Arab Novelists – Arabian Records (1st post : Eid Al Fitr – 01st Shawwal 1439 (AH) / 15th June 2018 ) / (BETA testing – Research

ALGERIA: Ahlam Mosteghanemi named Cultural Personality of the Year at SIBF 2024

The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has named renowned Algerian author and novelist Ahlam Mosteghanemi as the ‘Cultural Personality of the Year’ for the 43rd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2024) in recognition of her remarkable contribution to Arabic literature over five decades. Her novels have captivated readers across the Arab world, establishing her as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Arabic writing.

Ahlam Mosteghanemi is one of the most influential contemporary Arab authors, acclaimed for her ability to merge profound social commentary with pan-Arab themes. Her works critically explore the relationship between society and women while reflecting on pivotal historical events that have shaped modern Arab culture. The late Algerian President Ahmed Ben Bella famously described her as a ‘shining Algerian sun in Arabic literature,’ commending her dedication to the Arabic language and the nation’s rich history.

As part of SIBF’s annual programme, SBA selects a ‘Cultural Personality’ to showcase influential figures whose work has enriched both the Arab and global cultural landscapes, reflecting the authority’s commitment to honouring those who have made lasting contribution in fields such as literature, poetry, and philosophy. By highlighting these figures, SBA seeks to inspire future generations and reinforce the region’s cultural identity.

Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, emphasised that the annual selection of a cultural personality reflects the vision of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. “His Highness believes that people are at the heart of every achievement, particularly in knowledge, culture, and thought. These are the domains where nations’ experiences are preserved, thanks to the literary and intellectual contributions of individuals whose works have been a staple in homes and libraries worldwide.”

In 2009, she published Nessyane.com and Their Hearts with Us and Their Bombs on Us, addressing the US invasion of Iraq, followed by Al Aswad Yalikou Biki in 2012. Her voice, marked by themes of freedom and authenticity, has deeply resonated with Arab readers.

He added: “Ahlam Mosteghanemi holds a unique place in Arabic literature. Her novels resonate with readers of all ages and intellectual backgrounds across the Arab world, a rare achievement for any author. By celebrating her journey and other remarkable literary experiences, we expand the horizons of Arabic literature, strengthen the relationship between societies and their creative leaders, and contribute to elevating the quality of published content.”

A thoughtful presence

Spanning more than five decades, Mosteghanemi’s literary career began with In the Harbour of Days (1971) and continues with her latest work, I Became You. Her celebrated trilogy – Zakirat Al Jasad (1993), Fawda el Hawas (1997), and Aber Sareer (2003) – remains a landmark in contemporary Arabic literature. In 2009, she published Nessyane.com and Their Hearts with Us and Their Bombs on Us, addressing the US invasion of Iraq, followed by Al Aswad Yalikou Biki in 2012. Her voice, marked by themes of freedom and authenticity, has deeply resonated with Arab readers.

Throughout her illustrious career, Mosteghanemi has earned numerous accolades, including the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature and the Best Arabic Writer award during the Beirut International Award Festival (BIAF). Arabian Business and Forbes have recognised her as one of the most influential Arab women in literature and culture.

Additionally, Mosteghanemi served as a UNESCO Ambassador for eight years and was awarded the 2015 Arab Woman of the Year Award in London under the patronage of the Mayor of London and Regent’s University. In 2009, she received the Beirut Shield.

Mosteghanemi earned her doctorate in sociology from the Sorbonne University in 1982 before moving to Lebanon in the early 1990s. There, she published Zakirat Al Jasad, a novel that significantly impacted the literary world. The book sold over three million copies and was awarded the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature in 1998. It is also recognised as one of the top 100 Arabic novels of the 20th century.

source/content: gulftoday.ae (headline edited)

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Ahlam Mosteghanemi poses for a photograph. File photo

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ALGERIA

OMAN: Zahran Alqasmi becomes first Omani to win International Prize for Arabic Fiction

Winning novel The Water Diviner is a poetic work set in rural Oman.

Novelist Zahran Alqasmi is the first Omani to win the International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his fourth novel The Water Diviner.

Announced at a ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Alqasmi was named winner of the $50,000 prize and will also receive funding for an English translation.

Published in 2021, The Water Diviner follows the life of an enigmatic and mystical man employed by Omani villages to track the ebb and flow of local rivers and ravines.

Haunted by the deaths of his parents, “the water diviner” faces his fear as he battles for his life while stuck in a water channel.

Moroccan author Mohammed Achaari, the 2011 IPAF winner and chairman of this year’s judging panel, hailed the work for its innovative subject matter and cohesive structure.

“It is a new subject in modern fiction: water and its impact on the natural environment and the lives of human beings in hostile regions.

“Blurring the boundaries of reality and myth, the novel’s precise structure and sensitive poetic language are the conduit for compelling characters like the water diviner, who plays an essential role in people’s lives, yet simultaneously inspires their fear and revulsion,” he said.

“The Water Diviner transports us to the world, little known in the Arabic novel, of the riverbeds and the aflaj [water channels] of Oman, showing how natural forces influence the relationship between individuals, environment and culture.”

Professor Yasir Suleiman, chairman of the award’s board of trustees, praised Alqasmi’s rich prose and use of authentic Omani colloquialisms.

“The novel takes the reader into a world dominated by vulnerability and ready-made modes of thinking,” he said.

“Written in exquisite language suffused with the local cadences, the novel charms the reader with its narrative flow and poetic impulse.

The Water Diviner was one of six shortlisted novels , which included The Highest Part of the Horizon by Saudi author Fatima Abdulhamid, published by Masciliana in the UAE.

All shortlisted authors will receive a $10,000 prize.

Who is Zahran Alqasmi?

Born in the agriculture region of Dima Wattayeen in northern Oman, Alqasmi is a prolific author – having published four novels, 10 poetry books and two Biography of the Stone short story collections,released in 2009 and 2011.

In an interview on the IPAF website, he says the novel was inspired by his experience growing up in rural Oman.

“Anyone looking at life in the Sultanate of Oman will find that it largely depends upon an old system for providing water for drinking and agriculture, the system of the aflaj,” he said.

“They are a complicated social system, linked to social and class strata. Water is divided in equal shares throughout the year so that the owners of gardens can take what is due to them.

“Since I am a son of one of these villages, since my early childhood I have known a lot about the system of aflaj and heard many astonishing stories and legends connected with this system.

“This enriched me as I wrote the novel. I imagined the environment of the book as an Omani village. I visualised its paths, gardens, alleyways. It was easy at that time to write the chapters fluidly.”

Alqasmi will make his first public appearance after winning the prize at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair on Monday.

Taking place at the Ayasofya Stage at 8.45pm, the discussion will include the shortlisted authors and centre on their works and the challenges facing modern Arabic fiction.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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2023 International Prize for Arabic Fiction Awards winner Zahran Alqasmi, centre, with Jonathan Taylor, left and Zaki Nusseibeh, cultural adviser to the President of the UAE. Victor Besa / The National

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OMAN

LIBYA: 42nd Sharjah International Book Fair names Arab author Ibrahim Al-Koni as ‘Cultural Personality of the Year’

Libyan novelist has written 81 books which have been translated into 40 languages.

The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has named Ibrahim Al-Koni, Libyan writer and novelist, as the ‘Cultural Personality of the Year’ for the 42nd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF). The fair, which will open on November 1, will run till November 12.

The authority said the honour is in recognition of his profound impact on both the Arab and global cultural and literary spheres and his invaluable contributions. Al-Koni’s exceptional efforts have enriched the literary world and has been instrumental in spotlighting Arab authors on the global stage, with his literary works being translated into over 40 languages, finding a place in the curricula of universities worldwide, including those in Europe, America, Japan, and beyond.

The choice of Al-Koni for this accolade aligns with SBA’s mission to celebrate distinguished individuals in the realms of thought, literature, history and the arts. These notable figures have not only enhanced the cultural heritage but have also created impactful works that have left a lasting imprint on both the Arab and global stages across a spectrum of literary and intellectual domains, the SBA said.

Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, said, “The authority believes that honouring cultural and literary figures is an important step in building the cultural identity of any civilisation and nation. Thanks to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate has become a platform for honouring Arabs whose thought and literary contributions have become a cornerstone of literature and knowledge. This includes the Libyan writer and novelist Ibrahim Al-Koni, whose recognition today asserts the strength of literature, culture, and knowledge in presenting the Arab identity to the world’s cultures.

“This recognition introduces the younger Arab generations to a prominent figure who has a significant and influential presence in the Arab and global cultural scene. Al-Koni’s portfolio includes more than 80 books in the fields of novels, literary studies, criticism, linguistics, history, and politics, serving as a source of inspiration and pride for Arabs. They are a testament to his strength and ability to compete in the realms of knowledge and culture, earning high recognition as one of the most prominent influencers in the Arab cultural landscape and one of the most widely recognised Arab authors in the world.”

81 books in 40 languages

Al-Koni was born in Ghadames, Libya, in 1948. He is among the most prominent contemporary Arab novelists and has been a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature on several occasions. He obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in literary and critical sciences in 1977 from the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow. He has worked in various journalistic and diplomatic roles around the world, with his most recent being a diplomatic advisor at the Libyan Embassy in Switzerland. Al-Koni is proficient in eight languages, including Tamasheq, Arabic, Russian, English, Polish, German, Spanish, and Latin.

The prolific Libyan writer has authored 81 books in various fields, and has been translated into more than 40 languages. He was selected by the French Lire Magazine as one of the top 50 contemporary world novelists, and received wide acclaim from cultural, critical, academic, and official circles around the globe.

Al-Koni has received numerous regional and international awards, including the Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity in 2008.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Ibrahim Al-Koni, Libyan writer and novelist, who has been named as the ‘Cultural Personality of the Year’ for the 42nd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair. Image Credit: Supplied

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LIBYA

International Prize for Arabic Fiction 2021: Jordanian Writer Jalal Barjas named Winner

Jalal Barjas (aka) Jalal Barjes. Author. Writer. Poet. Novelist

Jordanian writer Jalal Barjas has won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his work Notebooks of the Bookseller.

The novel, published by The Arabic Institute for Research and Publishing, was named this year’s winner of the prize during an online ceremony.

Besides receiving a monetary prize of $50,000, Barjas will also be given funding towards securing an English translation of his novel.

Notebooks of the Bookseller is set in Jordan and Moscow between 1947 and 2019. It tells the story of Ibrahim, a bookseller and voracious reader, who loses his shop and finds himself homeless and diagnosed with schizophrenia. He begins to assume the identity of the protagonists of the novels he loved and commits a series of crimes, including burglary, theft and murder. He then attempts suicide before meeting a woman who changes his perspective on life.

Born in 1970, Barjas is a Jordanian poet and novelist who worked in the field of aeronautical engineering for several years. He is currently head of the Jordanian Narrative Laboratory and presents a radio programme called House of the Novel. He has also written articles for Jordanian newspapers and headed several other cultural organisations.

Barjas’s published work includes two poetry collections and four novels. His 2012 short story The Earthquakes won the Jordanian Rukus ibn Za’id ʻUzayzi Prize.

His 2013 novel Guillotine of the Dreamer won the Jordanian Rifqa Doudin Prize for Narrative Creativity in 2014. His Snakes of Hell won the 2015 Katara Prize for the Arabic Novel in the unpublished novel category, and was published by Katara in 2016. His third novel, Women of the Five Senses, was longlisted for the Ipaf in 2019.

Notebooks of the Bookseller was chosen by the Ipaf judges from a shortlist of six novels by authors from Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.

The shortlisted works were all published between July 2019 and August 2020 and included The Eye of Hammurabi by Abdulatif Ould Abdullah, The Calamity of the Nobility by Amira Ghneim, The Bird Tattoo by Dunya Mikhail, File 42 by Abdelmajid Sabbath and Longing for the Woman Next Door by Habib Selmi.

The shortlisted authors will receive $10,000 each.

source/content: thenationalnews.com

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JORDAN