The International Prize for Arabic Fiction (The Booker Prize) announced the novels shortlisted for its 18th edition during a press conference held at the Alexandria Library in Egypt.
اضافة اعلان
The shortlist includes six novels:
"Danshamand" by Mauritanian writer and journalist Ahmed Fal al-Din.
"The Valley of Butterflies" by Iraqi author Azhar Jargis.
"The Andalusian Christ" by Syrian writer Taysir Khalaf.
"The Women’s Charter" by Lebanese author Hanin Al-Sayigh.
"The Prayer of Anxiety" by Egyptian author Mohamed Samir Nada.
"The Touch of Light" by Emirati author Nadia Al-Najjar.
The winning novel will be announced in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, April 24.
This year’s shortlist reflects geographical and literary diversity, featuring writers from the UAE, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, and Mauritania. The selected novels address contemporary issues in various literary styles, highlighting the vitality and development of Arabic storytelling.
Two authors have previously reached the final stages of the award: Azhar Jargis was longlisted in 2020 for "Sleeping in the Cherry Orchard" and shortlisted in 2023 for "The Happiness Stone", while Taysir Khalaf was longlisted in 2017 for "The Philosopher’s Massacre". This year’s shortlist marks the first time that Ahmed Fal al-Din, Hanin Al-Sayigh, Mohamed Samir Nada, and Nadia Al-Najjar have made it to the final stage.
The head of the judging panel, Mona Baker, explained that the six novels stand out for their deep focus on the human dimension of their characters. "The Women’s Charter" explores the world of a Druze woman in contemporary Lebanon, while "Danshamand" delves into the life of Imam Al-Ghazali in the 12th century. "The Touch of Light" follows the journey of a visually impaired young woman exploring her four senses, while "The Andalusian Christ" tells the story of an Andalusian man’s quest to find his mother’s killer.
She added that "The Valley of Butterflies" blends tragedy and comedy, with the main character mocking reality as a means of coping with its harshness, while "The Prayer of Anxiety" presents a reality filled with political and social symbols, opening the door for multiple interpretations.
Mona Baker concluded: "It wasn’t just the content that we focused on, as a novel is primarily an artistic structure. Narrative representation and its forms are the novelist’s means of creating worlds that can only be realized through imagination."
