DOHA: Three fiction titles published by Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press) have been selected to compete for the 2016 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literature in Translation.
The books are The Holy Sail; The Bamboo Stalk; and Telepathy.
Written by Qatari author Abdulaziz Al Mahmoud and translated by Karim Traboulsi, The Holy Sail is a gripping historical adventure set in the Arabian Gulf and became an instant bestseller in the region.
Published in Arabic by HBKU Press, the book has been heralded as a very clear and accessible prose in English due to the excellent work of Traboulsi. The 2013 winner of the highly-esteemed International Prize for Arabic Fiction, The Bamboo Stalk is written by Kuwaiti author Saud Al Sanousi and translated by Jonathan Wright.
Heralded as a “brave and compassionate” novel, Wright’s adept translation brings the story of a young Kuwaiti-Filipino boy navigating his dual identities to a wider and ever-growing international audience.
Written by Sudanese author Amir Tag Elsir and translated by William Hutchins, Telepathy is a psychological thriller that blurs the lines between reality and the imagined world.
Hutchins has previously translated Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy.
“We are very proud to have published these three works of Arabic literature in translation,” said Fakhri Saleh, Head, Arabic Publishing, HBKU Press.
“As a leading publishing house in the Middle East, we strive to work with the most talented writers and translators and introduce more and more readers to the wealth of literary works and voices from the region.”
Established in 2005, the prize is one of the most prestigious awards for Arabic literature in translation and aims at raising the profile of contemporary Arabic voices and honouring the important and difficult works of translators.
The annual award of 3,000 pounds (about QR14,210) for translators is a highly sought-after prize with an outstanding pool of submissions. Translation is at the heart of HBKU Press’ mission to support a vibrant literary culture in Qatar and the region.
HBKU Press delivers a diverse and robust collection of academic, fiction, non-fiction and children’s and young adult titles.
In addition to the Banipal Prize, HBKU Press authors have been honoured with the First Book Award by the Edinburgh International Festival of Literature and the Best Story from the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature.
In addition to publishing original works in Arabic and English, HBKU Press partners with highly-acclaimed translators to deliver top-notch works of Arabic fiction in translation.
In the previous two years, judges of the prize have awarded the ‘Highly Commended’ category to two HBKU Press titles — June Rain (2014) and Land of No Rain (2015).
The Peninsula
DOHA: Three fiction titles published by Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press) have been selected to compete for the 2016 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literature in Translation.
The books are The Holy Sail; The Bamboo Stalk; and Telepathy.
Written by Qatari author Abdulaziz Al Mahmoud and translated by Karim Traboulsi, The Holy Sail is a gripping historical adventure set in the Arabian Gulf and became an instant bestseller in the region.
Published in Arabic by HBKU Press, the book has been heralded as a very clear and accessible prose in English due to the excellent work of Traboulsi. The 2013 winner of the highly-esteemed International Prize for Arabic Fiction, The Bamboo Stalk is written by Kuwaiti author Saud Al Sanousi and translated by Jonathan Wright.
Heralded as a “brave and compassionate” novel, Wright’s adept translation brings the story of a young Kuwaiti-Filipino boy navigating his dual identities to a wider and ever-growing international audience.
Written by Sudanese author Amir Tag Elsir and translated by William Hutchins, Telepathy is a psychological thriller that blurs the lines between reality and the imagined world.
Hutchins has previously translated Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy.
“We are very proud to have published these three works of Arabic literature in translation,” said Fakhri Saleh, Head, Arabic Publishing, HBKU Press.
“As a leading publishing house in the Middle East, we strive to work with the most talented writers and translators and introduce more and more readers to the wealth of literary works and voices from the region.”
Established in 2005, the prize is one of the most prestigious awards for Arabic literature in translation and aims at raising the profile of contemporary Arabic voices and honouring the important and difficult works of translators.
The annual award of 3,000 pounds (about QR14,210) for translators is a highly sought-after prize with an outstanding pool of submissions. Translation is at the heart of HBKU Press’ mission to support a vibrant literary culture in Qatar and the region.
HBKU Press delivers a diverse and robust collection of academic, fiction, non-fiction and children’s and young adult titles.
In addition to the Banipal Prize, HBKU Press authors have been honoured with the First Book Award by the Edinburgh International Festival of Literature and the Best Story from the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature.
In addition to publishing original works in Arabic and English, HBKU Press partners with highly-acclaimed translators to deliver top-notch works of Arabic fiction in translation.
In the previous two years, judges of the prize have awarded the ‘Highly Commended’ category to two HBKU Press titles — June Rain (2014) and Land of No Rain (2015).
The Peninsula
