Alexandra Chreiteh is an author who wrote her first novel, Always Coca-Cola, while completing her undergraduate degree at the Lebanese American University in Beirut^[1]. Chreiteh was then given a full scholarship to pursue to a PhD in Comparative Literature at Yale University^[2]. Always Coca-Cola has been reviewed and Chreiteh has been commended for the frankness of her writing and her portrayal of the barriers that women still face in the Arab world.

Alexandra Chreiteh was raised in one of Lebanon's most religiously conservative regions by her Russian mother and Lebanese father. Chreiteh completed her Bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature at the Lebanese American University in Beirut, Lebanon^[3]. She received high honors during her undergraduate career and was a member of the Lebanese American University's Honor Society. While an undergraduate, she was a student assistant and a writer for the Marketing and Communications Department. After being granted a fellowship to cover tuition and living expenses by Yale University, she began her PhD in Comparative Literature during the fall of 2009. While at Yale, Chreiteh has completed her Masters of Arts in Comparative Literature in 2012 as well as a Masters of Philosophy in Comparative Literature in 2013. She has also been teaching creative writing at Yale and expects to complete her PhD in 2015^[4].

Always Coca-Cola was the first novel Chreiteh wrote and has garnered much attention. She completed it during her time at the Lebanese American University after drafting the story for an assignment in an Arabic creative writing class. Less than two years later, three publishers had made offers to print her book. ^[5]. It has been translated from Arabic into English by Michelle Hartman. The book's protagonist is Abeer Ward, a college-age woman who is concerned with protecting her purity and closely following Muslim traditions. Her close friend and model, Yana, is pregnant out of wedlock and Abeer attempts to help her. Yana's modeling career puts her into a soda ad that features her nearly naked body. Abeer witnesses and experiences many attacks on women's bodies which lead her to a coming-of-age realization, rather than leading up to a climax and then resolution. When interviewed by the Lebanese American University for an alumni article, Chreiteh said that she "wasn't trying to write something extraordinary-it's just the people you see every day"^[6].

This novel has been described by reviewers as a wonderful, humorous and sometimes sad journey through and around the forces menacing young women's lives and bodies in Lebanon and throughout the rest of the Arab world^[7]. Reviewers wrote that reading it was akin to "getting an electric shock" because problems the characters face reflect social anomalies in Lebanon that cannot be ignored^[8]. While many Lebanese novels address large-scale and bloody violence, Chreiteh's more intimate zone of conflict has resonated with readers and has shed light on issues that were not commonly spoken about, such as the objectification of women's bodies in the media and the stigma of having children out of wedlock^[9]. Chreiteh has left the novel up to interpretation, refusing to comment on how her life and religious views influenced the words she wrote^[10]. Without this interpretation, readers from many backgrounds have identified with her writing in one way or another.

Critics called Chreiteh's book a strong debut that shows promise as to her potential as a writer. Her writing was judged to have pacing issues- the ending feels rushed and crucial moments in the book are not as detailed as less critical moments. But Chreiteh's character development, use of formal and figurative language as well as humor are the highlights of this novel and make her a writer that must not be overlooked^[11]

• Lebanese American University Merit Scholar^[12]
• Highest GPA in the School of Arts and Sciences at LAU (awarded to Chreiteh in June 2007 and June 2008 for the respective academic years)^[13]
• The Rhonda Orme Award was given to Chreiteh in June 2009. It is awarded to a graduating female student for leadership and academic excellence during her four years at the Lebanese American University.^[14]

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