A Look Back: Arabic Literature Published in Translation in 2024

By ArabLit Staff

This year, we have brought lists of literary works translated from Arabic to English, as well as to French, German, Malayalam, and to Portuguese. Thanks to the volunteers who assembled these lists, which may not be comprehensive.

Translated from Arabic to English

Poetry collections

Palestinian, by Ibrahim Nasrallah, tr. Huda Fakhreddine (World Poetry Editions)

The Universe, All At Once, by Salim Barakat, tr. Huda Fakhreddine (Seagull Books)

No One Will Know You Tomorrow: Selected Poems, 2014-2024, by Najwan Darwish, tr. Kareem James Abu-Zeid (Yale UP/Margellos)

The Screams of War, by Akram Alkatreb, tr. Jonas Elbousty (Seagull Books)

Strangers in Light Coats: Selected Poems, 2014–2020, by Ghassan Zaqtan, tr. Robin Moger (Seagull Books)

A Horse at the Door, by Wadih Saadeh, ed. & tr. Robin Moger (Tenement Press)

Poetry anthologies

Arabic, Between Love and War, ed. Norah Alkharashi & Yasmine Haj (trace press)

Another Room to Live In: 15 Contemporary Arab Poets, ed. Omar Berrada and Sarah Riggs (Litmus Press)

Out of Gaza, ed. Atef Alshaer and Alan Morrison (Smokestack Books)

Novels

Granada: The Complete Trilogy, by Radwa Ashour, tr. Kay Heikkinen (Hoopoe Fiction)

Children of the Ghetto: Star of the Sea, by Elias Khoury, translated by by Humphrey Davies (Archipelago)

At Rest in the Cherry Orchard, by Azher Jirjees, tr. Jonathan Wright (Banipal Books)

Sand-Catcher, by Omar Khalifah, tr. Barbara Romaine (Coffee House Press)

No One Knows Their Blood Type, by Maya Abu Al-Hayyat, translated by Hazem Jamjoum (Cleveland State University Poetry Center)

Rose’s Diaries, by Reem al-Kamali, translated by Chip Rossetti (ELF Publishing)

Land of Sweetheart Deals, by Wajdi Al-Ahdal, translated by William Hutchins (Dar Arab)

The River Knows My Name, by Mortada Gzar, translated by Luke Leafgren (Amazon Crossing)

A Nose and Three Eyes, by Ihsan Abdel Kouddous, tr. Jonathan Smolin (Hoopoe Fiction)

Sololand: The Clock and The Guests, by Hassan Blasim (Comma Press)

Selamlik, by Khaled Alesmael, tr. Leri Price (World Editions)

The Book Censor’s Library, by Bothayna Al-Essa, tr. Ranya Abdelrahman and Sawad Hussain (Restless Books)

Where the Wind Calls Home, by Samar Yazbek, tr. Leri Price (World Editions)

An Old Carriage with Curtains, by Ghassan Zaqtan, tr. Samuel Wilder (Seagull Books)

Before the Queen Falls Asleep, by Huzama Habayeb, tr. Kay Heikennen (MacLehose)

1970: The Last Days, by Sonallah Ibrahim, tr. Eleanor Ellis (Seagull Books)

The Last Crossing, by Badriya Al-Badri, tr.  Katherine Van De Vate (Dar Arab)

Lost In Mecca, by Bothayna Al-Essa, tr. Nada Faris (Dar Arab)

Huddud’s House, by Fadi Azzam, tr. Ghada Alatrash (Interlink Books)

We Never Swim in the Same River Twice, by Hassouna Mosbahi, tr. William Hutchins (Syracuse University Press)

Samahani, by Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin, tr. Mayada Ibrahim and Adil Babikir (Foundry Editions)

The Halva-Maker, by Reem Bassiouney, tr. Roger Allen (Dar Arab)

Short-story collections

Egypt + 100, ed. Ahmed Naji (Comma Press)

Classics

A Demon Spirit: Arabic Hunting Poems, by Abū Nuwās, edited and translated by James E. Montgomery (Library of Arabic Literature)

The Rules of Logic, by Najm al-Dīn al-Kātibī, edited and translated by Tony Street (Library of Arabic Literature)

Bedouin Poets of the Nafud Desert, by Khalaf Abū Zwayyid, ʿAdwān al-Hirbīd and ʿAjlān ibn Rmāl, edited and translated by Marcel Kurpershoek (Library of Arabic Literature)

Arabian Hero: Oral Poetry and Narrative Lore from Northern Arabia, by Shāyiʿ al-Amsaḥ, edited and translated by Marcel Kurpershoek (Library of Arabic Literature)

On Ethics and Character Traits: An Arabic Critical Edition and English Translation of Epistle 9, Brethren of Purity Series, edited and translated by Omar Alí-de-Unzaga (Oxford University Press)

Nonfiction

In Gaddafi’s Clutches, by Ahmed Vall Dine, tr. Nicole Fares (Dar Arab)

Journals of Salt: Tunisian Women’s Writings on Experiences of Political Imprisonment, ed. Haifa Zangana and translated by Katharine Halls and Nariman Yousef (Syracuse University Press)

The Tale of a Wall, by Nasser Abu Srour, tr. Luke Leafgren (Other Press)

Father And What He Fathered: A Childhood Spent By The Shady Slope, by Ahmad Toufiq, tr. Roger Allen (Dar Arab)

Father And What He Fathered: The Way To The City, by Ahmad Toufiq, tr. Roger Allen (Dar Arab)

The Taste of Death and Lizards in Ahwaz’s Secret Prison, by Yousef Azizi, tr. Rahim Hamid (Dar Adab)

Kid lit & YA

The Djinn’s Apple, by Djamila Morani, tr. Sawad Hussain (Neem Tree Press)

Thunderbird: Book Three, by Sonia Nimr, tr. M Lynx Qualey (University of Texas Press)

Translated from Arabic to Italian

Thanks to Antonino d’Esposito

I Drusi di Belgrado, Rabee Jaber, tr. Elisabetta Bartuli (Crocetti editore)

La donna dai due volti, Haida Bitar, tr. Alessandra Amorello (Atmosphere Libri)

Le orme delle gazzelle, Miral al-Tahawi, tr. Amira Kelany (MReditori)

Con la lingua degli altri, Mahmud Darwish, tr. Francesca Gorgoni (Portatori d’acqua)

Non scusarti per quel che hai fatto, Mahmud Darwish, tr. S. Darghmouni e P. Piccolo (Crocetti editore)

L’occhio di Hammurabi, Abdelatif Ouldabdallah, tr. Jolanda Guardi e Hocine Benchina (Centro studi Ilà)

Il racconto di Suaad, Suaad Genem, tr. Stefano Mauro and Sami Hallac (edizioni Q)

La bambola, Taghreed Najjar, tr. Leila Mattar (Feltrinelli)

Arabilioso, AA. VV., tr. Roberta Loi (Future Fiction)

Le ospiti del giovedì, Badriya al-Bishr, tr. Federica Pistono (Atmosphere Libri)

Roma Termini, Najwa bin Shatwan, tr. Federica Pistono (Emuse)

Esausti in croce, Najwan Darwish, tr. Wasim Dahmash (Hopefulmonster)

Sarabad, Abdulkareem Kasid, tr. Gassid Mohammed (Edizioni Ensemble)

Malaz, Ahmad Salah al-Mahdi, tr. Barbara Benini (Atmosphere Libri)

Costi quel che costi, Ahmed Masoud, tr. Pina Piccolo (Di Felice Edizioni)

Diario di un genocidio, Atef Abu Saif, tr. Orsola Casagrande (Fuoriscena)

Il racconto di un muro, Nasser Abu Srour, tr. Elisabetta Bartuli (Feltrinelli)

Onde di terra in Palestina, Ibrahim Nasrallah, tr. W. Dahmash (Edizioni Q)

La vita come dovrebbe essere, Ahmad Rafiq Awad, tr. Odeh Amarneh (Calamus ETS)

L’ultima porta chiusa, Ibtisam Abu Miyala, tr. Barbara Benini (Atmosphere libri)

L’appartamento in rue de Passy, Raji Bathish, tr. D. Knecht e P. Zanelli (Spring Edizioni)

Una maschera color del cielo, Bassem Khandaqji, tr. Barbara Teresi (E/O)

Dal fiume al mare, Samer Abu Hawwash, tr. J. Guardi e L. Franzini (Emuse)

Tahlal, storie di montagna, Muhammad Alwan, tr. Hocine Benchina (Mutawassit)

L’uomo inseguito dai corvi, Yousef al-Mohaimeed, tr. Federica Pistono (Mutawassit)

Conosco bene il volto della disperazione, Hatem al-Shahri, tr. Luisa Franzini (Mutawassit)

Come un giorno di sole in panchina, Mazen Maarouf, tr. Barbara Teresi (Sellerio)

Vorrei che questa poesia non finisse mai, Mahmud Darwish, tr. Sana Darghmouni (Emuse)

Ti seguirò nel buio, Faika Ganfali, tr. Cristina Dozio (Emuse)

L’esperienza del rimosso, Khalil Sweileh, tr. Amira Kelany (Roundrobin)

Un sole che non vuole sorgere, Elsayed Youssef, tr. Giulia Marini (Centro Studi Ilà)

Paura in mezzo a un vasto campo, Mustafa Taj Aldeen Almosa, tr. Federica Pistono (Atmosphere)

Comics:

Shubbek lubbek, ogni tuo desiderio, Deena Mohamed, tr. Luce Laquaniti (Coconino Press)

30 seconds from Gaza, Mohammad Sabaaneh, tr. A. Battista (Mesogea)

Translated from Arabic to Turkish

Thanks to Mehmet Hakkı Suçin

İnsanın Şarkısı – Seçilmiş Şiirler (The Song of Human – Selected Poems), by Al-Mutanabbi, tr. Mehmet Hakkı Suçin (Everest Yayınları).

Mumyanın Uyanışı – Antik Mısır Hikâyeleri (Mummy’s Awakening – Ancient Egyptian Stories), by Naguib Mahfouz, tr. Mehmet Hakkı Suçin (Can Yayınları).

Küçük Bir Ölüm (A Small Death), by Muhammad Hasan Alwan, tr. Güler Özdemir (Ketebe Yayınları).

Beyaz Atlar Zamanı (Time of White Horses), by İbrahim Nasrallah, tr. Mustafa İsmail Dönmez (Bilgi Yayınevi).

İlk Aşkım – Bir Filistin Sevdası Romanı (My First Love – A Palestinian Love Story), by Sahar Khalifa, tr. Murat Özcan (Hece Yayınları).

Hasibe (Hasiba), by Khairy Al-Zahabi, tr. Emine Örki (Farabi Kitap).

Yermük Kampı – Portreler ve Hikâyeler (Yarmouk Camp – Portraits and Stories), by Ahmad Said Najm, tr. Emel Yılmaz (Farabi Kitap).

Çalıntı Gömlek (Stolen Shirt), by Ghassan Kanafani, tr. Mücahit Küçüksarı (Loras Kitap).

Bilgelik Bahçesi (Garden of Wisdom), by Ramez Mahmoud Mohamed, tr. Mediha Yılmaz (Ayrıkotu Kitap).

Meryem ve Kız Kardeşleri (Mariam and Her Sisters), by Ahmed Alhaidar, tr. Sevinç Birsen Ersözlü (Ayrıkotu Kitap).

İmparatorun Not Defteri (The Emperor’s Notebook), by Mamdouh Hamada, tr. Mediha Yılmaz (Ayrıkotu Kitap).

Acının Ütopyası (Utopia of Pain), by Essam Rasim, tr. Mediha Yılmaz (Ayrıkotu Kitap).

Kuzgun Gözü (The Raven’s Eye), by Hasan Ahmed Shikat, tr. Mediha Yılmaz (Ayrıkotu Kitap).

Hayrana’da Toplu İntihar (Mass Suicide in Hayrana), by Fadwa Al Taweel, tr. Mediha Yılmaz (Ayrıkotu Kitap).

Translated from Arabic to French

30 secondes à Gaza, by Mohammad Sabaaneh, tr. Marianne Babut (Alibata)

Éclats d’Irak & Migrations, by Kadhim Jihad Hassan, tr. André Miquel & the author (Sindbad Actes Sud)

La Danse du paon, by Hanan El Cheikh, tr. Khaled Osman (Sindbad Actes Sud)

Lumière bleue, by Hussein al-Barghouthi, tr. Marianne Weiss (Sindbad Actes Sud)

Je serai parmi les amandiers, by Hussein al-Barghouthi, tr. Marianne Weiss (Sindbad Actes Sud)

Le Triomphe des imbéciles, by Samir Kacimi, tr. Lotfi Nia (Sindbad Actes Sud)

Il y avait du poison dans l’air, by Jabbour Douaihy, tr. Stéphanie Dujols (Sindbad Actes Sud)

Paradis Synthétique, by Fadi Zaghmout, tr. Davide Knecht (Hikaya)

Translated from Arabic to German

Der Rabe, der mich liebte, by Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin, tr. Larissa Bender (Klingenberg)

Wo der Wind wohnt, by Samar Yazbek, tr. Larissa Bender (Unionsverlag)

Endlose Tage am Point Zero. Erzählungen, by Stella Gaitano, tr. Günther Orth (Edition Orient)

Translated from Arabic to Malayalam

Thanks to S.A. Qudsi  

Malleem Enna Vismayam- Oru Cairo Gadha, (The Magnificent Conman of Cairo)  by Adel Kamel, translated by Dr.N. Shamnad (Green Books, Thrissur)

Kattu Parkkunnidam (Where the Wind Calls Home), by Samar Yazbek, translated by Dr.N. Shamnad (Green Books, Thrissur)

Coptic Yuvathiyude Veedu (The House of Coptic Woman), by Ashraf El Ashmawi, translated by Dr.N.Shamnad (Green Books, Thrissur)

Charamaya Charithram (History of Ash) by Khadija Marouazi, translated by Dr.N. Shamnad (Green Books, Thrissur)

Haifayilekku Thirichu Pokunnavar (Return to Haifa), by Ghazzan Kanafani, translated by Mohammadali Wafi Angadippuram (Book Plus, Tirurangadi, Kerala)

Oru Public Prosecutorude Diary Kurippukal (Diary of a Public Prosecutor), by Tawfiq al Hakim, translated by S.A.Qudsi (Mathrubhumi Books, Calicut, Kerala)

Translated from Arabic to Portuguese

Thanks to Felipe Benjamin Francisco  

Diário da tristeza comum (يوميات الحزن العادي), by Mahmoud Darwish, tr. Safa Jubran (Editora Tabla)

O que lhes restou (ما تبقى لكم), by Ghassan Kanafani, tr. Ahmed Zoghbi (Editora Tabla)

Biografia de um olho (سيرة عين), by Ibrahim Nasrallah, tr. Safa Jubran (Editora Tabla)

Ode à errância (3 collections: كونتشيرتو القدس، زوكالو ، أوسمانتوس), by Adonis, tr. Michel Sleiman (Editora Tabla)

Ave Maria (يا مريم), by Sinan Antoon, tr. Jemima Alves (Editora Tabla)

Para onde, ó poema? (إلى أين أيتها القصيدة؟), by Ali Jaafar Al-Allaq, tr. Nisreen Mattar (Editora Rua do Sabão)

Narinja (نارنجة), by Jokha Alharthi, tr. Jemima Alves (Editora Moinhos)

Ibn Battuta (ابن بطوطة), by Fatima Sharafeddine, tr. Pedro Martins Criado (Editora Tabla)