George Hawi
Besides being recognised as the late secretary general of the Lebanese Communist Party, assassinated politician George Hawi, was also in fact a promising poet. Subsequent to his death, his daughter compiled these hitherto unknown works in order to share his poems with the world. They are unexpectedly romantic and poignant.
Chicago
Alaa Al Aswany
Great story teller Alaa Al Aswany was the author of the best-selling book The Yacoubian Building which was later adapted into a successful Egyptian movie. His latest offering, Chicago, portrays the private lives of some Egyptians living in America. It is a witty and passionate book that provides a social and political audit of modern Egypt.
Trace of the Butterfly
Mahmoud Darwish
Trace of the Butterfly is the final work of eminent revolutionary Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish. The book which comprises some 150 prose texts, as well as short poems, represents an extraordinary existential account of the life of an exiled individual in the overwhelming presence of death. A must read.
The Third River
Zeina Ghandoura
The first novel written by the promising Saudi writer Zeina Ghandoura aims to convey a humanitarian perspective to the war in Iraq. By tracking the journey of a group of reporters through a series of events, the difficulties and atrocities of living in this war-torn country are brought to light. Some may be put off by the topic but others may consider it a little gem.
The Hakawati
Rabeeh Alameddine
This is the third novel by Lebanese American author Rabeeh Alameddine. The Hakawati has a framing narrative that concern’s a young man’s trip from Los Angeles to his father’s deathbed in Beirut. There he and his relatives exchange jokes, tear-jerking tales, cliff-hangers and legends during the weeks of their vigil. An enchanting read.
Le Voile, The journey of the veil
Roger Moukarzel
Renowned photographer Roger Moukarzel committed himself to photography, as his eye committed itself to the camera. His most recent book, Le Voile, is a compilation of photographs, which seek to venture into the world of the veil, with all its incarcerations, what it hides and what it is symbolic of, to discover the different stories each veil whispers.
