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 ]
News tagged with: #salha obaid #london book fair #first novel #bookstore #picture book #man booker international prize

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Beyond Jokha al-Harthi: Women Writers from the Gulf'


Women’s Presses Tweak Their Business Models

Approximately a dozen women’s presses are actively publishing in the U.S. today, down from about 30 during the 1990s, when feminist publishing and bookselling were at their peak. There are, additionally, several women’s presses sporadically publishing, and a few others putting out regional... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #business models #regional titles


Guardian and Hot Keys launch young writers prize

Hot Keys Books has partnered with the Guardian to launch a new young person’s writing prize... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #young person #writing prize


Hearst Magazines launches women's quarterly

Hearst Magazines UK has launched a quarterly magazine called Good Ideas, aimed at 35- to 50-year-old women. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Figment lets young writers share and critique work

Figment is a website that gives teenagers and young adults a forum for posting their work and giving advice to others. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #young adults #giving advice


Levenson to be bookshop 'writer in residence'

The Big Green Bookshop in Wood Green, London, is to have its own "writer in residence... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #wood green


Edinburgh World Writers' Conference to launch in August

The Edinburgh International Book Festival and the British Council are launching the Edinburgh... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #british council


PEN welcomes new writers' visa

English PEN has welcomed the government's announcement of a new visa for visiting writers and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #english pen


Indian writers urge end to Satanic Verses ban

A group of writers in India have set up a petition calling for the lifting of the country's... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #petition calling


Chinese Writers Sue Apple for Allegedly Hosting Pirated E-books

A group of Chinese writers has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company's App Store sells pirated versions of the authors' works. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2012-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Ross wins Educational Writers' Award

The £2,000 Educational Writers' Award 2011 has gone to Moon: Apollo 11 and Beyond... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Facebook Wants Writers and Famous People to Promote Its New Subscribe Feature

Facebook will "imminently" launch a plugin for publishers and public figures to ask their readers to subscribe on Facebook directly from their own Web sites. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public figures #web sites


Jamie Crook wins Luke Bitmead Writer's Bursary

Unpublished author Jamie Crook has won this year's Luke Bitmead Writer's Bursary for his... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Four titles on Educational Writers’ Award shortlist

Four titles that bring "the natural world to life for 5-11 year-olds" are represented... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #natural world


Abacus and Frances Lincoln win at Muslim Writers Awards

Books published by Abacus and Frances Lincoln took the prizes in the published work categories of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #frances lincoln


Women's Health magazine to launch in UK

Hearst-Rodale is set to launch Women's Health in the UK next year, as a sister title to the 11-year-old Men's Health. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #health magazine #sister title


NEA Studies Writers Statistics

Writers and authors are better educated and earn more on average than the rest of the U.S. workforce, according to a study by the National Endowment for the Arts, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The study, “Artists and Art Workers in the United... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #national endowment #census bureau #art workers


Commonwealth Writers Prizes relaunch

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Wed, 19/10/2011 - 16:37 The Commonwealth Writers prizes have relaunched today (19th October) with a new community website aimed at “connecting and inspiring new authors”. The new site is a free-to-join forum for aspiring writers to get advice from... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #established authors #aspiring writers


Amazon Cuts Publishers Out of the Mix, Makes Deals With Writers

Releasing a book on one of the world’s largest publishing marketplaces could help your company. Here's a quick guide to the basics of self-publishing. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #quick guide


Faber buys Al-Tawany title

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 30/09/2011 - 10:51 Faber has acquired a new novel by award-winning Egyptian writer Miral Al-Tahawy. Editorial director Hannah Griffiths acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Elizabeth Sheinkman at Curtis Brown to Al-Tahawy's fourth... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #brooklyn heights #elizabeth sheinkman #curtis brown #single mother


Women's brands hard hit by downturn

Written By: Benedicte Page, Felicity Wood and Philip Stone Publication Date: Fri, 23/09/2011 - 10:15 A squeeze on consumer spending in supermarkets and the migration to digital are being blamed for the spectacular falls in sales suffered by many of the UK’s biggest commercial women’s novelists... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #marian keyes #jodi picoult #veronica henry #maeve binchy #harriet evans #jill mansell #lesley pearse