February 2015: Global Arab and Arabic Literary Events Calendar
A global calendar of Arabic literary events — with some translational element — in February 2015. Add your events in below or email them in:
February 3
Leila Aboulela – Reading and Q&A (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Sudanese writer Leila Aboulela talks at the University of Edinburgh as part of the “Representing Muslims in Scotland and the North-East” writer series. More here.
February 5
Ritratti di Poesia 2015 with Youssef Rakha (Rome, Italy)
Starts at 2:50 p.m. in a day full of poetry events. More here and here.
Book Signing with Bahaa Abdelmeguid (Cairo, Egypt)
Thursday at 4:00 p.m., Bahaa Abdelmegid, author of Temple Bar, will be at the AUC Press Stand, at the Cairo International Book Fair, signing copies of his latest book and, I’m sure, answering any of your questions.
February 6
“Alger En Vies”: A round table with author Jérôme Ferrari, novelist Kamel Dauod, and editor Sofiane Hadjadj (Paris, France)
Starts at 7:45 p.m. More here.
February 7
Opening of “Le Maghreb des livres 2015” (Paris, France)
Tunisia is guest of honor at this year’s Le Maghreb des livres. This is an annual event, which attracts between 6,000 and 7,000 visitors, will bring together a total of 120 writers, publishers, and artists from five Maghreb countries, Europe, and North America. It continues on the 8th. More here.
February 9
Lecture: “Memoirs of the Egyptian Revolution” by Mona Prince (Tempe, AZ, USA)
The lecture is set for 4-5:30 p.m. in LL 14, the Language and Literature Building, Tempe. You can read more about Mona, her book, and the event here.
February 10
And Other Stories Book-group Discussion of Khaled Khalifa’s No Knives (NYC, USA)
Meet to discuss Khaled Khalifa’s No Knives in the Kitchens of This City with other readers and talk through whether it should be published in English translation, among other things. Excerpts and more here. Event starts at 7pm, at Irving Farm Coffee Roasters, 224 W. 79th Street.
February 12
Closing Day of the Cairo International Book Fair (Cairo, Egypt)
Wrap-up of the two-week mega-book-fair.
February 13
Reading and Talk by Khaled Khalifa (Valleta, Malta)
Readings will be in English, Maltese, and Arabic, and the talk in English. More here.
Rencontre avec Sonallah Ibrahim (Paris, France)
Begins at 7 p.m. More here.
February 14
Reading of Work by Lebanese Poet Talal Haidar (Rome, Italy)
February 17
Samah Selim on “The People’s Entertainment: Translation, Adaptation, and the Novel in Egypt” (Cairo, Egypt)
A Center for Translation Studies event, at the Tahrir campus, Oriental Hall. As always, starts at 6 p.m. More here.
And Other Stories Book-group Discussion of Khaled Khalifa’s No Knives (London, England)
Meet to discuss Khaled Khalifa’s No Knives in the Kitchens of This City with other readers and talk through whether it should be published in English translation, among other things. Excerpts and more here. Event starts at 7pm at the Holborn Whippet, 25-29 Sicilian Avenue, London WC1A 2QH.
February 18
“Iraq, Culture and Conflict: A Dialogue” with Dunya Mikhail and Brian Turner (Oklahoma City, USA)
Iraqi poet-memoirist Dunya Mikhail and US war veteran and poet-memoirist Brian Turner read from and discuss their works. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. More here.
February 19
And Other Stories Book-group Discussion of Khaled Khalifa’s No Knives (Washington D.C., USA)
Meet to discuss Khaled Khalifa’s No Knives in the Kitchens of This City with other readers and talk through whether it should be published in English translation, among other things. Excerpts and more here. Event starts at 7pm, location TBD. Watch this space or the AOS website for details.
The Banned Books of Guantanamo (London, England)
At the Mosaic Rooms, guest speakers, including Andy Worthington Ian Cobain, Cori Crider and Jo Glanville, “will discuss the list of books banned in Guantánamo, as well as the wider issues pertaining to this-censorship, the politics and perceived threat of literature, and the use of indefinite detention.” More here.
February 24
Talk with Banipal-prize-winning Translator Sinan Antoon (London, England)
A conversation with Sinan Antoon, winner of the 2014 Saif Ghobash Prize for Arabic Literary Translation for the translation of his own novel, The Corpse Washer. Reading, Q&A, book-signing, and reception. Starts at 6:30 p.m. at Waterstones’ flagship store. More here.
February 25
Raja Shehadeh: Language of War, Language of Peace (London, England)
“Shehadeh explores the politics of language and the language of politics in the Israeli Palestine conflict, reflecting on the walls that they create – legal and cultural – that confine today’s Palestinians just like the physical borders, checkpoints and the so called ‘Separation Barrier’.” More here.
February 26
Translating the Arabic Novel: A Conversation between Sonallah Ibrahim and Robyn Creswell (Toronto, Canada)
Starts at 6:30 p.m., in the University of Toronto’s Medical Science Building 2170, free, reception to follow.
Arab Comics: 90 Years of Popular Visual Culture (Providence, USA)
A half-day symposium with a number of stars of Arab comics. ArabLit will also be there. More here.
February 27
An evening of poetry and music for imprisoned Qatari poet, Mohammad al-‘Ajami (London, England)
Begins at 6:30 p.m. More here.