This week, our editors-at-large report from Bulgaria and Egypt, taking us to book fairs and prize ceremonies. From the passing of a giant of Egyptian children’s literature to the arrival of literary stars in Bulgaria, read on to find out more!
Andriana Hamas, Editor-at-Large, Reporting from Bulgaria
The fiftieth anniversary edition of the Sofia International Book Fair graced the beginning of December. It took place over five days in the National Palace of Culture and saw the participation of approximately 160 publishing houses. Its motto was, quite fittingly, “We create stories. We create history.”
In an interview for the Nova News channel, Veselin Todorov, former longtime chairman of the Bulgarian Book Association revealed some intriguing details about the fair’s conception: “We began this tradition fifty-five years ago. However, we are celebrating our golden jubilee only now because on several occasions during socialist times, it was decided for the fair to be held every other year instead of every year. It all started back in 1968, in the Universiada Hall. Todor Zhivkov [former de facto leader of Bulgaria] inaugurated the event—a pompous and noisy affair. He even claimed it was one of the biggest such fairs in Eastern Europe.”
Literary critic Amelia Licheva also commented on the festival in her opening-day interview for the independent media platform Toest: “The boldest ambition of the team in charge of the cultural program (both Daria Karapetkova and I are part of it this year) is to attract real stars. Bulgaria is a small market with a bad image abroad and it is rather difficult, but we do not give up easily. Actually, our efforts finally paid off. The Bulgarian public will be able to meet with Franco Moretti, Leïla Slimani, Dacia Maraini, Stefan Hertmans, Ia Genberg, and Agustina Bazterrica. We are hoping to cultivate a taste in the audience for the issues of global importance and get more people to attend these discussions. This would mean a success not only for the festival but also for the role of literature in the present day.”
What better way to end 2023 than with hope for the literary future of 2024?
Ibrahim Fawzy, Editor-at-Large, reporting from Egypt
People throughout the Mashreq and the Maghreb are grieving the loss of Yacoub El-Sharouni, an Egyptian Santa Claus who filled children’s hearts and minds with literary gifts. El-Sharouni passed away on November 23 at the age of 92, ending his long and successful career. El-Sharouni penned a symphony of books tailored to the hearts and minds of Arab children and teenagers. His literary oeuvre ــــ four hundred children’s books ــــ translated into a myriad of languages not only stirred international imagination but also claimed prestigious accolades, including Egypt’s State Appreciation Award in literature in 2020. In 2019, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Book Club selected his novel ليلة النار “The Night of Fire” as one of the best Arab novels for raising awareness among children about the fight against poverty. El-Sharouni’s style is characterized by simplicity and clarity, making it an ideal choice for addressing children. Having accomplished his life purpose, El-Sharouni left this world after spending a lifetime delving into the depths of the Egyptian cultural heritage; he weaved the narrative threads of this heritage, bringing it back to life and preserving its essence and spirit. Brilliantly, he presented it in a modern form full of wonder and amazement.
In other news, important prize announcements have been made throughout the region. The Oman-based Bait AlGhasham Museum and the UK-based Dar Arab Publishing House announced their inaugural ‘Bait AlGhasham Dar Arab Translation Prize’ shortlist in two categories: the translators’ category ــــ a prize for the publication of an unpublished English translation of a literary work originally written in Arabic ــــ and the Author’s Category which is a prize for the publication (and of course translation) of an unpublished literary work in Arabic. According to the organizers, the prize is designed to acknowledge outstanding translations of Arabic literature into English. Its goal is to address the issue of insufficient translated and published Arabic literature in English. By introducing modern Arabic literary works to English-speaking readers worldwide, the prize aims to promote Arab writers and their works to a global audience. Out of 127 works submitted to the authors’ category, five were shortlisted, including works from four Arab countries: Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and Sudan. I was surprised that no novels were on the shortlist, despite living in the “era of the novel,” as stated by the late Egyptian critic Gaber Asfour. The works include 4 short-story collections and a poetry collection: Rema Hmoud’s ما تبقى مني “What Remains of Me”, Adel Al-Ghannam’s غزة – نيويورك “Gaza-NewYork”, Izzat Abdul Aal’s غرفة مغلقة ومعطف أسود “A Closed Room and A Black Coat,” Maneeb Mukhtar’s حيلة أخرى “Another Trick,” and Yas al-Sa’eedi’s poetry collection أنباء الهواجس موجز “Thoughts News Brief.” The longest shortlist ــــ of 11 titles ــــ is in the translators’ category. It’s a bit of a grab bag, which brings together novels, biographies, short stories, and poetry collections. A meager number of valid applications highlighted “the shortage of professionals in this important area” and reflected “the reality of large ignorance in translating Arabic literature to other languages.” So, “the judges,” according to organizers, “have decided to expand the shortlist by including all qualified participators in the translators’ category in appreciation for their efforts.”
Egyptian writer and illustrator Deena Mohamed’s self-translated graphic novel Your Wish Is My Command [Granta, 2023] won the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation. Your Wish Is My Command ـــ originally published in Arabic in three volumes in 2017, 2019, and 2021ـــ is a work of art in image and words. The judges described Deena’s work as a “spellbinding narrative, a visual tour de force, and a unified work of art.” The novel delves into the imaginative realm of buying and selling wishes, exploring the intriguing notion of what could transpire if such transactions were possible. This captivating tale seamlessly weaves fantastical elements with the mundane realities of the bustling city of Cairo in Egypt. The characters navigate their lives amidst the vibrant chaos of the city, grappling with the various challenges that come their way.
Last, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) has recently revealed the longlist for its 2024 edition, featuring 44 entries across three categories: literature, young author, and children’s literature. Among the selected works, 6 titles by Egyptian authors have made it to the list. These titles cover a diverse range of genres and styles, including Reem Bassiouny’s الحلواني: ثلاثية الفاطميين “Al-Halawani: The Fatimid Trilogy,” andالطاهي يقتل، الكاتب ينتحر “The Chef Kills, The Writer Commits Suicide” by Ezzat ElKamhawy in the literature category, Mohamed Arab Saleh’s قارب ورقي يحرس النهر “A Paper Boat Guarding the River,” and غواية الفناء “The Temptation of Morality” by Hala Saleh Elsayyad in the young author category, and Mariana Barsoum’s عالم خاص “A Private World,” and Ahmed Korany’s يشبه السندباد الولد الذي “The Boy Who Looks Like Sindbad” in children’s literature category.
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Read more on the Asymptote blog:
- Weekly Dispatches from the Frontlines of World Literature (December 8, 2023)
- Weekly Dispatches from the Frontlines of World Literature (December 1, 2023)
- Weekly Dispatches from the Frontlines of World Literature (November 24, 2023)