A Few Things to Look Forward to: Literary Events in January 2011
Book fairs and lit fests
This year’s CIBF—the 43rd—begins Jan. 26, 2010 in a new location: the Cairo International Convention Center in Nasr City. The book fair, aka wild book rumpus, is set to run until the 6th of Feb.
Set for the 21-25 of January 2011, this giant Indian litfest will feature at least two big names from Arab literature, Ahdaf Soueif and Leila Aboulela.
January book prizes
The Saif Ghobash – Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation 2010 winner and runners-up will be announced on Monday, Jan. 31. The Annual Lecture on the Art of Literary Translation will be given by Ali Smith.
Note: Jan. 31 is also the final date for receiving entries for the 2011 prize.
The Best Translated Book Award longlist (25 titles strong) is scheduled to be announced on January 27, 2011 on the Three Percent and Best Translated Book Award (http://www.besttranslatedbook.org) websites.
Cairo events
Diwan bookstore:
On January 2, hear Miral al-Tahawy talk about her International Prize for Arabic Fiction shortlisted Brooklyn Heights, at the Zamalek store.
On the 9th, go to the Zamalek store to hear from Alaa Abuzeid on his Near the U.S. (story about a prize the book won, from Al Masry Al Youm ); Rasha Samir reads from her new book on Jan. 12 at the Heliopolis store,;and Ehab Qasem reads from his new book, which talks about Egypt’s identity and its future, on January 16. A review from Youm7. All events are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Alef bookstores
Miral al-Tahawy will speak about Brooklyn Heights on January 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Merghany Alef.
Also, according to @alefbookstore, the Grand Opening of the new Alexandria store is set for 7 p.m. on the first. Mabrouk!
Shorouk bookstores
Dr. Youssef Zeidan, author of the IPAF-winning Azazel and the newly released and best-selling Nabataean, will speak at the Zamalek Shorouk on Tuesday, January 4, beginning at 6 p.m.
More from Shorouk and Shorouk Kids.
Al-Sawy Culture Wheel
January 5, 2011 – 7:00 p.m., Hall Floor 1, Dr. Youssef Ziedan will speak about the evolution of Sufi literature. More.
January 14, 2011 – 8:00 p.m., Hall of Wisdom, an Evening of Poetry. More.
Egyptian Writer’s Union
The Cultural Committee of the Egyptian writers’ union announced that there will be a monthly salon on the first Saturday of each month. The first will be on Jan. 1 at 7 p.m.; participants will discuss the collection of poems by Magdy Abdel-Rahim titled Crossing the Street with an Old Lady.
Dubai events
On the 10th of January, Read Kutub readers will gather in Dubai to discuss The Sand Fish by Dubai’s Maha Gargash.
Ramallah events
The Palestine Society for Culture and Arts (Nawafith) invites all to a Jan. 3 evening of poetry at the library hall of Dar il-Shurook, near Ramallah Hospital. Anas Al-Elah will perform. 5 to 7pm. More details here.
January book releases
>>The Essential Naguib Mahfouz, edited by Denys Johnson-Davies.
>>A Palace in the Old Village: A Novel, by Tahar Ben Jelloun, trans. Linda Coverdale.
Read more about these and other 2011 releases on our “forthcoming” page.
A New Year’s Eve treat
An excerpt from In the Presence of Absence, by Mahmoud Darwish, the Sinan Antoon translation. On Jadaliyya.
Have something you want to add?
By all means.
January 13, 2011 @ 4:43 pm
Also, the annual Casablanca Book Fair is scheduled for 11-20 February 2011 here in Morocco…