Banipal (UK) Magazine of Modern Arab Literature - Selections

Selections of poems and fiction, sampling the richness and variety of the hundreds of authors in the issues. Plus a chance to hear and see a few of the authors in performance.

Selected Issue: Banipal 41, Celebrating Adonis (2011)

FICTION

Ali Bader

Excerpt from the novel The Tobacco Keeper

FICTION

Manhal Alsarraj (Sarraj)

Excerpt from the novel kama yanbaghi li-nahr

FICTION

Salim Barakat

Chapter one from the novel Rampaging Geese

POETRY

Adonis

Excerpt from Concerto for Jerusalem

OTHER SELECTIONS

Khaled Mattawa

Adonis relishes new conversations, new poetry, new art.

Adonis’s poetry, early and late, is full of powerful, often violent visions, though one cannot say that he necessarily projects a dark vision of humanity. The poet is simply alert, he has powerful faculties and he has to let them speak to him, unimpacted by the dissonance of others’ views or any consensus of opinion. Among the many joys of being on the road with Adonis last year was to be in the company of such a lively mind whose awareness triggers not only responses but responsibilities.

On Friday 9 November 2018 Adonis gave the 3rd Annual Lecture of the Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation. at the British Library on "Translation: a second act of creation?