Let me enthuse, for a moment, about this new feature on Quarterly Conversation. Of course, I am a sometimes-contributor to QC, so not completely pure in my applause, but you have to admit this is a list. Scott will forgive me for grabbing two of the recommendations verbatim. Maybe. IContinue Reading
Quarterly Conversation has posted my review of Bahaa Taher’s Sunset Oasis, which won the inaugural “Arabic Booker,” or International Prize for Arabic Fiction. (The book, not my review.) As you’ll see, I find the book somewhat problematic, particularly in its focus on theme ahead of story or character, which tendsContinue Reading
The print media is rife with the “best books of 2009,” and I’m sure we’ll soon see countdowns of dozens of other things (“top news stories,” “best frauds perpetrated by wanna-be reality TV stars,” and so on). Having worked in the news industry (with appropriate safety goggles and gloves), IContinue Reading
The MLA apparently will present a major translation award to Dr. Michael Beard (University of North Dakota) and Adnan Haydar (University of Arkansas) for their transation of Adonis’s Mihyar of Damascas: His Songs, which was published last year by BOA. Adonis is the pen name of Syrian poet Ali AhmadContinue Reading
In a forthcoming interview, translator Humphrey Davies disagrees with assertions that Arab literature is under-translated. He says he wishes that someone would make a list, because “there’s a lot more out there than people think.” Indeed, while I was looking up information about the fuzzy-haired Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim, IContinue Reading
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