Ehkili | Books & Literature from the Arab World

What Will People Think? | Sara Hamdan on the Jimmy Fallon Book Club Shortlist

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Author Sara Hamdan discusses her journey to becoming a published writer and the nuanced storytelling behind her book, "What Will People Think?" from its unexpected appearance on Jimmy Fallon's Book Club shortlist to navigating the complexities of Palestinian heritage in her work. Hamdan delves into the importance of collaboration in creative fields, the value of allowing one's work time "to breathe", and her perspective on choosing to write a basic Palestinian love story that's loaded with humor.

0:00 Introduction

2:16 The Opaque Publishing Industry

3:07 Life as an Author & the Overall Big Dream

3:38 From Finance to Creative Pursuit

4:37 The Power of Authorial Validation

5:20 The Value of Creative Courses and Collaboration

6:53 The Scientific Nature of Comedy Writing

7:45 The Unexpected Love Story

9:03 The Appeal of "What Will People Think?"

10:59 Packaging a Romantic Comedy with Depth

12:00 A Palestinian Narrative

12:42 The Elevator Pitch for the Book

14:34 The Evolution of the Story

16:18 Learning from Past Works

19:36 Developing an Instinct for Storytelling

21:34 Empowering Storytellers in the Region

24:49 Commercial vs. Creative Support

26:57 The Organic Creative Scene in Lebanon

28:00 Empowering the Next Generation of Authors

29:19 Literary Crushes

31:24 The Allure of Scripts and Screenwriting

32:51 The Blueprint for Screen Adaptation

34:08 The Surreal Jimmy Fallon Announcement

37:45 Navigating Media Narratives and Empathy

40:07 Joy as a Basic Human Right

40:28 Communicating with Nuance Amidst Infuriation

43:40 Hustle Culture and Sustainable Creativity

47:23 Meditation as a Superpower

48:02 Book Recommendations

Sara Hamdan is a Palestinian journalist and editor raised in Greece and currently living in Dubai. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, she pursued a career in finance and worked as a banker at Merrill Lynch. She eventually transitioned to a career in media after getting a master's degree in journalism at Columbia University. She worked as a business and culture reporter for The New York Times based in Dubai before becoming an editor-in-chief at Google. In her free time, Sara also pursued her love of creative writing and won a Netflix short story award. Encouraged by the win, she completed her debut novel featuring the same central character: a female Arab-American stand-up comedian. Sara now regularly moderates high level conferences and hosts podcasts.

Connect with Sara Hamdan 👉 https://instagram.com/bysarahamdan

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊

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THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
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🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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The Hollow Half: a Memoir of Bodies and Borders | Sarah Aziza

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Wed, 3 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +0000

The author discussed her multigenerational Palestinian family memoir "The Hollow Half: A Memoir of Bodies and Borders," which spans from mandate Palestine to the present day. Sarah Aziza reflects on her relationship with her Palestinian identity, the complexities of being "half" something, and her lifelong journey with the Arabic language. The conversation also touches upon the impact of the ongoing events in Gaza on her work and the ethical choices she made as a writer navigating a prejudiced industry.

This episode was recorded on July 22, 2025

00:00 Introduction

01:34 On Family, Gaza & Personal Pain

04:05 How the Occupation Is Palpable In New York

05:05 The Hollow Half: A Multigenerational Memoir

09:51 The Nakba & Mental Health

13:15 It Is Sane To Go Insane In This World

17:08 Reclaiming Identity: Rejecting The “Half” Narrative

23:23 The Lifelong Journey With Arabic

26:45 Changing the Writing Process After October 7

33:55 Navigating A Capitalist Media System

43:16 Gazan Family Reactions to the Book

49:00 The Temptation of Tokenization

57:25 Reconciling Past & Present Selves

53:19 The Choice Not to Compromise and Long-Term Impact

54:17 Personal Transformation and Honoring Past Selves

56:50 Cosmic Perfectionism and the Exhaustion of Striving

58:45 The Power and Burden of Love

1:00:38 Where to Find the Book

Sarah Aziza is a Palestinian American writer, translator, and artist with roots in ‘Ibdis and Deir al-Balah, Gaza. She is the author of The Hollow Half, a genre-bending work of memoir, lyricism, and oral history exploring the intertwined legacies of diaspora, colonialism, and the American dream. It is available wherever books are sold. Sarah’s award-winning journalism, poetry, essays, and experimental nonfiction have appeared in major international publications. Previously a Fulbright fellow in Jordan, she is the recipient of numerous Pulitzer Center grants for Crisis Reporting, a 2022 resident at Tin House Writer’s Workshop, a Pushcart Prize nominee, and a 2023 Margins Fellow at the Asian American Writers Workshop.

Connect with Sarah Aziza 👉 https://instagram.com/sarahazizawrites

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊

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Ihsan Abdel Quddous's Enduring 20th-Century Legacy | Jonathan Smolin

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Dartmouth College, Jonathan Smolin, discusses his book "The Politics of Melodrama: The Cultural and Political Lives of Ihsan Abdel Kouddous and Gamal Abdel Nasser," which examines the life and work of Ihsan Abdel Quddous who played an immense role in shaping 20th-century Arab culture as a prolific writer, journalist, and political commentator. Smolin details Quddous' life, including his upbringing, the complex relationship with his mother – who was none other than Rose al Yusuf – and his significant influence in Egyptian and Arab society. The conversation also covers Quddous' involvement in the 1952 coup in Egypt, his views on pan-Arabism, his support for women’s liberation, and his mixed legacy, including the controversies and scandals he navigated.

00:00 Introduction

00:41 Who Was Ihsan Abdel Quddous?

00:57 Ihsan Abdel Quddous's Impact on Arab Culture

04:45 Ihsan Abdel Quddous's Family Background

09:29 Literary Tradition and Writing Style

16:56 Political Involvement and Scandals

29:40 Reflections on Naivety and Regret

32:24 His Arrest and Disillusionment

37:48 The March Crisis and Censorship

41:03 Nasser's Unique Brand of Authoritarianism

44:56 Debates on Women's Rights

53:12 Support for Arab Nationalism

56:13 Exploring Themes of Sex and Romance in Fiction

Jonathan Smolin is Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Dartmouth College, where he also serves as Acting Chair of the Middle Eastern Studies Program and is an affiliate of Jewish Studies. Since joining Dartmouth in 2005, his teaching has focused on the politics and popular cultures of the modern Middle East, with a classroom approach grounded in open dialogue and critical engagement across diverse sources and perspectives. His research explores the intersections of politics, literature, and media in the Arab world. He is the author of "Moroccan Noir: Police, Crime, and Politics in Popular Culture" (Indiana University Press, 2013) and "The Politics of Melodrama: The Cultural and Political Lives of Ihsan Abdel Kouddous and Gamal Abdel Nasser" (Stanford University Press, 2024).

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊

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Author Selma Dabbagh | We Wrote In Symbols: Love and Lust By Arab Women Writers

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Fri, 2 May 2025 15:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Ehkili, Palestinian writer Selma Dabbagh discusses the influence of her legal background on her storytelling and explores the complexities of her Palestinian identity, particularly in the context of political engagement and activism. The conversation also delves into Dabbagh's novel "Out of It" and her anthology "We Wrote In Symbols: Love and Lust By Arab Women Writers," highlighting the themes of erasure, representation, and self-inquiry through literature. Dabbagh shares her perspectives on the current political climate in the UK, the growing public support for Palestinian rights, and the challenges faced by academics and activists. The episode concludes with a discussion of Dabbagh's forthcoming novel set in 1938 Jerusalem, inspired by the Antonius family.

00:00 Introduction
02:26 The Influence of Law on Writing
05:13 Journey to Becoming a Writer
06:26 Literature as a Route to Self-Inquiry
09:07 Connection to Palestine
12:57 The Story Behind Her Book "Out of It"
20:22 Navigating Representation and Responsibility
25:04 Current Climate in the UK
31:19 Highlighting Palestinian Literature
32:41 Exploring Humor and Personal Narratives
36:28 Introducing "We Wrote In Symbols"
39:50 Historical Context and Women's Voices
46:20 Navigating Repression and Expression
49:23 Upcoming Projects and New Novel
52:29 The Antonius Family and Historical Influence
58:08 Conclusion and Where to Find More

Selma Dabbagh is a British-Palestinian writer and former human rights lawyer based in London. Her acclaimed debut novel "Out of It" and edited anthology "We Wrote In Symbols" highlight contemporary Arab voices. Her work spans fiction, radio, journalism, and academia, with writings featured in Granta, The Guardian, and BBC Radio. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Goldsmiths, University of London.

Connect with Selma 👉 https://www.instagram.com/selmadabbagh/

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

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Short Stories from Arab Cities | Exploring Urban Narratives With the Co-Editors of "Mudun" Reem Khorshid & Faris Bseiso

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Fri, 4 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Ehkili, we speak with Reem Khorshid and Faris Bseiso about their literary project Mudun, published by Kaph Books and supported by the Barjeel Art Foundation. They trace the origins of this anthology of short stories about Arab cities, which began as a pandemic project and grew into a collection featuring narratives both in Arabic and English. Highlighting diverse and often underrepresented urban experiences, the co-editors delve into the themes, selection process, and unique visual elements of the book. They reflect on the significance (and often danger) of nostalgia, the representation of city life, and the balance of stories to capture the essence of various cities across the Arab world. Tune in to hear about the compelling stories, standout illustrations, and the insightful reasons behind their editorial decisions.

00:00 Introduction
01:25 The Genesis of Mudun
05:36 Short Stories and Their Significance
07:35 Architectural and Urban Heritage
17:05 Nostalgia in Urban Narratives
20:43 Illustrations and Their Impact
26:30 Winners and Their Stories
36:55 Misunderstood Arab Cities
46:56 Conclusion and Future Prospects

Reem Khorshid is an architect and researcher holding a bachelor's degree in Architectural Engineering and Technology from Cairo University, Egypt. She previously worked as the lead researcher of ‘Building Sharjah’, a book about modern architecture in Sharjah that documents the emirate’s architecture and urban development. Reem has worked briefly on other research projects in Egypt about Cairo’s modernism and urban Informality. She's been a panelist at the Arab Conference at Harvard. Reem had also spoken at Yale University’s Gulf Architecture Symposium and the 10th Gulf Research Meeting at the University of Cambridge. Her articles have been featured by Egypt’s Mada Masr and the Daily News Egypt.

Connect with Reem 👉 https://www.instagram.com/reemkhorshid/

Faris Bseiso is a Palestinian-Syrian entrepreneur, writer and co-founder and CEO of Cipher Media, a licensing marketplace that supplies music to brands and professional sports teams for social media. In the publishing world, Bseiso most recently was a judge and editor for Mudun, the published anthology that followed the Barjeel Art Foundation's short story competition. As a writer, Bseiso has published bylines with CNN and Bloomberg, and short stories in various regional magazines. Now based in New York, Bseiso is also an ambassador for afikra and a DJ at Arab events in the city.

Connect with Faris 👉 https://www.instagram.com/bseisofaris/

Buy the book from Kaph Books 👉 https://www.kaphbooks.com/books/mudun-short-stories-arab-world/

Read online via Rusted Radishes 👉 https://rustedradishes.com/mudun-short-story-prize/

Explore Barjeel Art Foundation 👉 https://www.barjeelartfoundation.org/

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

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Palestinian Writing From the Diaspora | Sahar Mustafah Interviews Susan Muaddi Darraj

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 16:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Ehkili, Sahar Mustafah welcomes author and editor Susan Muaddi Darraj to discuss her recent anthology, "Ask the Night for a Dream: Palestinian Writing From the Diaspora." The conversation highlights the significance of amplifying Palestinian literary voices, the challenges of publishing during the ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank, and the vital role of Palestine Writes. Darraj shares insights on the anthology's diverse range of contributors, the importance of representing multi-faceted Palestinian experiences, and future projects for the press, including an anthology of writings by young people from Gaza.

00:00 Introduction
01:44 Discussing "Ask the Night for a Dream"
03:24 Palestinian Identity and Media Representation
06:41 The Palestine Writes Literature Festival
09:19 Launching the Palestine Writes Press
11:50 Challenges and Triumphs in Publishing
14:34 Anthology Contributions and Editorial Decisions
25:43 Future Projects and Young Voices from Gaza
35:09 Activism Through Publishing
45:52 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Link to the book 👉 https://palestinewrites.org/product/ask-the-night-for-a-dream-palestinian-writing-from-the-diaspora-2024/

Susan Muaddi Darraj is an award-winning writer of books for adults and children. She won an American Book Award, two Arab-American Book Awards, and a Maryland State Arts Council Independent Artists Award. In 2018, she was named a USA Artists Ford Fellow. Her books include her linked short story collection "A Curious Land," as well as the Farah Rocks children’s book series. She lives in Baltimore, where she teaches creative writing at Harford Community College and the Johns Hopkins University. Her new novel "Behind You Is the Sea," was published in January 2024 by HarperVia. It received praise from The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, and Ms Magazine, and it was named a Best Book of 2024 by The New Yorker and Apple Books. It was also longlisted for the 2025 PEN/Faulkner Award.

Connect with Susan 👉 https://www.instagram.com/susandarraj/

Hosted by Sahar Mustafah 👉 https://www.instagram.com/saharmustafahwriter/

Sahar Mustafah is a Willow Books Grand Prize Winner for "Code of The West," was named one of the 25 Writers to Watch by The Guild Literary Complex of Chicago, and is a member of Voices Protest and Radius of Arab American Writers. Her new novel, "The Beauty of Your Face," was named one of The New York Times' Notable Books of 2020. Mustafah earned her MFA in Fiction from Columbia College where she was a Follett Graduate Scholar. She lives in Chicago and explores her Palestinian heritage in her writing.

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

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Steve Lonergan and Jassim Al-Asadi | The Ghosts of Iraq's Marshes: A History of Conflict, Tragedy, and Restoration

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Sat, 1 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Ehkili, Mysa Kafil-Hussain speaks with Jassim Al-Assadi and Steve Lonergan, authors of "The Ghosts of Iraq's Marshes: A History of Conflict, Tragedy, and Restoration." They delve into the history, environmental challenges, and cultural significance of the marshlands, as well as the authors' collaboration on their book. They discuss the impact of draining the Iraqi marshes on local communities and the area's ecological importance, shedding light on a significant and often overlooked part of Iraq's history and environment.

00:00 Introduction: Saddam's Invasion and the Marshes
00:44 Meet the Authors
03:50 Understanding Iraq's Marshlands
11:27 Jassim's Childhood in the Marshes
18:18 Steve's Journey to the Marshes
25:54 The Impact of Saddam's Draining of the Marshes
37:49 The Aftermath and Current State of the Marshes
41:39 Displacement and Cultural Loss
50:49 Resources for Further Learning

Steve Lonergan is professor emeritus in the Department of Geography, at the University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada, and former director of the Science Division at the United Nations Environment Programme. From 2006 to 2010, he led the Canadian-Iraq Marshlands Initiative, funded by the Canadian government. His books include Watershed: The Role of Fresh Water in the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict (with David B. Brooks, 1994).

Jassim Al-Asadi is an Iraqi engineer and environmental activist who was born in the marshes of southern Iraq. He played a pivotal role in the registration of the Marshes as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2016.

More about the book 👉 https://aucpress.com/9781649033253/

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

Hosted by Mysa Kafil-Hussain 👉 https://www.instagram.com/my_sa/

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The Story of One Palestinian Family Under Occupation | Sami Hermez & Sireen Sawalha

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Tue, 28 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Sami Hermez is an anthropologist who teaches at Northwestern University in Qatar. He is the author of "War Is Coming: Between Past and Future Violence in Lebanon" published in 2017. His work in and out of the classroom reflects a strong commitment to freedom, justice, and equality, as his own family's history of migration spans the Levant, with roots in Al-Qosh, Aleppo, Beirut, and Jerusalem.

Connect with Sami 👉https://x.com/HermezSami

Sireen Sawalha is a high-school teacher of Global Studies and United States History. She has previously worked as a delegate advisor to the Jordan Mission to the UN.

Connect with Sireen 👉https://x.com/SireenSawalha

"My Brother, My Land" is a "riveting and unapologetic account of Palestinian resistance, the story of one family's care for their land, and a reflection on love and heartache while living under military occupation." It follows Sireen Sawalha's family over the decades following 1967. Through their lives, Hermes confronts readers with the complexities of life under occupation.

Learn more about the book 👉https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=33465

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

Hosted by:

Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:

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» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4khpLDZ77PINLupT7xEIv7

» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044638525

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA

afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official

🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Eyeliner: A Cultural History | Zahra Hankir

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +0000

This episode was recorded on March 27th, 2024.

Zahra Hankir is a Lebanese-British journalist, editor and author. She was awarded a Jack R. Howard Fellowship to attend the Columbia Journalism School and holds degrees in politics and Middle Eastern studies. Her first book "Our Women on the Ground" was a bestseller and won the Susan Koppelman award for best anthology in feminist studies. This second book "Eyeliner: A Cultural History" was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ pick and had starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal.

Connect with Zahra 👉 https://www.instagram.com/zahrahankir/?hl=en

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

Hosted by:

Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:

» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-book-club/id1646400790

» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4khpLDZ77PINLupT7xEIv7

» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044638525

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official

🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Coming of Age in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn | Aisha Abdel Gawad

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Writing Between Two Moons: An Arab-American coming of age story set in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn during the “War on Terror”. Author Aisha Abdel Gawad sheds light on her experience writing the novel while balancing her work as a high-school teacher, capturing Bay Ridge’s unique community in her book, and her creative process.

Together, Mikey and Aisha reflect on the post-9/11 War on Terror, age of surveillance, and how this impacted the Arab-American community. Aisha also shares her advice for aspiring novelists and her must-reads for high-school students.

Aisha Abdel Gawad is a writer and high-school teacher. She won the 2015 Pushcart Prize for her short-story “Waking Luna”. After college, Aisha worked at the Arab American Association of New York in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Her debut novel, Between Two Moons, is a coming of age story set in Bay Ridge during the post-9/11 War on Terror.

Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Tue, 1 Nov 2022 16:48:17 +0000

Suad Amiry talked about her book, "Mother of Strangers: A Novel," which is a story of young love set in Jaffa in between 1947 and 1951.

Suad Amiry is a Palestinian writer and architect living in the West Bank town of Ramallah. She studied architecture at the American University of Beirut, the University of Michigan, and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Her parents went from Palestine to Amman, Jordan. She was brought up there and went to Lebanon's capital of Beirut to study architecture. Her book, Sharon and My Mother-in-Law, has been translated into 19 languages, the last one in Arabic, was a bestseller in France. The book was awarded in 2004 the prestigious Viareggio Prize in Italy. From 1991 to 1993 Amiry was a member of a Palestinian peace delegation in Washington D.C. She is Director and founder of the Riwaq Centre for Architectural Conservation, the center was founded in 1991; the first of its kind to work on the rehabilitation and protection of architectural heritage in Palestine. Amiry was a member of staff at Birzeit University until 1991, since then she has worked for Riwaq where she is the director. Riwaq received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2013 for the Revitalisation of Birzeit Historic Centre. She was appointed as a vice-chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Birzeit University in 2006.

Created by Mikey Muhanna

Hosted by: Yasmin Khawaja

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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Sahar Mustafah | Reversing Stereotypes Through Literature

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 05:49:32 +0000

Sahar Mustafah talked about her book "The Beauty of Your Face." The novel is about a Palestinian American woman wrestles with faith, loss, and identity before coming face-to-face with a school shooter, it navigates a country growing ever more divided.

The daughter of immigrants, Sahar Mustafah explores her Palestinian heritage in her writing. She earned her MFA in Fiction from Columbia College where she was a Follett Graduate Scholar. Mustafah is a Willow Books Grand Prize Winner for Code of The West, was named one of the 25 Writers to Watch by The Guild Literary Complex of Chicago, and is a member of Voices Protest and Radius of Arab American Writers. Her debut novel, The Beauty of Your Face, was named a The New York Times Book Review Notable Books of 2020 and a Finalist for the 2021 Palestine Book Award. It was long-listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Award and chosen for Los Angeles Times “United We Read.” Mustafah writes and teaches outside of Chicago.

Created by Mikey Muhanna

Hosted by: Yasmin Khawaja

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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Follow

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Instrumental Coasts and Waterways to British Control in the Middle East | Sabrina Mahfouz

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

In this Book Club, we talked to Sabrina Mahfouz about her book "These Bodies of Water." The novel is about imperialism, and the history of the Middle Eastern coastlines and waterways that were vital to the British Empire's hold.

Sabrina Mahfouz is a British-Egyptian writer, performer and educator. Her first short play, That Boy, was performed at the Soho Theatre in 2010 and won a Westminster Prize for New Playwrights. In 2011, she was Creative in Residence at The Hospital Club. In the same year, she produced her first solo show, Dry Ice, which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and won her the Stage Award for Acting Excellence. Subsequent plays, which include Clean (2012) and Chef (2014), have been performed at the Fringe, the Soho Theatre, the Roundhouse and in New York, and have won numerous awards, including a Fringe First and an Off West End Award in 2018 for the children’s show Zeraffa Giraffa. Her 2015 play With A Little Bit of Luck was also adapted as a radio drama for BBC Radio 1Xtra. Most recently, her adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses for Pilot Theatre went on tour around the country. Her latest book, These Bodies of Water: Notes on the British Empire, the Middle East and Where We Meet, was published in 2022.

Created and hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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The Divas of Cairo's Roaring 20s | Raphael Cormack

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:51:16 +0000

Raphael Cormack discussed his new book Midnight in Cairo: The Divas of Egypt's Roaring 20's.

Midnight in Cairo tells the thrilling story of Egypt’s interwar nightlife and entertainment industry through the lives of its pioneering women. Introducing an eccentric cast of characters, it brings to life a world of revolutionary ideas and provocative art – one which laid the foundations of Arab popular culture today. It is a story of modern Cairo as we have never heard it before.

Created and hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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The Turtle of Oman & Michigan | Naomi Shihab Nye

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:50:58 +0000

Naomi Shihab Nye talked about her books ‘The Turtle of Oman’ and ‘The Turtle of Michigan. The books are about Aref as he travels from Muscat, Oman, to Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Naomi Shihab Nye was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father was a Palestinian refugee and her mother an American of German and Swiss descent, and Nye spent her adolescence in both Jerusalem and San Antonio, Texas. She earned her BA from Trinity University in San Antonio. Nye is the recipient of numerous honors and awards for her work, including the Ivan Sandrof Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Book Critics Circle, the Lavan Award, the Paterson Poetry Prize, the Carity Randall Prize, the Isabella Gardner Poetry Award, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry award, the Robert Creeley Prize, and many Pushcart Prizes. She has received fellowships from the Lannan Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, and she was a Witter Bynner Fellow. From 2010 to 2015 she served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets. In 2018 she was awarded the Lon Tinkle Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Texas Institute of Letters. Nye is the Poetry Foundation's Young People's Poet Laureate.

Created and hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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Arab Queer Literature & NYC's Little Syria | Zeyn Joukhadar

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:50:40 +0000

Zeyn Joukhadar talked about his book ‘The Thirty Names of Night: A Novel’.

Zeyn Joukhadar is the author of the novels The Map of Salt and Stars, 2018, and The Thirty Names of Night, 2020 and a member of the Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI). His work has appeared in KINK: Stories(eds. RO Kwon & Garth Greenwell), Salon, The Paris Review,Shondaland, [PANK], Mizna, and elsewhere. He has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Best of the Net. He is also the guest editor of the 2020 Queer + Trans Voices Issue of Mizna and a Periplus Collective mentor. The Thirty Names of Night won the 2021 Barbara Gittings Stonewall Book Award and the 2021 Lambda Literary Award in Transgender Fiction, and was a December 2020 Indie Next Book Pick.

Created by Mikey Muhanna

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna & Lina Barkawi

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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Kareem Abu-Zeid | Arab Poetry & Translations

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:50:21 +0000

Kareem James Abu-Zeid talked about his translations of ‘Exhausted on the Cross”by Najwan Darwish and “Confessions” by Rabee Jaber.

Kareem James Abu-Zeid is a translator, editor, writer, teacher, and scholar who works across multiple languages. As an acclaimed translator of Arabic literature, he works with prominent English-language publishing houses to introduce the writings of Arab poets and novelists to a broad audience, seeking to promote Arabic literature in the US and around the world. While he enjoys translating all kinds of texts, he is particularly fond of Arabic poetry.

Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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James Barr | A Line in the Sand: Britain, France, and the Struggle that Shaped the Middle East

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:49:56 +0000

James Barr talked about his book ‘A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the Struggle that shaped the Middle East’. A Line in the Sand vividly tells the story of the short but crucial era when Britain and France ruled the Middle East.

James is a leading historian of the modern Middle East and author of the widely-acclaimed A Line In The Sand and Lords of the Desert. He is now working on a history of conflict in the Middle East, The Arena. James read modern history at Oxford. He has worked in politics, at the Daily Telegraph, in the City, at the British Embassy in Paris, and has run his own research business. He is a visiting fellow at King's College London. He lives in south London with his wife and their two children.

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Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

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Home Is Not a Country | Safia Elhillo

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:48:45 +0000

In this Book Club, we talked to Safia Elhillo about her book "Home is not a country." The novel is about family, identity, and finding yourself in the most unexpected places.

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Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

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