You Want to Visit Your Mother on a Feast Day?
In celebration of Eid, a brief excerpt from Mahmoud Darwish’s “Journal of an Ordinary Grief,” trans. Ibrahim Muhawi, published by Archipelago.
News
Egypt’s Culture Ministry: What Next?
Mohammad Saber Arab has spent more time sitting in the culture-minister hot seat than anyone else since January 2011. How has the professor of modern Arab history maintained his seat, and what’s his vision for the Egyptian cultural scene? He was recently interviewed by Ahram Weekly.
Translation of Elias Khoury’s ‘Sinalcol’ Forthcoming Spring 2015
Archipelago Books has announced that Elias Khoury’s latest novel, his International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF)-longlisted Sinalcol, will be forthcoming in the spring of 2015.
More Summer Reads (and Listens): New Arab and Arabic Literature Online
I am particularly enjoying the new Beirut-based publication “Portal 9.”
Shortlist Announced for 2013 MEMO Palestine Book Awards
The Middle East Monitor has announced the shortlist for the organization’s 2013 MEMO Palestine Book Awards, which seeks to honour and promote the best books written in English on the subject of Palestine.
If You’re in NYC: The Launch of Najla Said’s ‘Looking for Palestine’
Actress and playwright Najla Said — daughter of world-renowned critic and theorist Edward Said — is launching a new memoir. The book, Looking for Palestine, was adapted in part from Said’s one-woman show, “Palestine,” which debuted off-Broadway in the summer of 2010.
The Ups and Downs of Translating for Self-publishers
Self-publishing is a growing phenomenon, with more authors forgoing traditional publishers and striking out on their own. This has allowed many new authors out into some sort of public print space. Literature-in-translation, which has found it difficult to get the attention of large Anglophone publishers, is also making use of self-publishing options.
‘Darf Publishers’ Relaunching With Focus on Arabic Literature in Translation
The Darf publishing house — named for its association with Dar Fergiani — is re-launching this fall with Ahmed Fagih’s “Maps of the Soul.”
Watching ‘Zaat’: Ramadan TV Series from Sonallah Ibrahim’s Acclaimed Novel
Along with author Randa Jarrar, I am late to the party in watching Zaat, the Ramadan TV series based on Sonallah Ibrahim’s celebrated novel.