Breaking Bourgeois Taboos in Cairo: Ihsan Abdel Quddous’s A Nose and Three Eyes, by Gretchen McCullough

Breaking Bourgeois Taboos in Cairo: Ihsan Abdel Quddous’s A Nose and Three Eyes, by Gretchen McCullough Book Reviews [email protected] Mon, 10/14/2024 - 14:18 Five or six years ago, I was reading Ihsan Abdel Quddous (1919–1990) with my Arabic teacher and thought of writing an article about him in English, but I found only one translation on Amazon. I was puzzled. Why had one of the best-known Egyptian novelists gone untranslated? Had leftist Egyptian intellectuals steered Arabists away from him, dubbing him an aristocratic right-winger? Had he been unfairly stereotyped as a novelist who wrote only for teenage girls? Or had he simply been unlucky in the quixotic business of English publication? It was unclear. Because so many of Abdel Quddous’s novels have been made into movies, Egyptians know him by heart. (His film scripts sold like hot cakes in Egyptian cinema.) Abdel Quddous—a prominent journalist, prolific novelist, and editor of the well-known cultural magazine Rose Al-Youssef—was a champion of free expression and the rights of women throughout his life. At last receiving their due, two of his novels were recently published by Hoopoe, the imprint of AUC Press: I Do Not Sleep (2021) and A Nose and Three Eyes (2024). Both were translated by Jonathon Smolin. In A Nose and Three Eyes, first published in Arabic in 1963, Abdel Quddous dissects the relationships between men and women in a conservative society, sparing no one,... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'

[ World Literature Today | 2024-10-14 19:18:43 UTC ]
News tagged with: #hopeful outcome #muhi al-dins #limited resources #grotesque characters #possessiveness makes #grand plan #sexual adventures #psychological insights #traditional norms #lebanese pals #lebanese television #fatma abandoned #lebanese family—started #mother—fatma al-youssef #—sonallah ibrahim #novelists

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Breaking Bourgeois Taboos in Cairo: Ihsan Abdel Quddous’s A Nose and Three Eyes, by Gretchen McCullough'


Hodder wins record-breaking ex-Special Forces soldier's memoir

Hodder & Stoughton has won at auction the memoir of ex-Special Forces soldier and record-breaking mountaineer Nims Purja MBE. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-23 14:18:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hodder stoughton #memoir #hodder


Ilya Kaminsky: ‘Fables Allow You to Break Bread With the Dead’

Published with permission from BAM and the National Book Foundation What is it about courage that astounds our ability to imagine it? Perhaps it’s because, in dire times, we’re told to forget we can—not be courageous, but imagine what that looks like, what it feels like. To imagine others,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-04-23 08:49:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ilya kaminsky #national book foundation


Five eye-catching graphic novels that define the genre

Some of the most exciting fiction and memoir is being done in the form of graphic novels. Here are some of the very best. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2020-04-20 11:08:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #graphic novels #memoir


Eye on Middle Grade: Spring 2020

We asked editors about some of the latest developments in the category: the portrayal of mental health issues and #MeToo trauma, and graphic novel–style memoirs and nonfiction for young readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #middle grade #asked editors #latest developments #young readers


A Stirring Family Saga Tells a Taboo History of Vietnam

“The Mountains Sing,” the first novel in English by the Vietnamese poet Nguyen Phan Que Mai, imagines her country’s traumatic 20th century through the stories of three generations of women. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-03-17 09:00:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #first novel


Breaking In: An Interview with Debut Middle-Grade Author J. Kaspar Kramer

The debut middle-grade author answers questions about writing and publishing her folklore-inspired historical fiction set in Communist Romania. The post Breaking In: An Interview with Debut Middle-Grade Author J. Kaspar Kramer by Cassandra Lipp appeared first on Writer's Digest. Continue reading at Writer's Digest

[ Writer's Digest | 2020-03-06 16:37:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post breaking #historical fiction


Publishers keep a watchful eye on intricate non-fiction as LBF approaches

Despite fears around the coronavirus disrupting the London Book Fair, agents are reporting undimmed interest in highbrow but accessible non-fiction, with feminist fiction also faring well.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-28 02:35:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #watchful eye #feminist fiction


Cape pre-empts 'ground-breaking' Crisis by Roos

Jonathan Cape has pre-empted a “ground-breaking” study of global crises by political economist Jerome Roos, one of the most talked about titles ahead of the London Book Fair. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-27 02:08:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jonathan cape


Industry Notes: Italy’s 18App Is Funded; International Book Fairs Eye COVID-19

Industry Notes: Italy's teen cultural bonus is refunded for 2020. International publishing events grapple with exhibitor, attendee worries about COVID-19. The post Industry Notes: Italy’s 18App Is Funded; International Book Fairs Eye COVID-19 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-02-20 20:18:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international publishing


Eye Books unveils digital list Lightning Bolts

Independent publisher Eye Books has unveiled a digital-first fiction list, Lightning Bolts. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-19 15:02:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fiction list #independent publisher


Cairo international book fair turns away jailed publisher's company

Khaled Lotfy, whose firm Tanmia published a new edition of a book about Egyptian double agent Ashraf Marwan, has been sentenced to five yearsCairo international book fair has excluded imprisoned publisher Khaled Lotfy’s firm from the event citing “security reasons”, the International Publishers... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-01-22 13:55:22 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #khaled lotfy #netflix film #publishers association


'Queer Eye' star Jonathan Van Ness to publish début picture book with HarperCollins

HarperCollins has scooped the début picture book from “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness about a gender non-binary guinea pig. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-08 06:46:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #queer eye #harpercollins #picture book


Russia’s Clever Media Group Eyes Asian Markets in the New Year

With ongoing operations in Europe and North America, the Russian children's book publisher will focus in 2020 on Japan, China, and Vietnam. The post Russia’s Clever Media Group Eyes Asian Markets in the New Year appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-01-08 06:30:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post russia #year appeared #russian children #book publisher #children's book


Unruly eyes faster growth in tough video ad market after News Corp sale

News Corp, which will get small stake in Tremor, has also entered into three-year partnership for outstream video. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2020-01-06 09:49:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #three-year partnership #news corp


Author events need to break free of publication schedule, FutureBook told

Events should be used to build long-term audiences for writers and their books rather than just being built around publication dates and sales, a Futurebook panel has heard. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-24 19:17:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #author events #break free #futurebook told #publication dates #futurebook panel


Sharjah International Book Fair Draws a Record-Breaking 2.52 Million Visitors

While reporting big attendance numbers, the Sharjah Book Fair this year is most memorable for events affirming its deepening world publishing relationships. The post Sharjah International Book Fair Draws a Record-Breaking 2.52 Million Visitors appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-11-11 08:13:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book fair


Trump raises record-breaking political donations amid impeachment inquiry

In the driver’s seat is Brad Parscale, Trump’s digital media director, who led the efforts to raise a record-breaking $125 million in just the last quarter, according to the New York Times. His ability to turn impeachment into this many millions... Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2019-11-10 20:11:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital media


What's behind Nielsen's plan to break into two businesses

Packaged-goods focus of the Connect business Nielsen is spinning off meant less attention for the other 91 percent of the market. Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-11-07 23:07:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nielsen


Haunted by humiliation, Carmen Maria Machado breaks form to address domestic abuse

“In the Dream House” uses direct address to show readers how they, too, might fall prey to such degradation. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-11-05 14:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dream house #show readers


Am I Allowed to Break Up with My Book Agent?

The Blunt Instrument is an advice column for writers, written by Elisa Gabbert (specializing in nonfiction), John Cotter (specializing in fiction), and Ruoxi Chen (specializing in publishing). If you need tough advice for a writing problem, send your question to [email protected].... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2019-10-18 11:00:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #blunt instrumentis #advice column #tough advice #writing problem #electric literature #question toblunt@electricliterature #memoir