What is this thing you call "Chinese Literature"? “Chinese literature” is often a conveniently nebulous term that means different things to different people. It can refer to China as a geographical or political entity – except not everyone agrees on what that is. Or it can be a linguistic description, referring to what is sometimes … Continue reading Chinese Literature FAQ – by Dave Haysom
Read Paper Republic: An Introduction – by Dave Haysom
“I like the idea that you could have actual readable pieces hanging off the database, like ornaments on a Christmas tree. So as you go browsing, you also find things to read.” “This is something I’m really keen on!” “A catchy title would help, e.g. #TranslationThursday Weekly Story. (Sorry, that's not very catchy.)” “We don't … Continue reading Read Paper Republic: An Introduction – by Dave Haysom
What is Paper Republic?
The wonderful people over at the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative have designated February as China month, and have asked us to help! So for a whole month, we'll be posting on the GLLI site and on Paper Republic. First post - for the GLLI readers - what is Paper Republic? Who are we and what … Continue reading What is Paper Republic?
Excerpt from Hassan Daoud’s Naguib Mahfouz Medal-winning ‘No Road to Paradise’
"I was the one who must go to Najaf for training as an imam, he told me, and not my brother, who loathed study of any kind. It looked to me like I was being offered up as a sacrifice."
Translating Dystopia: An Excerpt from Yasser Abdel Hafez’s ‘The Book of Safety’
"I’ve no experience with children, but generally speaking, shouldn’t they seem joyous and uninhibited?"
Be Part of International Reading Campaign: ‘One Book, Many Communities’ in April 2017
This year's book is Ghassan Kanafani's classic Returning to Haifa, originally published in Arabic in 1969 and translated into English by Barbara Harlow.
An Excerpt from Mohamed Rabie’s Prize-winning Dystopia ‘Otared’
“Price of entry is one unopened packet of cigarettes. No weapons here. If you’re carrying a weapon, chuck it down that hole, now. No talking to the pedestrians and no looking at their faces. If you’re carrying a mask, then put it on; otherwise cover your face with a scarf or a sheet of newspaper."
A Brief Tour Through Four Major Arabic Literature Prizes
Today, the International Prize for Arabic Fiction -- the most glittery and high-profile prize for Arabic literature -- put out its 2017 longlist. We take this opportunity to look at some of the major pan-Arab literary prizes, particularly those that promote translation into English.
New Egyptian Literary Voices: Dystopias, Thrillers, Graphic Novels, and Future Histories
Look for excerpts of two of these novels forthcoming next week on GLLI!
Translations for Teens: Young Adult Literature from the Arabic
Since the middle of the last decade, tens of innovative novels for tweens and teens have started appearing in Arabic each year.
