Middle East/North African Lit discussion

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to say hi to everyone and let you all know that even though I did not participate in the last few group reads I am still very much interested in reading with you all in 2017.
The books I read on my challenge to read Women authors were some of my best reads this year https://www.goodreads.com/user_challe... and I have this group Nile Daughter, Marieke and Melanie to thank for that! So a big "Shukran " to the mods in this group and I look forward to reading again with you next year!

Hi Lila , thank you so much for your kind words ! and thank you for being with us and helping us . This group's success is because we have wonderful members like you who made our discussions richer :)

I am looking forward having more activities in 2017 , I am sorry we have been busy lately and that we are not active as we used to be :( ...yet , we arranged for some readings in the frist months of 2017 that I hope they will bring us rich discussions and I hope we can plan for some more with you all :)

Please share any ideas or suggestions for the group in the new year .

Niledaughter wrote: "Hi Lila , thank you so much for your kind words ! and thank you for being with us and helping us . This group's success is because we have wonderful members like you who made our discussions richer..."

Thanks This is a wonderful group!
For me having a challenge is a great way to read new books. It does not have to be a crazy number of books. Last year I did the one for Egypt and for female authors. Many of the books were very good.
I'd like to continue to discover new authors.

Thanks so much, Lila...what are some challenge ideas that you think would inspire your reading?

I liked doing the Women's Lit challenge, too.

Marieke wrote: "Thanks so much, Lila...what are some challenge ideas that you think would inspire your reading?

I liked doing the Women's Lit challenge, too."

I can always read more Woman's lit! I am also interested in reading some newer authors, possibly also authors in exil.

I wasn't very active last year, but continue to be interested in reading in this area. Two newer titles that I'm curious about are:

1. Frankenstein in Baghdad (when it comes out in English, can't find update on when OneWorld Penguin expects to finish translation; it's available in Italian in electronic versions.) (magical realism, won 2014 International Prize for Arabic Fiction [IPAF])

New Yorker article

2. Iraq + 100 (short stories set 100 years in future imagining what Iraq the country is like)

NPR Review Arab Lit Blog description Available in paperback format only, I believe.

Availability may limit how appropriate these are for this group, since we're all over the world.

This list of top 15 Arab literary works available in (English) translation in 2017 is most interesting:

https://arablit.org/2016/12/27/forthc...

Hello everyone , Happy new year ! :D

Lila wrote: "I can always read more Woman's lit! I am also interested in reading some newer authors, possible also authors in exil. ..."

Great ideas Lila ! we will see what we can arrange .

Ardene wrote: "I wasn't very active last year, but continue to be interested in reading in this area. Two newer titles that I'm curious about are:

1. Frankenstein in Baghdad (when it comes out in English, can't ..."
You are not the only one who has not been active :|)

I though of reading "Frankenstein in Baghdad" but I did not find the mood to fit it in .

Are you interested in reading about Iraq in general ?

Carol wrote: "This list of top 15 Arab literary works available in (English) translation in 2017 is most interesting:

https://arablit.org/2016/12/27/forthc..."

Thanks for sharing !:)

Although they don't look like light reading, I would definitely be interested in reading
Frankenstein in Baghdad and Iraq + 100: stories from a century after the invasion
The following books all look appealing and I'd read them either in a group read or in a challenge:
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami
The Blue Between Sky and Waterby Susan Abulhawa
The Dove's Necklace by Raja Alem

I second the ones you identified, Lila, with the caveat the The Dove's Necklace is a door stopper that might work better as a buddy read over two months.

I'm also interested in reading the following as group reads or part of a challenge:

The Woman Who Read Too Much by Bahíyyih Nakhjavání
Woman at Point Zero
No One Sleeps in Alexandria by Ibrahim Abdel Meguid
Love In Exile by Bahaa Taher
Zabelle by Nancy Kricorian
The Pomegranate Lady and Her Sons: Selected Stories by Goli Taraghi (short stories)
The Walking by Laleh Khadivi (it's the second of a trilogy, but is generally read as a stand-alone)

I wanted to read "The Dove's Necklace " for a while now !

Thank you all for the recommendations , we will try to arrange them into polls or any other suitable format , but we were wondering about the possibility of members volunteering to lead some book discussions ?

Niledaughter wrote: "I wanted to read "The Dove's Necklace " for a while now !

Thank you all for the recommendations , we will try to arrange them into polls or any other suitable format , but we were wondering about ..."

I would be willing to moderate a discussion later in the year, e.g., I'm already over-committed to moderating GR's discussions during Q1, and don't want to let this group down by dropping the ball on a discussion.

Here are some books that I'm interested in reading some day, as well as some mentioned above. Carol, thanks for your willingness to moderate a discussion. That would be wonderful.

Recent Novels:
- عناق عند جسر بروكلين / Embrace on Brooklyn Bridge
- نساء الكرنتينا / Women of Karantina

Young Adult:
- The Green Bicycle
- The Turtle of Oman

20th Century Novel:
- الباب المفتوح / The Open Door
- شقة الحرية / An Apartment Called Freedom
- وكالة عطية / The Lodging House

Historical Novel:
- Tree of Pearls, Queen of Egypt
- جارات أبي موسى / Abu Musa's Women Neighbors

Memoirs:
- التلصص / Stealth
- مذكرات طبيبة / Memoirs of a Woman Doctor
- Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood

Poetry:
- Desert Voices: Bedouin Women's Poetry in Saudi Arabia

Alex wrote: "Hello all. I would like to put in a plug for Moroccan author Youssef Fadel, who has just had two novels published in English translation this past year (full disclosure, I am the translator of one ..."

These sound great. Thanks for suggesting them! Here are links to the books: A Rare Blue Bird Flies with Me and A Beautiful White Cat Walks with Me

The English version of Alaa al Aswany's new book, The Automobile Club of Egypt, is released tomorrow. Looking forward to getting my hands on it.

Carol wrote: "Niledaughter wrote: "I would be willing to moderate a discussion later in the year, e.g., I'm already over-committed to moderating GR's discussions during Q1, and don't want to let this group down by dropping the ball on a discussion. ..."

That is great , thanks ! we can discuss the details once the books reading map is more clearer . you mean starting from June ?

Peter wrote: "The English version of Alaa al Aswany's new book, The Automobile Club of Egypt, is released tomorrow. Looking forward to getting my hands on it."

I wanted to read The Automobile Club of Egypt for a while now , so many books to read !

Anyone is up to lead The Silence and the Roardiscussion starting from March 15 ?

Niledaughter wrote: "Anyone is up to lead The Silence and the Roardiscussion starting from March 15 ?"

I read it already a while back. I even remember talking about it here! Wasn't there already a discussion thread for it?

I found another list:
100 RECOMMENDED BOOKS BY ARAB WOMEN FOR YOUR 2017 READING RESOLUTIONS
http://bookriot.com/2017/01/06/100-re...

Lila wrote: "Niledaughter wrote: "Anyone is up to lead The Silence and the Roardiscussion starting from March 15 ?"

I read it already a while back. I even remember talking about it here! Wasn't..."

Wow. A great find, this.

I am in the process of getting ready to move so I may not be active for a few weeks. but I did keep my copy of "Birds of Amber" out of the packed boxes so I can read with the group. I'll check in as I can meanwhile.

Sue wrote: "I am in the process of getting ready to move so I may not be active for a few weeks. but I did keep my copy of "Birds of Amber" out of the packed boxes so I can read with the group. I'll check in a..."

Best of luck with your move, Sue!

Carol wrote: "Sue wrote: "I am in the process of getting ready to move so I may not be active for a few weeks. but I did keep my copy of "Birds of Amber" out of the packed boxes so I can read with the group. I'l..."

Thanks Carol

Lila wrote: " read it already a while back. I even remember talking about it here! Wasn't there already a discussion thread for it? ..."

No it was recommended by a member somewhere that is why it was included in the polls , we have not get the chance to discuss it in as a group read .

Lila wrote: "I found another list:
100 RECOMMENDED BOOKS BY ARAB WOMEN FOR YOUR 2017 READING RESOLUTIONS..."

Thanks fro sharing ! I am glad we read some of them in the group .

Sue wrote: "I am in the process of getting ready to move so I may not be active for a few weeks. but I did keep my copy of "Birds of Amber" out of the packed boxes so I can read with the group. I'll check in a..."

Good luck ! I really hope you can join the discussion :)

Niledaughter wrote: "Lila wrote: " read it already a while back. I even remember talking about it here! Wasn't there already a discussion thread for it? ..."

No it was recommended by a member somewhere that is why it ..."

I definitely plan to as I loved the first book and have been looking forward to reading this one. Can you remind me when the planned start date is?

More recommendations :
Young authors : Vertigo
Dystopia : Utopia

Sue wrote: "I definitely plan to as I loved the first book and have been looking forward to reading this one. Can you remind me when the planned start date is?..."

:)
February first .

Niledaughter wrote: "Lila wrote: " read it already a while back. I even remember talking about it here! Wasn't there already a discussion thread for it? ..."

No it was recommended by a member somewhere that is why it was included in the polls , we have not get the chance to discuss it in as a group read ...."

You're right! I mixed it up with The Hedgehog which is also by a Syrian author. I read both books around the same time and that's why the mix up. The Silence and the Roar is very good! I don't think I'll re-read it, but I'll still pop by the discussion thread.

Hi Everyone! I've been working on the 2017 Challenge and would greatly appreciate it if you all could check it out and give feedback!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Thanks!

Thank you for sharing the lists from arab lit blog & book riot and others. I hope to read 2-4 books from this category this year, and will be looking at these lists as well as what the group decides to read together.

Message #8 Niledaughter - It's not so much Iraq, as it is these two books are "crossing over" into science fiction, a genre I also like to read.

Ardene wrote: "Message #8 Niledaughter - It's not so much Iraq, as it is these two books are "crossing over" into science fiction, a genre I also like to read...."

I see , I hope you will find what interests you this year in our readings :)