"It is not easy for me to summarize in these lines my emotional relationship — with all its fluctuations — with Raqqa!"
‘Notebooks of the Booksellers’ Wins 2021 International Prize for Arabic Fiction
"In intensely poetic language, Jordanian writer Jalal Barjas throws light on a totally schizophrenic reality in his country, which lies on a fault line prone to frequent tremors."
IPAF Judging Chair Announces 2021 Shortlist ‘Rivaling the Best Books of the Prize’
In the video, judging chair Chawki Bazih said that although there the novels submitted to the prize were fewer in number than in previous years, they were of a high quality, "rivaling the best books of the prize since its inception."
New Fiction in Translation: An Excerpt from IPAF-listed ‘Sleeping in the Cherry Field’
"The winters are long and dark in this country, with snow blowing in great generous gusts, while summer is shorter than a sip of tea at the side of the road."
Countdown to the International Prize for Arabic Fiction
The International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF, or "Arabic Booker") organizers announced today that the six authors shortlisted for the 2011 prize were scheduled to arrive in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
‘Arabic Booker’ Shortlist Announcement ~11 a.m.; Meanwhile, They’ve Re-launched Their Website
Today at approximately noon Qatar time (or 11 a.m.-ish here in Cairo), the six authors shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) 2011 will be announced at a press conference in Doha.
Friday Links: Facebook as the New Literature, Reviews, and Taha Hussein Defended
This may be the week of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, but the most delightful thing I read this week was Youssef Rakha's "Virtually there," in Al Ahram Weekly. (We'll just blame an editor for the meaningless headline.)
This Year, More Novels by Women Submitted to ‘Arabic Booker’ Prize
The more interesting news, I think, is that submissions from female writers were up, with works by female writers forming 29% of the overall total. That's up from 16% last year and 14% the year before.