I haven’t yet seen the magazine, just the cover and the introduction. But Banipal editor Samuel Shimon says in his introduction: The new Banipal 44 celebrates 12 women writers, with four short stories and eight chapters of novels, all writing eloquently and… Read More ›
Earlier this week, Banipal sent out details of their 43rd issue, which will be a celebration of pioneer translator Denys Johnson-Davies. Davies, who Edward Said once called “the leading Arabic-English translator of our time,” has translated more than twenty-five volumes… Read More ›
This year’s Saif Ghobash – Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation, announced last night, rewards three exceptional labors of loving translation. Khaled Mattawa’s translation of Adonis: Selected Poems is the winner of the 2011 Banipal prize; Barbara Romaine’s translation of… Read More ›
Banipal 44, set for release in the summer of 2012, will be dedicated to “Arab Love Stories.” The call for submissions is open to all Arab-identified authors. This issue will be juried by a special editorial committee. According to the… Read More ›
Banipal 41 (Celebrating Adonis) has disappeared into the background on the magazine’s website just as speculation about the Parisian-Syrian poet has reached its highest froth in years: Could this really be Adonis’s chance at the prize of prizes?* I still… Read More ›
Rather than just asking, which would be the dull way to go, I’m going to guess that the Amir Tag El-Sir is an excerpt from his IPAF-shortlisted (and critically acclaimed) The Hunter of Chrysalises. I’ll guess Alexandra Chreiteh’s submission is… Read More ›
Banipal 39 featured “Modern Tunisian Literature” and 40 will showcase “Libyan Fiction.” If there had been a 39 1/2 on young Egyptian authors, I’d have suspected that editor Samuel Shimon had a really good set of voodoo dolls over there at 1 Gough Square.
Sometimes, being the runner-up isn’t so bad. Particularly, well, if you’re runner-up to yourself. The Ghobash results:
The Winner Humphrey Davies
Runner-up Humphrey Davies
Runner-up Kareem James Abu-Zeid
There are gems, of course, in Banipal39. And, as the only magazine consistently publishing new Arab and Arabic literature in translation, I do applaud their work.
Banipal has apparently been saving up their news, as a whole bunch of it appeared in my inbox this morning. Among the news items: judges will be deliberating on the Saif Ghobash – Banipal prize-winners later this month.
Although I haven’t yet gotten my Banipal 39, I was delighted to see a preview, in two chapters from Habib Selmi’s recently released The Women’s Orchards, translated by the lovely Maia Tabet.
