Six authors in Arab fiction prize shortlist

Thursday, Dec 11, 2008

Gulf News

London: Six Arab authors were short-listed for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction 2009 (IPAF) in London.

The prize was launched in Abu Dhabi in April last year in association with the Booker Prize Foundation and with the support of the Emirates Foundation.

The prestigious literary prize aims to recognise and reward excellence in contemporary Arabic creative writing and to encourage wider readership of Arabic literature internationally through translation.

The short-listed authors are Mohammad Al Bisatie, Fawwaz Haddad, Ina'am Kachachi, Ebrahim Nasrallah, Al Habib Al Salmi and Yousuf Zaydan. The short list was announced by the chair of judges, Youmna Al Eid, at a press conference at the Southbank Centre in London.

The prestigious panel of judges, whose names were also revealed, come from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE and Germany. They are all specialists in the field of Arabic literature, and they met in London this week to decide the list of six books.

"This shortlist was chosen following open discussion amongst the judges," Al Eid said. "We chose these titles because they contain all the creative characteristics which make Arabic fiction unique."

The 2009 prize has received a total of 131 submissions from 16 countries. Of them, 104 were by male authors and 17 by female writers.

The long list of 16 titles was announced in November last year and included authors from 10 countries across the Arab World, as well as the two female authors Renee Hayek and Ina'am Kachachi.

Not only can writers shortlisted for the prize look forward to reaching wider audiences potentially securing publishing deals - both within the Arab World and internationally - but they will also receive $10,000 (Dh36,700) each.

The winner will receive an additional $50,000.

The winner of the Prize will be announced at an awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi on March 16, prior to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.