Hisham Matar: On the Novelist and Dictatorship
Libyan creative writer Hisham Matar writes as if he dreams; no detail is without a symbol or an emotional function.
Country Focus
Politics and Poetry in Yemen
Yet poetry, in its various forms, plays an important role in Yemeni society.
Literatures of the Sudan: North and South
Recently, I’ve been trying to educate myself about literature from the Sudan(s). After all, her historic vote is just one small piece of the Sudan’s rich cultural history.
A Celebration of Ibrahim al-Koni, the Desert, Russian Literature, and ‘Swiss Sufism’
Encouraged by translator/scholar/writer Elliott Colla—who had an interesting short essay about Ibrahim al-Koni in yesterday’s Ahram Online—I thought we’d make this an al-Koni week. Although not an “Arab” writer, al-Koni is one of the giants of contemporary Arabic literature, and has a unique and world-encompassing literary vision.
Must-Read Palestinian Literature
This list is probably not for those looking to “understand” Palestine (or today’s aggression against a humanitarian-aid flotilla), but for those who want to celebrate or appreciate Palestinian arts, or […]
Laila Lalami on Moroccan Literature and Why She Writes in English
African Writing Online has a strange, funny, and sometimes awkward interview with Moroccan-American author Laila Lalami in its latest issue. It has some interesting moments, once the beginning awkwardness is […]