Launch of ArabLit Quarterly: Winter/Spring 2019

This issue of ArabLit Quarterly features work that is STRANGE, unsettling, dis-quieting, un-usual, and extraordinary:

This issue features poetry in translation by acclaimed and younger writers, including Salim Barakat, Abdallah Zrika, Fouad M. Fouad, Fadwa Suleiman, Abd al-Latif Khattab, and Nada Menzalji.

You’ll find short stories by Caine Prize-winning Sudanese writer Bushra al-Fadil, Almultaqa Prize-winning Iraqi author Diaa Jubaili, University of Arkansas Arabic Translation Award-winning Jordanian writer Hisham Bustani, and three acclaimed young Egyptian writers: Tareq Imam, Eman Abdelrahim, and Amgad ElSabban.

At the center of our issue is “Our Demons, Ourselves,” a wonderfully fun — and strange — essay by Rachel Schine on her specialty: classical Arabic poetry & hip hop. And many regular features, such as “Letter to a Late Author,” “#TranslateThis,” and “Judge a Book by Its Cover.”

The print version is still being moved into bookshops near (or far from) you, but you can get the epub or PDF version right now on Gumroad, as well as a print copy from Amazon.

Or, if you want to get the Fall and Winter/Spring issues together, along with a promise of all future e-issues, you can become a subscriber on Patreon.

For today only, Gumroad is turning over all profits to creators, so your $6 goes directly to paying our contributors.

INTRODUCTION

By M Lynx Qualey

FEATURES

“Between Green and Blue,” Abdallah Zrika talks to Shireen Hamza and Ali Abdeddine 

“Our Demons, Ourselves” by Rachel Schine 

“Second Creation,” Fouad M. Fouad and Norbert Hirschhorn 

POETRY

“Syria,” by Salim Barakat, translated by Huda Fakhreddine and Jayson Iwen

Two poems by Abdallah Zrika, translated by Tim DeMay 

“Laurel” by Fadwa Suleiman, translated by Marilyn Hacker 

“Land of Strangers,” by Nada Menzalji, translated by Valentina Viene 

Two prose poems by Abd al-Latif Khattab, translated by Daniel Behar 

Four poems by Fouad M. Fouad, translated by Norbert Hirschhorn 

SHORT FICTION

“The Eye,” by Tareq Imam, translated by Riham Adly 

“The Scarecrow,” by Diaa Jubaili, translated by Yasmeen Hanoosh 

“Estrangement,” by Eman Abdelrahim, translated by Nashwa Gowanlock 

“Book Kiosk,” by Bushra al-Fadil, translated by Lemya Shemmat 

“Above the Clouds” by Hisham Bustani, translated by maia tabet 

“Our Offering” by Amgad ElSabban, translated by Mona Khedr 

OPEN LETTER TO A LATE AUTHOR

“Dear Emily,” by Hoda Marmar 

TRANSLATE THIS!

“Nomad Burning,” by Susan Slyomovics

JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

“Covering and Uncovering Mazen Maarouf ‘Jokes’,” by M Lynx Qualey 

FOOD FOR READING

“Lubabiya,” translated and tested by Nawal Nasrallah 

Don’t forget to prepare and submit your stories for the 2019 ArabLit Story Prize.