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Although Rabai al-Madhoun is in his sixties and has been working as a journalist, critic, and fiction writer since 1972, there is not much available about him in English. Al-Madhoun’s […]

The International “Arab” fair is different from the International “French” book fair, which took place earlier in the year. I think someone should’ve told Michael Luongo, who’s there to promote […]

Translator-critic Rasheed el Enany gave the annual Naguib Mahfouz Prize lecture at the AUC on Dec. 11. While in Egypt, he spoke with the newspaper Al Masry Al Youm. A […]

Translator Kareem James Abu-Zeid must have been pleased to see this name on the IPAF—or Arabic Booker—shortlist, for his novel America. He recently said of the prolific Lebanese author: “The […]

And the shortlisters are: Mansoura Ez Eldin (Egypt) – Beyond Paradise Muhammad Al Mansi Qindeel (Egypt) – A Cloudy Day on the West Side Rabee Jabir (Lebanon) – America Abdo […]

The current issue of the well-respected Edinburgh Review, 127, is focused on Iraq. There’s poetry by Saadi Youssef and others, well, unknown to me, as well as photographs, fiction, and […]

Most of the “best-of” lists I’ve seen in the U.S. and U.K. presses are awash with the regulars: Alice Munro, Lydia Davis, ta-di-di-dah. Of course, they’re lovely writers. But! Occasionally, […]

The award–a silver medal and cash prize–has been presented each year since 1996. The medal’s presented on December 11, Mahfouz’s birthday. Tonight, it’s to be delivered by Prof. Rasheed el-Enany. […]

The Last of the Angels, Fadhil al Azzawi, Free Press, 2008 This book, by al-Azzawi, is full of appealing, over-the-top black comedy as well as those moments when comedy no […]