Mona Chalabi's First Book,“Ten Lives,” Explores US Economic Inequality

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Pulitzer Prize-winning Iraqi-British journalist, writer, and artist Mona Chalabi addresses wealth and economic inequality in the United States in her debut book,“Ten Lives: How What We Have Shapes Who We Are” ( 2026 ). Chalabi recently recorded the accompanying audiobook for the forthcoming publication, which she discussed during an interview in the West Village in September.

Known for her data visualizations on topics such as Jeff Bezos's wealth, the Israeli government's actions in Gaza, and biases in museum collections, Chalabi spent six years conducting meticulous, anonymous interviews across various income levels for“Ten Lives.” These interviews informed the creation of 10 distinct characters, each representing a specific economic class. Her hand-drawn illustrations and personal reflections on her own financial struggles, both as a young journalist and during her mother's recent illness, punctuate the book. Chalabi, who has advocated for Palestinian rights since her teenage years, donated her $15,000 Pulitzer Prize award to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate.

Chalabi noted that she pitched the book at the start of the pandemic, based on the idea of an impending financial crisis and the need to discuss economic dynamics beyond just the one percent. She emphasized that the crisis is embedded within a broken system, rather than being a cyclical event. Chalabi stressed the importance of discussing class with specificity and honesty, particularly given its impact on individual identity and relationships, arguing that the topic is often overlooked in journalism and the art world.

Source: Hyperallergic

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