photo by Richard Sammour “The experience of living in a country like Syria is very enriching despite its cruelty” Dima Wannous is a Syrian writer currently living in London. For her, writing is both an escape and a way to make sense of life as a Syrian. Dima studied French Literature at Damascus University and … Continue reading The Frightened
Articles
“Answer me, Leila”
This beautiful book is a playful retelling of the fairy tale Rapunzel, but with a twist. Leila and Sami keep missing each other: she sits up in her high tower waiting for him, but no matter how many times he comes and calls for her, she doesn’t answer. He wonders why, until he realizes … Continue reading “Answer me, Leila”
TOMORROW
This is a moving and thought-provoking illustrated story dedicated to Syrian children faced with anxiety and fear during the Syrian civil war. But it’s a powerful tale that will resonate with all readers, particularly those who have never considered what it is like to be a child in a warzone. Yazen hasn’t been to school … Continue reading TOMORROW
THE JASMINE SNEEZE
Libraries are at the heart of the community and they have the potential to bring people together while also offering individuals life-changing opportunities. One important way that libraries can encourage immigrant and refugee families to visit is to stock a range of picture books for younger readers in bilingual and monolingual editions in a … Continue reading THE JASMINE SNEEZE
A Woman in the Crossfire: Diaries of the Syrian Revolution
Reading A Woman in the Crossfire in the Fall of 2012 was not easy; the pain and suffering, both personal and collective, recorded by Samar Yazbek during the first one hundred days of Syria’s uprising against the regime continues unabated, and shamelessly without any effective international effort to relieve the suffering of civilians coming … Continue reading A Woman in the Crossfire: Diaries of the Syrian Revolution
Damascus Nights
Storytelling is among the oldest forms of communication. Storytelling is the commonality of all human beings, in all places, in all times. – Rives Collins, American author and Northwestern University professor. Thus through the ages from Homer to Chaucer to Scheherazade to Shakespeare to Dickens, and to all the modern day tale tellers, and … Continue reading Damascus Nights
Syria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Frontline
Syria Speaks is a collection of “art and culture from the frontline” of the Syrian revolution published simultaneously in English and Arabic at a time when the revolution had been underway for three years and been transformed into an armed conflict in which millions of Syrians had been displaced both internally and externally, and in … Continue reading Syria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Frontline
Publisher Spotlight: University of Hawai’i Press
Looking to add to Asia and South Pacific collections? University of Hawai’i Press is renowned for predominantly publishing nonfiction from or about Hawai’i, Asia, and the South Pacific, and is a consistent resource for a diverse array of memoir, biography, and academic titles in translation. In fact, their publishing team will release seven translated titles … Continue reading Publisher Spotlight: University of Hawai’i Press
Dear World: A Syrian Girl’s Story of War and Plea for Peace
It’s hard for the average Western middle-class child, ensconced in relative safety, to imagine what it must be like to live in a country that is experiencing a revolution. ‘Dear World: A Syrian Girl's Story of War and Plea for Peace’ by Bana Alabed, is a short, compelling book written by a mother and daughter … Continue reading Dear World: A Syrian Girl’s Story of War and Plea for Peace
International Banned Book Review: Candy by Mian Mian
Andrea Lingenfelter’s translation of Mian Mian’s Candy is like reading Kathy Acker—it’s disgusting but also accessible in the sense that it’s like reading the work of a rock star. It’s unwilling to be understood, but the questions it poses about conformity and overindulgence makes for a rewarding read. Hong, the protagonist, narrates her story with … Continue reading International Banned Book Review: Candy by Mian Mian
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 