JOUMANA HADDAD FAIZA GUENE ABDELKADER BENALI Joumana Haddad was born in Lebanon in 1970. She is Faiza Guene was born in France in head of the Cultural pages of the prestigious “An Nahar” Abdelkader Benali was born in 1975 in The Netherlands, 1985 to Algerian parents. She wrote her newspaper, as well as the administrator of the IPAF literary of Moroccan origins. Benali published his fi rst novel fi rst novel, “Kiffe kiffe demain” (Just like SAMAR YAZBEK prize (the “Arab Booker”) and the editor-in-chief of Jasad “Bruiloft aan zee” (Wedding by the Sea) in 1996, for Tomorrow) when she was 17 years old. magazine, a controversial Arabic magazine specialized in the which he received the Geertjan Lubberhuizen Prize. For It was a huge success in France, selling SAMER ABOU HAWWASH literature and arts of the body. Amongst her books, “Time his second novel, “De langverwachte” (The Long-Awaited, over 360,000 copies and translation for a dream” (1995), “Invitation to a secret feast” (1998), 2002), Benali was awarded the Libris Literature Prize. He Samer Abou Hawwash was born rights around the world. She’s also the “I did not sin enough” (2003), “Lilith’s Return” (2004), has since published the novels “Laat het morgen mooi in 1972 in the southern Lebanese author of “Du rêve pour les oufs” in “Conversations with international writers”, (2006), “Death weer zijn” (Let Tomorrow Be Fine, 2005) and “Feldman city of Sidon. Abou Hawwash has 2006 and “Les gens du Balto” in 2008. will come and it will have your eyes” and “Anthology of 150 en ik” (Feldman and I, 2006). He also writes plays and published several poetical works and two novels: “Valentine’s Day” and poets who committed suicide” (2007). ABDELLAH TAIA occasionally works in the fi eld of journalism. In 2005, together with the historian Herman Obdeijn, he published “Al Saada or Silsilat Infi jarat Hazat Abdellah Taia was born in Rabat in 1973 “Marokko door Nederlandse ogen 1605-2005” (Morocco Al Asima” (“Happiness or A Series in a poor family. He lived in the city of Salé RABEE JABER through Dutch Eyes 1605-2005). of Explosions Rocked the Capital”). until 1998. He lives in Paris now. Editions He translates both poetry and prose Rabee Jaber, was born in 1972 du Seuil has published fi ve books written in and has contributed as well to many in Beirut. He is the editor of the French and inspired in his life; amongst them, Arabic cultural supplements Since weekly cultural supplement of Al- “Le Rouge du tarbouche” (2005), “L'armée 2004 he lives and works in the Hayat daily newspaper. Since 1992 du salut” (2006) and “Une mélancolie arabe” United Arab Emirates. he has published 16 novels. Jaber (2008). His work has been translated into is considered as one of the most several languages. He was been shortlisted KAMEL RIAHI HALA talented young novelists. twice for the prestigious French literary KAWTHARANI Prize le Renaudot. Abdellah Taia is the fi rst NAZEM EL SAYED Moroccan and Arab writer to declare publicly AHMAD SAADAWI his homosexuality. RANDA JARRAR Randa Jarrar was born in Egypt in ZAKI BAYDOUN YASSIN ADNAN 1978. She is an award-winning short DIMA WANNOUS BASSIM AL-ANSAR ABDERRAHIM ELKHASSAR story writer, novelist, and translator. NAJWAN DARWISH Her fi rst novel, “A Map of Home”, ROSA YASSIN HASSAN ADANIA SHIBLI was released to critical acclaim in six ALA HLEHEL languages, and won the Hopwood HYAM YARED Adania Shibli, born in Palestine in 1974, has twice been awarded the Award, the Gosling Prize, and the Arab HUSSEIN JELAAD Young Writer’s Award by the A.M. Qattan Foundation for her novels American Book Award. She is at work NAGAT ALI “Masaas” (Touch, al-Adab: 2002) and “Kulluna Ba’eed Bethat al ABDELKADER BENALI on a new novel and a collection of short Miqdar ‘an al Hub” (We are All Equally Far from Love, al-Adab: 2004). stories. She has been living in the US She has published short stories and essays in literary magazines, since 1991. such as Ramallah’s “Al-Karmel”, the Beirut literary periodicals “Al- HAMDY EL GAZZAR Adaab” and “Zawaya”, and Alexandria’s “Amkenah”. Shibli is currently ISLAM SAMHAN fi nishing her Ph.D. in media and cultural studies at the University ABDELAZIZ ERRACHIDI - AGADIR MANSOURA EZ ELDINE of East London, and works as a lecturer at the University of ABDERRAZAK BOUKEBBA Nottingham’s School of Critical Theory and Cultural Studies. MOHAMMAD HASSAN ALWAN NAJWA BINSHATWAN YAHYA AMQASSIM

MANSOUR EL SOUWAIM HUSSEIN AL-ABRI WAJDI AL AHDAL YOUSSEF RAKHA Wajdi Al Ahdal, born in Yemen ‘These 39 Arab writers are all under the age of 40. They have flung open in 1973, is the author of ABDULLAH THABIT “Quarantine Philosopher”, for the doors on Arabic culture inviting the reader to transcend cultural which he was nominated for the AHMAD YAMANI boundaries and land in a region known as the ‘Arab World’ Arab Literary Prize 2008. Hanan al-Shaykh MOHAMMAD SALAH AL AZAB

‘Beirut39 presents a rare and all-encompassing view of Arab innovation through the works of young writers and poets selected by an exacting jury’ ‘This is one of the most ambitious and exciting ventures Gamal al-Ghitani Bloomsbury has undertaken and it is a real privilege to have been able to work with so many talented writers and ‘What I like about the Beirut39 project is that it celebrates pieces by translators on an international project of such quality’ young writers – a rare thing in the Arabic cultural milieu’ Bill Swainson, Commissioning Editor Habib Selmi

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