Arabic literature
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Book review: Hassan Blasim's "God 99"
A different sort of sacred
Reading Hassan Blasim's God 99 is an immersive experience of grief and exaltation, anger and disgust, writes Marcia Lynx Qualey. We join the Iraqi narrator as he sits around in seedy Finnish bars and plays slot machines; as he meets refugees and listens to their stories; as he exchanges letters with a dying friend; and as he crosses a kaleidoscopic series of borders
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Interview with Jordanian novelist Jalal Barjas
"Some Arab writers present distorted images of their societies"
Jordanian writer Jalal Barjas' novel "Notebooks of the Bookseller", which won this year's Booker International Prize for Arabic Fiction, was celebrated at a symposium during the Berlin International Literature Festival in September. A large number of Germans and Arabs interested in Arabic literature attended. On the sidelines, journalist Rim Najmi caught up with Jalal Barjas
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Sarhan Dhouib's "Erinnerungen an Unrecht"
Memories of injustice – for the liberation of Arab identity
The memory of experienced injustice plays a central role in the transformation of societies towards democracy. In the Arab world, the critical study of memory is only just emerging. The Tunisian philosopher Sarhan Dhouib from the University of Hildesheim has made an important contribution with his anthology, writes Sonja Hegasy in her review
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Diwan and the dialogue of cultures
Nadia Wassef's bookshop memoir – a chronicle of Egypt's upheaval
Egyptian author Nadia Wassef talks about opening the first independent bookstore in her home country; and her latest book in which she celebrates books and booksellers. By Manasi Gopalakrishnan
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Leila Slimani's "The Country of Others"
Dreams in times of crisis
Bestselling author Leila Slimani's latest novel tells the story of her grandmother’s arduous life in rural Morocco during the immediate post-war period. Married to a Moroccan officer, the French woman struggles with the differences between their cultures, while both encounter growing hostility from the French settlers, and from the nationalists agitating for Moroccan independence. Volker Kaminski read the book
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Tayeb Salih in translation
"Mansi": A rare book in its own way
Widely acknowledged as one of the twentieth century’s great writers – think "Season of Migration to the North" – most of Tayeb Salih's work is surprisingly overlooked. The publication in posthumous translation of "Mansi: A Rare Man in His Own Way" has therefore been met with delight by fans. Marcia Lynx Qualey read the book
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Literary power politics
Spotlight on the UAE's 30th Abu Dhabi Book Fair
They’ve already got the Louvre; they’ll soon have a Guggenheim Museum as well – and now the Emirates have added literature to their quest for cultural supremacy in the Arab world. Stefan Weidner reports from Abu Dhabi, from the first book fair of this year to take place in person
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"What is Islamic art?" with art historian Wendy Shaw
What is art, when the primary sensory organ is the heart?
How can we truly appreciate the richness of cultures not our own? In her recent book "What is Islamic art? Between religion and perception", art historian Wendy Shaw explains the need to abandon our vision-centred perception of art and the aesthetic, embarking instead on a multi-sensory voyage of discovery. Interview by Lucy James
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Chaza Charafeddine's "Beirut für wilde Mädchen"
Flashback from Beirut
A childhood and youth in Beirut, a life lived between Lebanon, Switzerland and Germany, and a unique voice in Arabic-language literature: "Beirut für wilde Mädchen" sees Lebanese author Chaza Charafeddine tell her country’s story from a highly personal perspective. Gerrit Wustmann read the book
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Pete Katz and "The Prophet: A Graphic Novel"
Romantic ideals for a new generation
Often disdained by intellectuals, Kahlil Gibran’s "The Prophet" has remained immensely popular for nearly a century since its publication in 1923. Now one of the most translated books in history has undergone another translation – into the visual sphere – by Pete Katz, who both adapted and illustrated the new volume. By Nahrain Al-Mousawi
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Spotlight on bridge-builders: Rafik Schami
The story-teller from Damascus
Syrian-born Rafik Schami is a gifted storyteller and one of the most successful authors writing in German today. In his 50 years in exile in Germany, he has introduced the Arab art of storytelling to German literature and has been showered with prizes. But Schami is more than just a storyteller, he is also an outspoken critic of politicians and governments both in Europe and the Middle East. By Ceyda Nurtsch
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Obituary: Nawal El Saadawi, Egyptian women's rights activist
Defiant icon of the Arab women's movement
Nawal El-Saadawi has died in Cairo at the age of 89. The prominent doctor, activist and author became internationally known for her outcry against female genital mutilation and honour killings. In recent years, however, her defence of the Sisi regime also drew criticism. By Karim El-Gawhary