And finally, acclaimed Arab writers’ favorite novels of 2012. Some can be found on the “Arabic Booker” longlist, but certainly not all. (For instance, we can wonder why Diary of an Iraqi Dog didn’t make the list.) Previous days, we posted favorites… Read More ›
Today, acclaimed Arab authors’ favorite poetry collections of 2012. If you missed the favorites of nonfiction (posted yesterday) they’re here. And novels: tomorrow. Yasser Abdellatif, Egyptian novelist In poetry, I liked the collection Please, God, Give Us Books to Read (2012)… Read More ›
The 2013 International Prize for Arabic Fiction judges have had their say; now some of our favorite authors will have theirs. Over the next few days, as the year ends, ArabLit and Egypt Independent will be running through acclaimed Arab poets, novelists, and… Read More ›
What were Ahdaf Souief’s Arabic-language favorite reads of 2012?
As you might imagine, I was a bit disappointed by the 2012 “Best Translated Book Award” fiction longlist, which boasts 25 books that should represent the “best of translated fiction” available in the U.S. Last year, there was one book… Read More ›
Of course, my first response was that the scope was a bit on the broad side. Such a project might take a lifetime or two.
Regular readers have seen this list before. However, as new books have appeared in translation, it’s time for an update.
Below, you’ll find the best hundred (well, really 105) Arabic novels as selected by the Arab Writers Union. The rankings are sometimes puzzling, and one imagines there was a good deal of horse-trading involved, but lists are nevertheless fun.
If you’re the Christmas or the gift-buying type, then I’ve got some (bookish) suggestions. If you’re neither the Christmas nor the gift-buying sort, then you can always use these recommendations on yourself.
All are 2010 releases.
Over at Ron Slate’s website, On the Seawall, he asked nineteen poets to recommend new and recent titles for holiday gift-giving purposes.
While I certainly respect the sentiment, readers over at ArabLit are free to buy the below-listed books for themselves.
I will be traveling a bit over the next few days, although not as much as Ibn Battouta (green line) or even so much as Marco Polo (red line).
Sinan Antoon responded to my book request just after I’d posted the list for Take the Arabic Lit Summer Reading Challenge, and Win. If you don’t know who Antoon is, for goodness sakes! His I’jaam was one of Katrina Weber’s… Read More ›
Shakir Mustafa Mustafa is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures at Boston University; he is also the editor and translator of the excellent Contemporary Iraqi Fiction: An Anthology. Mustafa chose: Tayeb Salih, Season… Read More ›
