Nick Wilgus

Bilal's Bread Nick Wilgus

Bilal Abu has a lot to say, but he's scared to say it. And who could blame him? In the wake of 9/11, this 16-year-old Iraqi refugee has to contend with his immigrant family's never-ending drama and his fanatical older brother's sexual abuse. When Bilal falls in love with the son of the community's religious leader, things get better - and a whole lot worse. In this careful study of what it means to be a stranger - in a new nation, in your own religious community, and even in your own family - Nick Wilgus gives us a courageous character who manages to find his voice just when other people most want him to be silent. Nominated in 2005 for a Lambda Award for Best Gay Men's Debut Fiction.