By Amina Hachemi When I saw the latest issue of Banipal, I was, to say the least, surprised. Despite having lived in the United Arab Emirates for 15 years, I had no clue what to expect: It was the first… Read More ›
United Arab Emirates 
What’s New at the Big Emirati Book Events of Spring 2012
If January is the month for the Cairo International Book Fair, and February is for Casablanca’s SIEL and Oman’s MIBF, then March resides squarely in the Emirates: The Emirates LitFest is set to be staged in Dubai March 6-10 and the Abu… Read More ›
Overshadowed Zayed Book Award Announces Longlist in ‘Young Author’ Category
Yesterday, the Zayed Book Award announced the longlist in its “young author” category. A young author is defined as one under 40. The @SZBA tweeted: The longlisted works, according to a release from Zayed Book Award organizers, were chosen from a… Read More ›
Day 2: Sharjah Book Fair Professional Program
Today, the Sharjah International Book Fair’s pre-fair professional program wrapped up with a few speeches, an interesting (brief) presentation from Jon Malinowski about PubMatch.Com, and a pair of “matchmaking” sessions. The idea behind these matchmaking sessions was to pair publishers, agents,… Read More ›
Banipal 42 and Emirati Women Writers
The editorial that introduces the autumn 2011 issue of Banipal has an unusually defensive edge. The tone here is very different from the triumphant feeling of Banipal 40 (Libyan Fiction!), which followed on the heels of 39 (Modern Tunisian Literature!). In… Read More ›
Sharjah Announces 2011 Book Fair Events
Sharjah International Book Fair organizers, intent on putting their fair on the map of must-attend literary events, announced 2011′s roster of events today. This year’s fair, the city’s 30th, is set to run from November 16-26. Much like the (myth… Read More ›
Eight Emerging Authors Win Spots in This Year’s IPAF-sponsored Nadwa
Yesterday marked the opening of the 2011 International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF)-sponsored Nadwa, an eight-writer, eight-day workshop held this year in Abu Dhabi. The eight authors were chosen by IPAF judges from among those who submitted work to the… Read More ›
Sharjah ‘Translation Rights Centre’ Launches with $300,000 Translation Fund
Last week, Ahmed Al Amri, the director of the Sharjah International Book Fair, announced the opening of a $300,000 translation fund to celebrate the fair’s 30th anniversary.
Do You Want to Win the Sheikh Zayed Prize for Literature?
Nominations for the 2012 Sheikh Zayed award are now open. And this year, organizers want to “reach out to an international market,” according to The National and Middle East Online.
Publisher Dareen Charafeddine on the Future of Arabic Children’s Literature
Beyond that, I thought I’d borrow from my other blog, Read Kutub Kids, a two-part interview with Kalimat publisher Dareen Charafeddine.
Sharjah International Book Fair Opens Tomorrow
The Sharjah International Book Fair opens tomorrow, and—although perhaps not as glittery as the March fairs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi—it’s reportedly the second most well-attended book fair in the region. This follows our slightly crowded (2 million visitors), slightly chaotic (map? what map) exhibition in Cairo.
