Bachir Hilal (b. 1947–2015) was a lawyer and writer born in Lebanon. He wrote a weekly column on political issues for the Arabic daily newspaper al-Hayat. His short stories and poetry have been published in the culture sections of many Arabic-language newspapers. He moved from Beirut to Paris during the Lebanese Civil War.
Iman Humaydan is a Lebanese writer, creative writing instructor, translator, editor/publisher, journalist, and cofounder and current president of the Lebanese PEN association who splits her time between Beirut and Paris. Her novels B as in Beirut, Wild Mulberries, and Other Lives have been translated into English and other languages; her most recent novel is Three Ounces of Paradise. She is the screenwriter for the acclaimed film Here Comes the Rain, and coauthor of the documentary Asmahan: Une Diva Orientale.
Hala Kawtharani (b. 1977) is editor-in-chief of the pan-Arab weekly Laha magazine. She is the author of four Arabic novels: al-Usbu‘ al-Akhir (The Final Week), Studio Beirut, Ali al-Amerkani (Ali the American), which won the 2013 Sharjah Book Fair prize for Best Arabic Novel, and Karisma (Charisma), all published by Dar al-Saqi. Kawtharani holds an MA in Arabic literature and a BA in political studies from the American University of Beirut.
Zena el Khalil (b. 1976) has lived in Lagos, London, New York City, and Beirut. A visual artist, writer, and cultural activist, el Khalil works in a variety of formats ranging from painting, installation, performance, mixed media, collage, and writing. She has exhibited internationally, and held solo exhibitions in Lagos, London, Munich, Turin, and Beirut. Her memoir, Beirut, I Love You, was translated into several languages including Italian, Spanish, Swedish, and Portuguese.
Mazen Maarouf (b. 1978) is a Palestinian poet, writer, and journalist born in Beirut. He has published three collections of poetry: The Camera Doesn’t Capture Birds, Our Grief Resembles Bread, and An Angel Suspended on the Clothesline. His poetry has been translated into many languages, and the South Lebanon Council honored him in 2009. His first collection of short stories is forthcoming.
Alawiya Sobh (b. 1955) was born in Beirut and has published novels, poetry, literary criticism, and journalism. Her novels have been translated into several European languages and have won a number of important literary prizes. She frequently lectures about women’s issues, among other subjects, throughout the Arab world and beyond.
Marie Tawk is a writer and renowned translator currently based in Jbeil (Byblos), Lebanon. She has published numerous literary translations from French into Arabic, as well as from Arabic into French. She recently translated chapters of Jonathan Littell’s The Kindly Ones from French into Arabic in the Nahar newspaper’s cultural supplement, and she has published a number of her own short stories and literary criticism in Lebanese newspapers and journals. Tawk is currently working on her first novel.
The Amazin’ Sardine is the author of An Ever-Receding Tide. He has been performing under this nom de plume for several years. In his performances, he always strives to be the devil’s advocate and impersonates unsavory characters to elicit a reaction from his audience and push them to reconsider established truths.
Hyam Yared (b. 1975) is a French-language Lebanese novelist and short-story writer. Her three novels have won numerous prizes. Her most recent novel is La Malédiction (The Curse), the story of a modern-day Middle Eastern Medea. She is the president of the PEN association’s Lebanon chapter, where she is engaged in the struggle for freedom of expression for all writers, especially those imprisoned or subjected to other forms of intimidation and censorship.
Translator's Acknowledgments
I would like to first acknowledge Ibrahim Ahmad’s thoughtful, consistent, and enthusiastic support of this project. I would also like to thank all of the authors of the stories in this collection who were helpful and insightful in their comments and suggestions. Sincere and deep thanks are owed to Iman Humaydan, who continues to teach me so much about literature and language itself. I also would like to express a sincere debt of gratitude to Bader Takriti for working so hard to help me finish the translations, as well as the careful readings of Katy Kalemkerian.