Ghada Abdel Aal’s hilarious blog, عايزة أتجوز / I Want to Get Married was turned into a book, which has been translated into several languages. It was also adapted to an Egyptian musalsal / TV show. You can see it here. There are reviews of the book in The National here and on Muslimah Media Watch here.
Hind Sabry
I heard Ghada Abdel Aal speak in Austin, TX in 2010, and she seemed extremely intelligent, witty, and articulate.
Mikhail Naimy (1889-1998), an Arab-American who served in the U.S. army in WWI, wrote the following poem in 1924 to provide hope and support to fellow immigrants. I include it here today as a reminder to all of us to pause when we are faced with challenges. I understand “close your eyes” here as a call to look inside or to be mindful of the present moment to gain a new perspective.
This month, for a change, I’m just sharing a poem here. Maya Angelou’s Human Family reminds us of our connectedness. I had the honor to hear her speak in Austin, Texas. For me, she provides the voice of one our collective grandmothers, like a lighthouse in the distance or a signpost on our collective journey. Enjoy! Audio here:
Human Family I note the obvious differences in the human family. Some of us are serious, some thrive on comedy.
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. – William Shakespeare Flowers in Morocco
This past year, like the quote above, made the whole world kin in terms of our common experience of hardship. In the United States, the pandemic period has included movement toward and away from inclusivity of diversity. As the number of vaccines increases and public locations begin opening again, I revisit two examples of spring festivals in the MENA region.
Having posted Kids & YA book recommendations last month, this month I’d like to share some of my favorite MENA-related fiction and non-fiction selections that I read roughly in the past year. If you want to learn more about MENA and/or participate in a community of readers, check out the MENA Lit Group on goodreads.com .
Fiction
A Recipe for Daphne, Last Train to Istanbul, What Happened to Zeeko *A Recipe for Daphne by Nektaria Anastasiadou | *A delightful mix of lighthearted comedy and weighty issues of identity and history in Turkey.
Here is my latest list of book recommendations for children and young adults, whether for libraries, schools, or homes. These focus on Arabic language and culture (my specialty), but I’ve included bonus Spanish selections at the end. I have read all these books and hope you will enjoy them too!
Kids:
Salma the Syrian Chef, Yaffa and Fatima, The Sandwich Swap Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan – A Syrian girl figures out how to help her mother and herself feel more at home in Vancouver, Canada.
Hisham al-Gokh gave a stunning live performance of this poem – see here. When this poem first came out, several years ago, it captured my attention with its simplicity and its brave criticism. He points the finger of blame at authorities in the Arab region, but there is also a note of self-criticism.
Hisham al-Gokh’s live, televised performance of Al-Tashira / The Visa
It’s time to post a new translation of this poem now because this is a powerful poem about tackling problems in one’s own society, owning up to the failure of childhood dreams and empty ideologies, and giving voice to the dreams that live on and provide hope for a better future for all.
In the current climate, audio and video sources are on the rise, but reading remains a key skill for language learners. For those learners who already love to read (in any language), extensive reading can be a powerhouse for their progress toward increased proficiency in Arabic. This 2-part series is based on research in language teaching, with a focus on learners of Arabic whose L1 (first language) is English. It is intended for both educators and learners of Arabic (whether in a classroom or in an independent learning environment).
Mhani Alaoui is a rising star in literature from Morocco. See below for reviews of her two novels. Thanks to Interlink for providing access to interesting voices and perspectives!
Dreams of Maryam Tair Cover
Dreams of Maryam Tair: Blue Boots and Orange Blossoms by Mhani Alaoui
Dreams of Maryam Tair is a tour de force, the most powerful novel I have yet to read in English about contemporary Morocco. I think that prior to reading this book, I would have recommended Leila Abouzeid’s Year of the Elephant for a novel about modern Morocco and women’s experiences.
Flyer for upcoming WiT Virtual Reading Series
[[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 started six years ago by blogger Meytal Radzinski with the purpose of focusing on translating words by women or nonbinary authors and working toward gender parity in literary publishing—so important to freedom of expression throughout the world.
