Sonallah Ibrahim’s Warda is the story of a female fighter in the 1960s and 70s Dhofar rebellion in Oman, and of the Egyptian intellectual who, decades later, tries to solve the mystery of what happened to her. We discuss the vibrant and mysterious female character at the heart of one of Ibrahim’s most ambitious literary projects with scholar, editor and translator Hosam Aboul-ela. As Aboul-ela writes in his introduction to his new translation, Warda is someone who “somehow manages to embody both the historical and the unimaginable.” 

Warda is available, in Hosam Abou-ela’s translation, from Yale University Press.

Hosam also writes about Warda in his Domestications: American Empire, Literary Culture, and the Postcolonial Lens.

Hosam’s translation of Sonallah Ibrahim’s Stealthis available from New Directions.

Sonallah Ibrahim’s Zaat, in Tony Calderbank’s translation,is, unfortunately, out of print.

Hosam Aboul-ela is also the editor of the Arabic list at Seagull Books, an award-winning Kolkata-based publisher. One of the first books it published was The Stillborn by Arwa Salih. Forthcoming titles include Salim Barakat’s Come, Take a Gentle Stab, co-translated by Huda Fakhreddine and Jayson Iwen; Akram Musallam’s The Dance of the Deep-blue Scorpion, translated by Sawad Hussain, and Hussein Barghouthi’s Among the Almond Blossoms, translated by Ibrahim Muwahi.

Sonallah Ibrahim&rsquo;s Warda is the story of a female fighter in the 1960s and 70s Dhofar rebellion in Oman, and of the Egyptian intellectual who, decades later, tries to solve the mystery of what happened to her. We discuss the vibrant and mysterious female character at the heart of one of Ibrahim&rsquo;s most ambitious literary projects with scholar, editor and translator Hosam Aboul-ela. As Aboul-ela writes in his introduction to his new translation, Warda is someone who &ldquo;somehow manages to embody both the historical and the unimaginable.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300228656/warda">Warda is available,</a> in Hosam Abou-ela&rsquo;s translation, from Yale University Press.
Hosam also writes about Warda in his <a href="https://nupress.northwestern.edu/9780810137493/domestications/">Domestications: American Empire, Literary Culture, and the Postcolonial Lens</a>.
Hosam&rsquo;s translation of Sonallah Ibrahim&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.ndbooks.com/book/stealth/">Stealth</a> is available from New Directions.
Sonallah Ibrahim&rsquo;s Zaat, in Tony Calderbank&rsquo;s translation, is, unfortunately, out of print.
Hosam Aboul-ela is also the editor of the Arabic list at <a href="https://www.seagullbooks.org/">Seagull Books</a>, an award-winning Kolkata-based publisher. One of the first books it published was The Stillborn by Arwa Salih. Forthcoming titles include Salim Barakat&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.seagullbooks.org/come-take-a-gentle-stab/">Come, Take a Gentle Stab</a>, co-translated by Huda Fakhreddine and Jayson Iwen; Akram Musallam&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.seagullbooks.org/the-dance-of-the-deep-blue-scorpion/">The Dance of the Deep-blue Scorpion</a>, translated by Sawad Hussain, and Hussein Barghouthi&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.seagullbooks.org/among-the-almond-trees/">Among the Almond Blossoms</a>, translated by Ibrahim Muwahi.

BULAQ is a book-centric podcast co-hosted by Ursula Lindsey (in Amman, Jordan) and M Lynx Qualey (in Rabat, Morocco). It focuses on Arabic literature in translation and is named after the first printing press established in Egypt in 1820. Produced by Sowt.

BULAQ is a book-centric podcast co-hosted by Ursula Lindsey (in Amman, Jordan) and M Lynx Qualey (in Rabat, Morocco). It focuses on Arabic literature in translation and is named after the first printing press established in Egypt in 1820. Produced by Sowt.

BULAQ | بولاق

BULAQ is a podcast about contemporary writing from and about the Middle East and North Africa. We talk about books written in Aleppo, Cairo, Marrakech and beyond. We look at the Arab region through the lens of literature, and we look at literature -- what it does, why it matters, how it relates to society and history and politics -- from the point of view of this part of the world.  BULAQ is co-produced by ArabLit and The Arabist and is hosted by Ursula Lindsey and M Lynx Qualey.

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