Edgelands nominated for Ondaatje prize
It’s not the most high-profile of literary awards, but it must surely be the most esoteric. The Ondaatje Prize is awarded each year to the “book of the highest literary merit – fiction, non-fiction, poetry […]
BOOKS
A spring of Arab fiction
Copy: The National, Gulf Life, Vision, The Observer This spring I’ve been busy with the International Prize For Arabic Fiction – colloquially known as the Arabic Booker – for a number of publications. First I spoke […]
Keija Parssinen’s inside track on Saudi life
Copy: The National 13/03/12 >> CNN published an interesting story today on Saudi women. Entitled Pampered or Oppressed, it highlights the case of Samar Badawi, who served seven months in jail simply for disobeying her father. […]
ROMESH GUNESEKERA ON ISLAND LIFE
Copy: The National 27/02/12, Metro 19/02/12 >> Having been to Mauritius recently, I was fascinated to see how the Booker-nominated Sri Lankan author Romesh Gunesekera would approach a novel set on the island. His lasting […]
David Nicholls looks back at One Day
Copy: The National 26/02/12 >> For a while last year it seemed like everyone was reading David Nicholls’ One Day, the wonderful tale of two star-crossed university lovers who we happen across every year, on […]