Arab and Arab Diaspora Literature We Recommend

Liste du mois
Avril 2024 (see all)
Description
In honor of Arab American Heritage Month, our List of the Month this April is devoted to Arab and Arab Diaspora Literature that we have read and recommend. For the purpose of this list, "literature" is defined to include fiction, poetry and plays. It does not include history, sociology, or other non-fiction works. Books should be written by Arab / Arab diaspora authors, which we define as being ethnically Arab, and either coming from Arabic-speaking nations and peoples, or descended from those nations and peoples. Please do not include Turkish, Persian or Afghani authors. Each participant may vote on ten titles. Please only downvote titles if they do not fit the theme, and are not Arab or Arab Diaspora literature.
1
فرانكشتاين في بغداد Frankenstein in Baghdad
de Ahmed Saadawi
835 membres
33 critiques
½ 3.5
6 Members
Aquila, ursula, AnnieMod, noveltea, Onilyn, shelahstanford
Explications
AnnieMod: The 2014 winner of International Prize for Arabic Fiction
2
La trilogie
de Naguib Mahfouz
1,180 membres
17 critiques
½ 4.3
6 Members
Pferdina, nessreader, susanbooks, Dilara86, hikarugenji, shelahstanford
3
The Map of Salt and Stars
de Zeyn Joukhadar
820 membres
40 critiques
3.8
6 Members
msjudy, Onilyn, lillybaker123, shelahstanford, micathe.local.femboy, claudiashakti
4
Minor Detail
de Adania Shibli
492 membres
19 critiques
4
5 Members
ursula, CarltonC, AnnieMod, Silviote, ash.smash
5
L'immeuble Yacoubian
de Alaa al-Aswani
2,070 membres
97 critiques
½ 3.6
5 Members
lilithcat, kleo, jnsp13, shelahstanford, micathe.local.femboy
6
Le Prophète
de Kahlil Gibran
14,594 membres
169 critiques
4.1
5 Members
LadyUndomiel, gypsysmom, ahef1963, Michael.Rimmer, claudiashakti
7
The Butterfly's Burden
de Mahmoud Darwish
130 membres
4.1
4 Members
Tess_W, Hartsellang, arwa-fm, shelahstanford
8
Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear: Poems from Gaza
de Mosab Abu Toha
64 membres
3 critiques
½ 4.3
4 Members
ursula, LadyUndomiel, Silviote, Hartsellang
9
Passage des miracles
de Naguib Mahfouz
1,466 membres
38 critiques
3.8
4 Members
FAMeulstee, gypsysmom, hikarugenji, shelahstanford
10
The Quarter: Stories
de Naguib Mahfouz
49 membres
12 critiques
½ 3.5
3 Members
gypsysmom, hikarugenji, shelahstanford
11
Meursault, contre-enquête
de Kamel Daoud
907 membres
37 critiques
½ 3.5
3 Members
thorold, FAMeulstee, nessreader
Explications
thorold: The Algerian view of Albert Camus’ L’étranger
12
Before the Queen Falls Asleep
de Huzama Habayeb
6 membres
1 critique
5
3 Members
Helenliz, shelahstanford, claudiashakti
13
The Turtle of Oman
de Naomi Shihab Nye
388 membres
18 critiques
3.9
3 Members
AbigailAdams26, micathe.local.femboy, claudiashakti
Explications
AbigailAdams26: An engaging work of middle grade fiction from Palestinian American author Naomi Shihab Nye, about a young boy facing a move from his home country of Oman to the US.
14
What Strange Paradise
de Omar El Akkad
412 membres
31 critiques
½ 4.3
3 Members
gypsysmom, Dorothy2012, shelahstanford
15
Femmes de sable et de myrrhe
de Hanan Al-Shaykh
535 membres
11 critiques
½ 3.3
3 Members
LolaWalser, shelahstanford, micathe.local.femboy
16
Throne of the Crescent Moon
de Saladin Ahmed
1,377 membres
96 critiques
½ 3.6
2 Members
yoyogod, micathe.local.femboy
17
La Civilisation, ma Mère !...
de Driss Chraïbi
134 membres
6 critiques
4.1
2 Members
thorold, arwa-fm
18
Pillars of Salt
de Fadia Faqir
107 membres
3 critiques
4
2 Members
kleo, susanbooks
19
Dear God. Dear Bones. Dear Yellow.
de Noor Hindi
49 membres
4.8
2 Members
susanbooks, claudiashakti
20
The Thirty Names of Night
de Zeyn Joukhadar
346 membres
9 critiques
3.9
2 Members
msjudy, arwa-fm
21
The Queue
de Basma Abdel Aziz
265 membres
7 critiques
½ 3.5
2 Members
kleo, gypsysmom
22
The Wild Fox of Yemen: Poems
de Threa Almontaser
65 membres
2 critiques
3.9
2 Members
AnnieMod, arwa-fm
23
La mort est une corvée
de Khālid Khalīfah
271 membres
16 critiques
½ 3.4
2 Members
ursula, FAMeulstee
24
Rifqa
de Mohammed El-Kurd
105 membres
4.8
2 Members
ursula, Hartsellang
25
Palestine's Children: Returning to Haifa and Other Stories
de Ghassan Kanafani
162 membres
5 critiques
4.1
2 Members
fannyprice, Hartsellang
26
Distant View of a Minaret and Other Stories
de Alifa Rifaat
196 membres
3 critiques
3.9
2 Members
LolaWalser, susanbooks
27
Birds Through a Ceiling of Alabaster: Three Abbasid Poets
de G. B. H. Wightman
67 membres
2 critiques
3.1
2 Members
Michael.Rimmer, arwa-fm
28
Voices of the Lost
de Hoda Barakat
60 membres
2 critiques
3.2
2 Members
FAMeulstee, AnnieMod
Explications
AnnieMod: The 2019 winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction
29
The Unquiet Dead
de Ausma Zehanat Khan
489 membres
44 critiques
3.8
2 Members
Tess_W, gypsysmom
Explications
gypsysmom: The author is the daughter of people who are part of the Arab diaspora and she has lived in Gaza herself. This book is mainly set in Toronto but references the war in the Balkans and has a Muslim detective.
30
The Italian
de Shukrī Mabkhoūt
23 membres
2 critiques
½ 3.3
2 Members
AnnieMod, arwa-fm
Explications
AnnieMod: The winner of the 2015 International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
31
The Illustrator's Notebook
de Mohieddine Ellabbad
50 membres
4 critiques
4.1
2 Members
Hartsellang, AbigailAdams26
Explications
AbigailAdams26: A gorgeous picture book with multimedia artwork from Egyptian author and artist Mohieddine Ellabbad.
32
Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories
de Ghassan Kanafani
329 membres
10 critiques
4.1
2 Members
LolaWalser, Hartsellang
33
Les vies de papier
de Rabih Alameddine
1,281 membres
85 critiques
4
Member
msjudy
34
Les filles de Riyad : Récit
de Rajaa Alsanea
1,223 membres
73 critiques
½ 3.3
Member
ValerieAndBooks
35
Ferdaous, une voix en enfer
de Nawal El Saadawi
1,078 membres
36 critiques
3.9
Member
LolaWalser
36
Cette aveuglante absence de lumière
de Tahar Ben Jelloun
545 membres
18 critiques
4.1
Member
raidergirl3
37
La Nuit sacrée
de Tahar Ben Jelloun
373 membres
4 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
Rommert
38
Voyages
de Ibn Battuta
349 membres
5 critiques
3.9
Member
Hartsellang
39
Hayy Ibn Yaqzan: A Philosophical Tale
de Ibn Tufayl
283 membres
4 critiques
½ 3.7
Member
paradoxosalpha
40
Red Suitcase
de Naomi Shihab Nye
139 membres
2 critiques
4
Member
chellerystick
41
Two Blankets Three Sheets
de Rodaan Al Galidi
80 membres
6 critiques
4.2
Member
FAMeulstee
42
Dearborn
de Ghassan Zeineddine
65 membres
3 critiques
½ 4.3
Member
WordMaven
Explications
WordMaven: Excellent collection of stories about mostly Lebanese immigrants now living in Dearborn, Michigan. These characters live. I read this book months ago and I still think of things some characters said. Has grade A stick-to-the-ribs goodness. Highly recommended.
43
The Three Lucys
de Hayan Charara
35 membres
5 critiques
4.1
Member
AbigailAdams26
Explications
AbigailAdams26: A heartbreaking picture book from Lebanese American author Hayan Charara about a child's experience of war.
44
The Storyteller of Damascus
de Rafik Schami
28 membres
4
Member
slimikin
45
Passage au crépuscule
de Rachid al-Daif
24 membres
1 critique
4.9
Member
fannyprice
46
Velvet
de Huzama Habayeb
17 membres
5 critiques
½ 3.3
Member
Ling.Lass
47
Les Deux Chapelles: 1938-1940 poèmes
de Céline Axelos
1 utilisateur
Member
Maddz
Explications
Maddz: Céline Axelos was a member of a Lebanese literary family and resided for many years in Alexandria, Egypt.
48
Hakawati
de Rabih Alameddine
895 membres
37 critiques
3.9
Member
ValerieAndBooks
49
L'arabe du futur (French Edition)
de Riad Sattouf
755 membres
31 critiques
3.9
Member
Ling.Lass
50
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
de Zoulfa Katouh
627 membres
16 critiques
½ 4.5
Member
FAMeulstee
51
Parfum de poussière
de Rawi Hage
623 membres
27 critiques
½ 3.5
Member
raidergirl3
52
Sand and Foam
de Kahlil Gibran
585 membres
6 critiques
3.9
Member
Michael.Rimmer
53
Ten Ways to Hear Snow
de Cathy Camper
467 membres
7 critiques
4.2
Member
AbigailAdams26
Explications
AbigailAdams26: A lovely picture book from Arab American author Cathy Camper, featuring the bond between grandmother and granddaughter, and their appreciation for the natural world around them.
54
The Bad Muslim Discount
de Syed M. Masood
248 membres
10 critiques
4
Member
WordMaven
Explications
WordMaven: This book had me cracking up whenever the main protag showed up. He's way too smart for his own good and always has something snarky to say. There's a couple of intersecting story lines going on here between a young man from Pakistan and a younger woman from Iraq. Let's just say his journey has been a lot smoother than hers. Authentic storytelling.
55
Les Arabes dansent aussi
de Sayed Kashua
174 membres
9 critiques
½ 3.4
Member
Tess_W
56
Three Holidays and a Wedding
de Uzma Jalaluddin
125 membres
3 critiques
½ 3.3
Member
Dorothy2012
57
The Teeth of the Comb and Other Stories
de Osama Alomar
45 membres
3 critiques
4.2
Member
lilithcat
58
Les Marches d'Ivoire: Poèmes
de Céline Axelos
1 utilisateur
Member
Maddz
Explications
Maddz: Céline Axelos was a member of a Lebanese literary family and resided for many years in Alexandria, Egypt.
59
Saison de la migration vers le Nord
de Tayeb Salih
1,732 membres
49 critiques
3.8
Member
Tess_W
60
The Stone of Laughter
de Hoda Barakat
101 membres
2 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
fannyprice
Explications
fannyprice: An amazing novel about a gay man trying to cope with life and come to terms with his identity during the Lebanese Civil War in the late 1980s.
61
Hotline
de Dimitri Nasrallah
68 membres
2 critiques
3.8
Member
Dorothy2012
62
Muddy People: A Muslim Coming of Age
de Sara El Sayed
40 membres
14 critiques
½ 3.5
Member
Ling.Lass
63
Histoire de Zahra
de Hanan Al-Shaykh
247 membres
4 critiques
½ 3.3
Member
LolaWalser
64
Shubeik Lubeik
de Deena Mohamed
184 membres
8 critiques
½ 4.4
Member
Ling.Lass
65
Deluge
de Leila Chatti
50 membres
½ 4.5
Member
susanbooks
66
Vienne la nuit
de Naguib Mahfouz
41 membres
3 critiques
4
Member
Michael.Rimmer
67
Beirut '75
de Ghada Samman
24 membres
1 critique
3.8
Member
fannyprice
68
Hamda and Fisaikra
de Kaltham Al-Ghanem
3 membres
1 critique
½ 3.5
Member
AbigailAdams26
Explications
AbigailAdams26: A gorgeous retelling of an Arabian Cinderella variant from Qatari author Kaltham Al-Ghanem.
69
The Book of Disappearance
de Ibtisam Azem
55 membres
2 critiques
3.8
Member
ursula
70
Fullblood Arabian
de Osama Alomar
32 membres
2 critiques
4
Member
LolaWalser
71
Tales of a Severed Head
de Rachida Madani
20 membres
2 critiques
3
Member
Michael.Rimmer
72
Mah and Me
de Ibtihaj Al-Harthi
3 membres
1 critique
4
Member
AbigailAdams26
Explications
AbigailAdams26: A heartfelt and poignant picture book examination of the loss of a grandparent, from Omani author/artist Ibtihaj Al-Harthi.
73
Koolaids: The Art of War
de Rabih Alameddine
137 membres
1 critique
4
Member
susanbooks
74
Adonis: Selected Poems
de Adonis
97 membres
3.8
Member
Michael.Rimmer
75
Le citron
de Mohammed Mrabet
93 membres
5 critiques
3.8
Member
LolaWalser
76
Brooklyn Heights
de Miral al-Tahawy
47 membres
4 critiques
2.9
Member
AnnieMod
77
Les Corps Célestes
de Jokha Alharthi
581 membres
22 critiques
½ 3.4
Member
AnnieMod
78
Le village de l'Allemand ou Le journal des frères Schiller
de Boualem Sansal
262 membres
20 critiques
½ 3.7
Member
FAMeulstee
79
Century of Locusts
de Malika Mokeddem
39 membres
1 critique
½ 3.3
Member
susanbooks
80
We Wrote in Symbols: Love and Lust by Arab Women Writers
de Selma Dabbagh
19 membres
3
Member
ursula
81
Qu'elle aille au diable, Meryl Streep !
de Rashid al-Daif
18 membres
½ 2.5
Member
LolaWalser
82
Mother of Strangers
de Suad Amiry
50 membres
½ 3.7
Member
ursula
83
Confessions
de Rabee Jaber
38 membres
1 critique
3.8
Member
susanbooks
84
Short Arabic Plays: An Anthology
de Salma Khadra Jayyusi
8 membres
½ 4.3
Member
AnnieMod
85
A Sister to Scheherazade
de Assia Djebar
124 membres
3 critiques
3.1
Member
susanbooks
86
Hunters in a Narrow Street
de Jabra Ibrahim Jabra
14 membres
4
Member
LolaWalser
87
The Secret Life of Saeed, The Pessoptimist
de Imīl Ḥabībī
268 membres
4 critiques
½ 3.4
Member
LolaWalser
88
Du rêve pour les oufs
de Faïza Guène
112 membres
5 critiques
3.2
Member
susanbooks
89
Lire Lolita à Téhéran
de Azar Nafisi
13,151 membres
281 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
WordMaven,
Explications
: Not fiction, poetry, or drama. Author is Iranian, not Arabic.
WordMaven: This book should have been on the list near the very top. Maybe that's a good sign that we have so many Arab stories now that we're forgetting the pioneers in American publishing? Maybe?
90
The Twenty-Ninth Year
de Hala Alyan
50 membres
1 critique
½ 3.3
91
Arabs: a 3,000-year history of peoples, tribes and empires
de Tim Mackintosh-Smith
243 membres
2 critiques
4
Member
Hartsellang,lilithcat ,Michael.Rimmer
Explications
lilithcat : Not fiction or poetry, not by an Arabic (or diasporic) author.
92
Exit West
de Mohsin Hamid
3,760 membres
233 critiques
3.8
Member
gypsysmom, ,susanbooks ,Rommert ,Michael.Rimmer
Explications
susanbooks: Hamid is Pakistani
93
I Saw Ramallah
de Mourid Barghouti
314 membres
9 critiques
4.1
Member
Hartsellang,lilithcat , ,fannyprice , ,Michael.Rimmer
Explications
lilithcat : Neither fiction nor poetry.
94
Farewell Fountain Street
de Selçuk Altun
4 membres
1 critique
3
Member
Helenliz,lilithcat , , ,fannyprice ,AnnieMod ,Rommert ,Michael.Rimmer ,
Explications
lilithcat : Author is Turkish, not Arabic.
: Tenuto conto che l'autore è del 1950 non si può nemmeno collegarlo all'impero ottomano: è turco al 100%
95
Rêves de femmes : Une enfance au harem
de Fatima Mernissi
913 membres
22 critiques
3.8
Explications
lilithcat : Neither fiction nor poetry.
96
Quatrains
de Omar Khayyám
3,000 membres
35 critiques
4
2 Members
Hartsellang, cipeciop, ,lilithcat , , ,fannyprice ,AnnieMod ,susanbooks ,Rommert ,Michael.Rimmer , ,
Explications
lilithcat : What susanbooks said; Persians are not Arabs.
susanbooks: Wonderful work, but Persian.
: Anche se da alcuni suoi trattati si sviluppò lo studio dell'algebra da parte degli arabi resta persiano!
97
Talking About Jane Austen in Baghdad: The True Story of an Unlikely Friendship
de Bee Rowlatt
129 membres
10 critiques
½ 3.6
Explications
lilithcat : Neither fiction nor poetry.
98
Je suis Pilgrim
de Terry Hayes
2,935 membres
180 critiques
4
Explications
lilithcat : Not an Arabic author.
99
Sandstorm
de James Rollins
2,497 membres
58 critiques
½ 3.7
Explications
lilithcat : Rollins is Polish-American, not Arabic.
100
Les cerfs-volants de Kaboul
de Khaled Hosseini
53,628 membres
1,310 critiques
4.2
Explications
lilithcat : Author is Afghani, not Arabic.
susanbooks: Not Arab
: E' afghano: inserirlo in questa lista significa fare confusione tra i termini arabo e islamico