5 Lebanese Authors To Add To Your Bookshelves In 2022
As we enter another year, we may just be looking to expand our minds and our bookshelves. Here are 5 Lebanese authors to check out that are sure to do just that.
1. Hanan al-Shaykh
An award-winning writer of contemporary novels, Hanan al-Shaykh’s novels are originally written in Arabic but have been translated into 21 languages.
The Story of Zahra is a coming-of-age novel that documents the life of Zahra from her childhood through adulthood during the Lebanese Civil war. A story of war, violence, and adultery, this novel is a classic Hanan al-Shaykh “must read”.
One Thousand and One Nights: A Retelling is an English novel written by al-Shaykh which takes a feminist approach of retelling 19 stories from the original Middle Eastern folk collection of Alf Layla w Layla (Arabian Nights).
2. Karim Koussa
If you are a person who enjoys historical and religious fiction, then you should check out the works of Karim El-Koussa.
The Phoenician Code is a thriller novel that follows the story of Paul Khoury who encounters secret societies and seeks to uncover the secrets of the Holy Grail. This novel is currently in the process of a screen adaptation.
3. Hilda Kammoun
Bringing complex topics like economics and neuroscience to life by using relatable, real-life examples, it is safe to say that you won’t be able to put any of Dr. Kammoun’s books down. Rewiring the Unconscious assesses, are thoughts and feelings separate from the neural activity of the brain? What really motivates a person to choose the way they live? Is rewiring your habits and thought patterns possible? Read on to find out!
Move on to Think With Your Wallet for an incredible explainer on all things finance (arming you with the financial literacy necessary to move upward instead of being confined in the strata you were born into!), and top it off with her latest publication, The Great Divide: an explainer on the cultural divide in America, how it happened and what will it take to unite.
Jordan-born Lebanese writer Rabin Alameddine is an international best-selling author who has written six novels, as well as short stories. Alameddine has won awards for his writing such as the ‘Arab American Book Award’ and a gold medal at the “California Book Awards” for his novel An Unnecessary Woman which tells the tale of 72-year old Aaliya Saleh who resides alone in Beirut, with only pieces of literature to keep her company, to which she translates into the classic Arabic language.
Another one of Alameddine’s famous novels is The Hakawati, which means ‘the storyteller’. This novel is about a young man who returns to Beirut due to his father’s death, where his relatives share their many stories during the vigil.
5. Jessica Semaan
Jessica Semaan is a Lebanese poet living in the United States who generally appeals to the younger generation.
Child of the Moon is Semaan’s debut poetry book during which she recalls traumatic experiences from her childhood during the Lebanese Civil war and learns to heal from them. Her poems consist of heavy topics such as suicide, abuse, and oppression; while also discovering love, acceptance, and forgiveness.
