When Jokha al-Harthi and Marilyn Booth won the Man Booker International Prize last year, for Booth’s translation of Sayyidat al-Qamr (Celestial Bodies), many hurried to note that al-Harthi was the “first Omani woman writer” to have a book in English translation.While true, this may give the mistaken impression that there is something new about women's writing from the Gulf. But women on the peninsula have been composing sophisticated literature for centuries. Al-Khansa (575-645 AD), who was born and died on the Arabian Peninsula, is said to have been told by an admiring male writer that she was “the greatest poet among those with breasts.” Al-Khansa is said to have replied, archly: “I am the greatest poet among those with testicles, too.” Her work can be read, in vibrant translation, in James Montgomery’s Loss Sings.Prominent poet-filmmaker Nujoom Ghanem, in a 2016 interview that focused on her literary ancestors, had a similar barb: “The majority of poets in our world are male, but quantity does not make quality.” Yet among the younger generation of writers, women often dominate. In Yemen, the UAE, Kuwait, and elsewhere, emerging women writers have been flooding into writing workshops and literary seminars. Each Gulf country could have its own list of 10 women writers. Here are just a few to seek out:Raja Alem (Saudi) – Alem was the first woman to co-win the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF), for her classic Mecca novel The Doves’ Necklace (translated by Adam... Continue reading at 'British Council global'
[ British Council global | 2020-02-19 10:26:57 UTC ]
“Writing for kids had long been an ambition of mine, but until recently I didn’t know it had long been an ambition.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-07-28 09:00:25 UTC ]
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“Writing for kids had long been an ambition of mine, but until recently I didn’t know it had long been an ambition.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-07-28 09:00:24 UTC ]
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Finding a Good Story in Every Corner: A Conversation with José Eduardo Agualusa, by Anderson Tepper Interviews [email protected] Mon, 07/24/2023 - 15:01 © Rosa CunhaOver the past fifteen years, I’ve had the pleasure of crossing paths with the... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2023-07-24 20:01:34 UTC ]
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The Beauty and Importance of Our Names: A Conversation with Yejide Kilanko, by Darlington Chibueze Anuonye Interviews [email protected] Mon, 07/24/2023 - 09:09 Photo by Oluwafikunmi KilankoAmong the shortlisted short stories for this year’s edition... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2023-07-24 14:09:47 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble will reopen its bookstore at The Avenue at White Marsh in a redesigned format on July 26, the bookseller announced Wednesday. It's one of several changes and new stores planned for the center. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun
[ Baltimore Sun | 2023-07-19 17:11:00 UTC ]
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The pseudonymous South Korean author’s first novel to be translated into English pits a multinational conglomerate against life on earth. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-07-09 09:00:12 UTC ]
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An Asian American-owned bookstore in Manhattan’s Chinatown left gutted by a July fourth fire is getting flooded with support from the community, writers and celebrities Continue reading at ABC News
[ ABC News | 2023-07-07 18:01:56 UTC ]
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Yu and Me Books opened in December 2021 on Mulberry Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown, and was named for owner Lucy Yu’s mother. It was the first Asian-American woman-owned bookstore on the island. Following a July 4, 2023, fire in a neighboring residential unit, the store has lost most of its... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-07-07 15:59:28 UTC ]
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Billed as ‘a therapeutic novel’, the publisher’s first foray into fiction follows 29-year-old Anna’s mental health journey – with a view to helping the reader. But how useful can such clunky writing be?At 29 years old, Anna is full of self-loathing. She hates her job, her boyfriend is having an... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-07-07 15:45:50 UTC ]
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MacNolia Cox speaks only one sentence in a picture book about her trip to the 1936 national spelling bee. Zaila Avant-garde, the 2021 champ, writes volumes. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-07-07 09:00:29 UTC ]
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The woman and Asian American–owned bookstore, in the Chinatown neighborhood in Manhattan, will require a total renovation over the next year due to a fire in a residential unit above its premises. It topped its goal of $150,000 overnight. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Tattered Cover has named Brad Dempsey interim CEO of the Denver bookstore chain, replacing CFO Margie Keenan, who served as interim CEO after former CEO and co-owner Kwame Spearman left in April to start a political career. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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NASCAR's Chicago street race during the holiday weekend shut down many businesses along the route, including Exile in Bookville, which sustained thousands of dollars in losses. Some of that loss was alleviated by a spike in online orders by customers wanting to support the store. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Author of a series of comic novels that focused on the tragi-comic nature of relationships and the general absurdities of lifeMavis Cheek, who has died aged 75, was the author of a series of comic novels that cast an acute eye on middle-class marriage and relationships and marked her out as one... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-07-04 16:07:50 UTC ]
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First edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone bought by UK book collector goes up for auction next weekIt is a book that has certainly lived up to its name: a rare edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone bought for 30p could fetch up to £5,000 at auction.The first novel... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-06-30 09:29:28 UTC ]
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The Braschian Wave: All the Solitude of an Empire in a Bottle Thrown into the Sea, by Carlos Labbé Essay [email protected] Wed, 06/28/2023 - 14:55 Photo by Javardh / UnsplashCarlos Labbé wonders whether it is “still possible to speak of... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2023-06-28 19:55:41 UTC ]
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The authors of a picture book about a penguin family with two fathers sued the state and a school district that removed the book from libraries. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-06-20 14:25:50 UTC ]
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A new queer indie bookstore is splitting profits with LGBTQ authors and spreading queer joy and literacy with a rainbow book bus. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-06-20 10:40:00 UTC ]
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Lorrie Moore's fourth novel, 'I Am Homeless If This is Not My Home,' follows a grieving man through the chaos of 2016 and some wondrous metaphysical byways. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-06-14 13:00:25 UTC ]
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The third Barnes & Noble store to unionize, the bookstore workers voted 97% in favor of joining the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, citing safety issues, substandard pay and lack of workplace structure. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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