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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Creating Literary Community for Writers Raising Children

On November 12, at the Pen Parentis Literary Salon in Lower Manhattan, I hear author Jimin Han say something I’ve never heard a writer admit before. “I didn’t really commit to being a writer until I had children,” Han says to a room of 20 or so writers, all of whom are parents. There is […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-12-06 09:47:14 UTC ]
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Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year - meet the shortlist

Raymond AntrobusWho/ What inspired you to start writing? I never started writing poetry with the intention of writing books until publishers approached me. I was happy to write poems and travel and read the poems for audiences. I live poem by poem. The idea of a book of poems doesn’t really... Continue reading at British Council global

[ British Council global | 2019-12-05 12:09:15 UTC ]
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Humphreys and Ward win Educational Writers' Award

Author Alistair Humphreys and illustrator Kevin Ward have won the 2019 Educational Writers’ Award for Great Adventurers (Big Picture Press). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-05 10:42:56 UTC ]
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Raymond Antrobus wins 2019 Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award

Multi-award winning poet Raymond Antrobus has been named winner of the 2019 Sunday Times/University of Warwick Young Writer of the Year Award for his debut The Perseverance (Penned in the Margins). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-05 08:18:28 UTC ]
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Industry Notes: London Announces Writers’ Summit; Reed Completes India Event Buys

Registration opens for London Book Fair's Writers' Summit programming for authors on March 10, opening day of the 2020 fair. Author HQ program is included. The post Industry Notes: London Announces Writers’ Summit; Reed Completes India Event Buys appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-12-02 06:30:47 UTC ]
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Naomi Wolf and Sandi Toksvig to headline Women of the World Festival

Naomi Wolf, Shazia Mirza, Scarlett Curtis, Sandi Toksvig and Mary Robinson will headline the 10th Women of the World (WOW) Festival in London in March 2020. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-29 02:55:25 UTC ]
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David Higham Associates invites 10 to open day for writers from under-represented backgrounds

David Higham Associates has announced the 10 authors who will attend its open day for writers from under-represented backgrounds in January. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-28 17:10:16 UTC ]
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Nikesh Shukla and Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers to appear at first Paisley Book Festival

Author Nikesh Shukla will join broadcaster Kirsty Wark to headline the inaugural Paisley Book Festival in February 2020, with contributions also coming from Emma Jane Unsworth and the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-26 15:25:12 UTC ]
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Aridjis and Paris win £20,000 Eccles Centre & Hay Festival Writer’s Award

Chloe Aridjis and Daniel Saldaña Paris have won the £20,000 Eccles Centre & Hay Festival Writer’s Award for their unpublished novels. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-25 00:24:39 UTC ]
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Eight Audiobook Classics Written, and Narrated, by Women

Contemporary recordings breathe new life into such books as “To the Lighthouse,” “Jane Eyre” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2019-11-22 17:06:26 UTC ]
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Serving Writers and Readers: African American Publishing

From student workshops and academic conferences to literary awards and book clubs, African American literary organizations work to support writers and readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-11-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The pioneering women who fought to get in, and fit in, at Yale

Anne Gardiner Perkins tells the story of the school’s early days as a coed campus. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-11-22 01:56:07 UTC ]
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11 Inclusive Children’s Books Written By Women of Color

These inclusive children's books by women of color highlight awesome yet underrepresented communities like Sikh, indigenous, and Dominican. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-11-21 11:35:59 UTC ]
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S&S UK snaps up four picture books from debut writer Lu Fraser

Simon & Schuster Children’s UK has signed a deal for four picture book texts from debut writer Lu Fraser. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-20 06:15:25 UTC ]
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New direction for crime writer V B Grey with Quercus

Crime writer Isabelle Grey is publishing a new novel with Quercus, Tell Me How It Ends, exploring the relationship between two women who share a dark past. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-19 20:22:02 UTC ]
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‘In the Country of Women’: Featured Nonfiction from Susan Straight

In our latest edition of featured nonfiction, we present an excerpt from National Book Award finalist Susan Straight’s new novel, In the Country of Women, out now from Catapult. The post ‘In the Country of Women’: Featured Nonfiction from Susan Straight appeared first on The Millions. Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2019-11-19 20:00:11 UTC ]
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Bluemoose launches subscription model for its women-only publishing year

Bluemoose Books is launching a subscription model for the first time, to accompany its year of only publishing female writers over 45 in 2020. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-18 08:25:36 UTC ]
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Hockney and Gayford make Educational Writers' Award 2019 shortlist

The Educational Writers' Award 2019 shortlist has been revealed, with titles from David Hockney, Martin Gayford and Alastair Humphreys in the running.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-17 19:17:20 UTC ]
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Go Beyond Sally Rooney With These 13 Irish Women Novelists

It’s a confusing thing, being Irish. We’re European with none of the sophistication, and for a tiny island, we have an impressive lack of consistency. That said, we also have an impressive literary output. Our politics, social movements, and religions have born enough conflict to make a canon... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2019-11-15 12:00:00 UTC ]
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National Centre for Writing seeks working class writers

The National Centre for Writing in Norwich is relaunching its Escalator Talent Development Scheme, with a special focus this year on writers from working class backgrounds. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-15 00:58:56 UTC ]
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