Mohtaref

Why You Should Apply Now for Najwa Barakat’s Second Novel-writing Course

Beirut’s “Mohtaref – How to write a novel,” run by novelist Najwa Barakat, has begun accepting applications for their second novel-writing course. Applications will be accepted from all Arab countries (and presumably beyond). This isn’t just any novel-writing course. The first session is credited with producing three first-time books fromContinue Reading

Encounters Between Languages: Nancy Roberts on Translating Ibrahim al-Koni’s ‘The Night Will Have Its Say’
“I was aware from the very start of the novel that one of its themes would be language, translation, and encounters between languages. This was one of the things that drew me to it, including the amusing and lyrical way the author describes the opening encounter between al-Kahina and the envoy sent by the Muslim general Hasan Ibn al-Nuꜥman.”
A Look at Hamdi Abu Golayyel, Bedouin Poetry, and ‘The Men Who Swallowed the Sun’
Translator Ibrahim Fawzy curates this special section on beloved and award-winning Egyptian novelist Hamdi Abu Golayyel, chronicler of Egypt’s dispossessed, and scribe of the poetry and culture of the Bedouin.
Iman Mersal & Robyn Creswell Make 2023 Griffin Poetry Prize Longlist with ‘The Threshold’
Organizers of the Griffin Poetry Prize — one of the world’s biggest international poetry prizes — have announced this year’s ten-book longlist. Among them was Egyptian poet Iman Mersal’s The Threshold, beautifully translated by Robyn Creswell.