Two Countries,” examines complexities of dual cultural identities and interactions and conflicts between nations. Originally published in 1995, the poem appears as a part of Nye’s collection Words Under the Words: Selected Poems.
"The Rider" by Naomi Shihab Nye (1998)
A short poem in Fuel, the same collection in which “My Uncle’s Favorite Coffee Shop” appears, “The Rider” explores an evocative interaction with a boy on roller blades and goes into a moving meditation on loneliness.
Further Literary Resources
In this extended clip from PBS Newshour’s poetry coverage, Nye discusses the role poetry plays in bringing together disparate groups of people.
Garcia Franklin of Idaho Public Television sat down for half an hour with Nye at the 2012 Sun Valley Writer’s Conference, chatting with her about her poetry, writing style, and thoughts on conflicts in the Middle East.
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