A poem for spring–for thawing out, for growth, for warmth, for vacation. My husband and I recently learned that we are expecting a son in the fall. Facing the prospect of motherhood is complex for me: I don’t picture myself as a mother yet. Aren’t parents all grown up? This poem does a nice job, I think, of reminding all of us of our inner children, our childlike nature, perhaps our best selves…
Source for English text: This Same Sky poetry collection by Naomi Shihab Nye
Egypt has prioritized its film industry more than any other Arab nation, and it shows in the quantity and quality of its output. (It also shows in the predominance of Egyptian Arabic throughout Arabic media internationally.) The following films stand out to me for their entertainment value and also for their intellectual contribution to social…
Relating to the MENA/SWANA region Discretion by Faïza Guène | The best Algerian novel to my knowledge, it recounts the experience of an Algerian family fitting into life in Paris. Likeable characters, provides a view of Algerian colonial and postcolonial experience. Available in French and English. I picked this up after reading an interview with…
[[Update: Recording of this Reading now available here. The introduction of Melanie Magidow and Reem Bassiouney begins at 28:15. Melanie Magidow introduces the book at 29:45. Reem Bassiouney’s reading begins at 31:15. Melanie Magidow’s reading of the English is 34:50-38:00.]] It’s August, and time once again to celebrate Women in Translation (#WiT) Month! This initiative was…
I have a new translated short story online at K1N here ! The author, Somaya Ramadan, and I discussed its publication ages ago. It’s nice to have it see the light of day at last. This story comes from a fun volume titled Qalat al-Rawiya / قالت الراوية / What She Said, which consists of…
What’s fun to read if you’re learning Arabic? (And if you like shopping during the winter holiday season, you can think of these for a friend who is learning Arabic)… The following are my personal favorites and go-to reads for Arabic learners and those interested in the Arab region: Non-Fiction Dreams of Trespass: Tales of…
Today I learned of Emily Nasrallah’s passing. As a student at NYU, I used to shop at the Dahesh Heritage bookshop (since closed, sadly). The kind and helpful shopkeeper, Mike Masri, is the one who first mentioned her to me, placing her book Fi l-bal / In Mind, in my outstretched hands. This book of…
Source for English text: This Same Sky poetry collection by Naomi Shihab Nye
