Beyond Jokha al-Harthi: Women Writers from the Gulf

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 ]

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How Publishers Make Old Books New Again

Pluck any classic novel from a bookstore shelf and it will most likely feature an introduction by a contemporary writer. Especially inspired pairing of authors can imbue an old text with new relevance, highlight its enduring influence, or even become a new selling point for a backlist title. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-09 05:00:00 UTC ]
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London’s Al Saqi Bookstore Is Closing, Ending a 44-Year Run

A prized center of Arabic language, culture, and literature in London is closing amid mounting economic and post-Brexit challenges. The post London’s Al Saqi Bookstore Is Closing, Ending a 44-Year Run appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-12-06 02:05:02 UTC ]
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Conference Centers

92ND STREET Y Give your special event the extraordinary and versatile venue it deserves at 92nd Street Y. Year after year, people in the know come to 92nd Street Y to host corporate conferences, meetings, film screenings, award shows, private parties, graduations, photo shoots and more. After... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2022-12-05 10:00:00 UTC ]
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Build a Perfect Bookstore and We’ll Recommend a Book for You

Readers dream about owning their own bookstore. So let's indulge in the fantasy: design a bookstore and get a matching book recommendation! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-12-01 11:32:00 UTC ]
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The best fiction of 2022: death and life in Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger

The Passenger, Cormac McCarthy’s first novel since The Road in 2006, shows him at the peak of his powers even as he nears his ninetieth year. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2022-11-24 13:19:55 UTC ]
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From the Archive: December 12, 1986

In December 1986, we covered the surprise announcement that Barnes & Noble had agreed to buy B. Dalton, cementing its position as the country’s largest bookstore chain. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-23 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Tech Innovators See Promise in Palm Springs Bookstore

Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Paul Bradley Carr and Sarah Lacy plan to open The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs in time for Black Friday. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-21 05:00:00 UTC ]
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10 Picture Book Biographies of Authors to Show Kids How to Use Their Words

These picture book biographies of authors, including John Ronald's Dragons: The Story of J.R.R. Tolkien, show children how they can use their words to describe their inner and outer worlds. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-11-15 11:31:00 UTC ]
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Sharjah World Book Capital Supports a Fire-Damaged Italian Bookstore

The Bologna bookstore, Giannino Stoppani, was damaged by fire in May. Sharjah World Book Capital has contributed €50,000 to assist. The post Sharjah World Book Capital Supports a Fire-Damaged Italian Bookstore appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-11-08 12:43:42 UTC ]
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How Stoicism Guided Me Through Opening a Small Town Bookstore in the Midst of the Pandemic

There was more than one moment in the depths of the pandemic that the decision to open a small town bookstore seemed like the absolute worst idea in the world—a monument to arrogance and self-indulgence. At first we couldn’t open. Then we didn’t feel right opening. Then a freak storm (and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-11-07 09:54:32 UTC ]
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London Book Fair Opens Excellence Awards for Submissions

Both the Lifetime Achievement recognition and London Book Fair's International Excellence Awards are seeking 2023 nominations. The post London Book Fair Opens Excellence Awards for Submissions appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-11-04 14:52:34 UTC ]
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Literature Lovers Night Out Expands With New Bookstore Partnership

Literature Lovers Night Out, a speakers program launched in the Twin Cities in 2015, will return after a three-year interval to the Minneapolis suburbs by partnering on events with Cream & Amber in Hopkins, Minn. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Review: ‘Shuna’s Journey,’ by Hayao Miyazaki

First published in Japan in 1983, this picture book from the fabled animator is eerie, enchanting and surpassingly strange. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-11-02 09:00:16 UTC ]
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“A Ghost Is a Memory.” On Bodies, Belief, and the Places Ghost Stories Live

The proprietor’s name is Amy (except that, of course, it isn’t). She’s a kind, petite woman in her forties, the owner of a ghost-themed bookstore in a small southern city. I won’t tell you which city. It’s for your own safety. This is, after all, a ghost story. And most importantly: it’s true.... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-10-31 08:57:03 UTC ]
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This Week's Bestsellers: October 24, 2022

Jimmy Fallon and Jennifer Lopez serve up a picture book 'Con Pollo,' #9 on our children's picture book list. Plus neuroscientist Friederike Fabritius advocates for 'The Brain-Friendly Workplace,' and clinical psychologists John and Julie Schwartz Gottman write 'The Love Prescription.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Ng Named ABA's Inaugural Indie Bookstore Ambassador

Celeste Ng, the author of three novels beloved by indie booksellers, was named the American Booksellers Association's inaugural bookstore ambassador, deputized to champion indies throughout the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Independent Bookstore in New York Launches Publishing Division

The Hudson Valley-based Golden Notebook Bookstore will launch its publishing press next year with author Abigail Thomas's memoir 'Still Life at 80: The Next Interesting Thing.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Peter Robinson obituary

Author of the Inspector Alan Banks series and welcome presence at crime fiction festivals around the worldPeter Robinson was the creator of the immensely popular Inspector Alan Banks crime series, set in Yorkshire – the books sold almost 9m copies in 19 languages and spawned a successful... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-10-14 16:44:04 UTC ]
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Book Excerpt: ‘The Passenger,’ Cormac McCarthy’s First Novel in 16 Years

A passage from Cormac McCarthy’s first novel since his Pulitzer Prize-winning 2006 book “The Road.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-10-14 12:10:42 UTC ]
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PFLAG Adapts Picture Book to Video, Celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month

In celebration of LGBTQ+ History month in October, nonprofit organization Parents, Families, & Friends of LGBT National has brought together a slew of celebrities to voice characters in a video adaptation of picture book 'The Mother of a Movement: Jeanne Manford—Ally, Activist, and... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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