The Trouble with Forewords
At first, I thought, “Hmm, this foreword might alienate people.” Later, I was more annoyed by how it had shaped the way in which I approached the book.
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Posts by Marcia Lynx Qualey:
Hisham Bustani on ‘New’ Arabic Writing: 5 Authors You Should Read
Five writers who “introduced new sensitivities, new styles, new techniques and — to an extent — a new language in literature.”
Narrating the Self: Autobiography in the Arabic Tradition
After a five-year hiatus, more than 200 writers and critics participated in the Sixth Cairo Forum for the Arabic Novel earlier this month: By Mona Elnamoury One of the most interesting […]
Omar Hazek: Prison Letter on Why He’s Dedicating his New Novel to his Nephew
“This is why I dedicate to you — and only you — my novel. Out of love and in apology to you, Ahmad Essam Hazek.”
English PEN’s Writers in Translation Winners: A European-language Heavy List
The vast majority are from the French (5), Spanish (3), and German (2), with additional titles from the Italian and the Portugeuse.
6 Authors Who Are Part of Yemen’s Literary History and Literary Resurgence
“Ongoing political turmoil may not bode well for Yemen, but if 2014 is any indication, the outlook for its national literary scene is a promising one.”
Translating and Hate: Should the Translator Be Held Responsible for ‘Politically Problematic’ Texts?
“Nonetheless, publishers may still choose translations to fit a particular view of Africans, Arabs, Muslims, Chinese, or Estonians, either because that’s what resonates (‘ah yes, the oppressed Arab woman who comes West and finds freedom!’) or because that’s what sells (‘another 1,000 units of oppressed Arab woman comin’ up!’).”
‘Let Me Call It Disorder’: Syrian Novelist Nihad Sirees on Writing in Berlin, Imagining Syria
“Let me call it disorder. It means you live and you can go to concerts and you can listen to Bach, others. And at the same time you can hear the echoes of bombing.”
Get to Know the Arab Authors on 2015 Man Booker International ‘Finalists List’
The three previous Man Booker International Prizes have gone to North American writers, but this year’s is a wonderfully diverse list.