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Arabic fiction prize reveals shortlist

29.01.08

Organisers of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction have revealed a six-strong shortlist for its inaugural award this year. The shortlisted titles are Jabbour Douaihy's June Rain, Elias Farkouh's The Land of Purgatory, Khaled Khalifa's In Praise of Hate, May Menassa's Walking in the Dust, Mekkaoui Said's Swan Song and Baha Taher's Sunset Oasis, and each author receives $10,000. They were chosen from 131 entries from 18 countries.

The new prize aims to encourage wider readership of quality Arabic literature internationally. Speaking at the shortlist announcement today (29th January, Jonathan Taylor, chair of the prize board of trustees, said that "a further objective of the prize is to ensure translation and publication of the winning work in other languages".

The prize was officially launched in Abu Dhabi in April 2007 in association with the Booker Prize Foundation, and with the support of the Emirates Foundation.

The final winner, who receives an additional $50,000, will be announced on 10th March at a ceremony in Abu Dhabi.

The judging panel comprises Mohammed Bennis, Moroccan poet and critic; Mohammed Berrada, Moroccan writer and critic; Feissal Darraj, Palestinian writer and critic; Ghalia Kabbani, Syrian writer and journalist; Samuel Shimon, Iraqi writer and journalist; Paul Starkey, British writer and translator.

Prize International Prize for Arabic Fiction

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