Books
Shortlist for prestigious Caine Prize showcases diverse African literature
May 2, 2012
Shortlist for prestigious Caine Prize showcases diverse African literature
Egypt was one of just 14 countries represented by submissions to this year's Caine Prize for African Writing, sometimes referred…
Between drama and melodrama in ‘The Palm House’
April 29, 2012
Between drama and melodrama in ‘The Palm House’
Tarek Eltayeb’s “The Palm House” has the beginnings of a strong and important novel. For the first 160 pages, the…
Dreams of return: Azbakeya book market to be relocated for the 5th time
April 28, 2012
Dreams of return: Azbakeya book market to be relocated for the 5th time
Anxious and worried are how the Azbakeya booksellers currently feel, after the government has decided to move their book stalls…
In other words: James Joyce’s ‘Dubliners’ in Arabic
April 24, 2012
In other words: James Joyce’s ‘Dubliners’ in Arabic
This April, the Irish capital celebrates James Joyce’s story collection “Dubliners” in its annual “Dublin: One city, one book” initiative.…
5 ways to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day
April 23, 2012
5 ways to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day
This year, Tunis lit the candle for UNESCO's World Book Day. Five days before the annual UNESCO-sponsored World Book and…
Far away from home
April 12, 2012
Far away from home
A book about oddity and literature would naturally seem attractive, with readers expecting it to highlight experimental writing and the…
In other words: The things a word carries
April 8, 2012
In other words: The things a word carries
“Muslim” and “Moslem” are nothing more than “two different spellings of the same word,” according to the US-based Center for…
The strange path of a Palestinian-American novel
April 1, 2012
The strange path of a Palestinian-American novel
When Palestinian-American author Susan Abulhawa began writing her popular “Mornings in Jenin,” it was, she said, “to put a Palestinian…
Rabee Jaber’s ‘Druze of Belgrade’ wins 2012 Arabic Booker
March 28, 2012
Rabee Jaber’s ‘Druze of Belgrade’ wins 2012 Arabic Booker
ABU DHABI — The 2012 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, popularly called the “Arabic Booker,” was awarded to prolific Lebanese…
The loss and gain of the self in Mufti’s ‘Toy of Fire’
March 25, 2012
The loss and gain of the self in Mufti’s ‘Toy of Fire’
From the onset, Algerian journalist and writer Bashir Mufti entangles the readers of "Toy of Fire" ("Domiat al-Nar") between reality…