The Writing Life, from Sonallah Ibrahim
Ibrahim’s referring to Al-Talasus, out soon as Stealth from Aflame Books. And my God it’s good. A review of the original here. “I don’t expect anything in return for completing the book, in the sense that I’ve done it and that’s over. I was telling you I completely forgot itContinue Reading
Three Saudis on ‘Arabic Booker’ Longlist
That’s the headline from the UAE-based Khaleej Times, and it’s certainly the headline for me, too. I know almost nothing about Saudi literature, except that there have been a number of “behind the veil, under the covers” novels of late from anonymous Saudi women. Of course, these are not those.Continue Reading
Arab Lit in English: A Little or a Lot?
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
Contemporary Iraqi Fiction: Ibtisam Abdullah, Ibrahim Ahmed, Shmuel Moreh
The last three stories in Contemporary Iraqi Fiction: An Anthology all struck me, although not as deeply as Khudayyir, Naqqash, or Shimon. Ibtisam Abdullah’s second story, “The Other in the Mirror,” tells of a woman in passionate love with her husband, who is then sent to the front. Each timeContinue Reading
Contemporary Iraqi Fiction: Samuel Shimon
“The Street Vendor and the Movies,” the next story in the anthology that really hit me, is by Samuel Shimon. It’s excerpted from his An Iraqi in Paris—which I meant to read, but, again, “life and forgetfulness put a damper on that impulsive urge,” in the words of Samir Naqqash.Continue Reading
Contemporary Iraqi Fiction: Samir Naqqash
The second gem of Contemporary Iraqi Fiction: An Anthology is Samir Naqqash’s “Tantal.” There is only one story by him in the collection, although it’s a lovely one, about illusionment and disillusionment of a young Jewish Iraqi (later Israeli) who is raised on stories of the mythical “Tantal.” Despite hisContinue Reading
Contemporary Iraqi Fiction: Muhammad Khudayyir
I have read only the two opening stories of Contemporary Iraqi Fiction: An Anthology, finally available in Egypt from AUC Press. If all the rest of the pages were blank, I would still be delighted with this book. The first two stories—“Yusuf’s Tales” (available on Banipal) and “The Turtle Grandmother”—areContinue Reading
Yet more Emirati money for hungry literary tummies…
Eight young Arab authors—six of whom are on the prestigious Beirut 39 list—are currently squirreled away at Sir Baniyas Island, writing a short story or novel chapter and being tutored by Iraqi author Inaam Kachachi and Lebanese author Jabbour Douaihy. The nine-day workshop is hosted by the IPAF, or “ArabicContinue Reading
Gulf puts more money in the literary mouth
In 2008, the Emirates Foundation funded the first “Arabic Booker” literary prize. The Dubai International Poetry Festival 2009 has announced its intentions to revive an ancient Arab literary contest. The Sharjah Women’s Club even got in on the literary bonanza with an Arab Woman’s Literary Creativity Award. A peaceful jihad?Continue Reading
