Middle East/North African Lit discussion
2020- 2026 challenge
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2026 challenge
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My Placeholder
1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict.
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history
Murjana: A Novel of Medieval Baghdad
3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women
محطات الرحيل
4. a book, fiction or non fiction. written by an author from Iraq
5. book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)
The Jasmine Sneeze - done
6.A book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates )
Shushuya: My Special Dragon Friend - done
7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania
A Sky With No Light by Khaoula Hamdi (reading the Arabic original خولة حمدي – سماء بلا ضياء)
8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt
الشتاء الأسود
9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author
10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author
11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea)
12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan
1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict.
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history
Murjana: A Novel of Medieval Baghdad
3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women
محطات الرحيل
4. a book, fiction or non fiction. written by an author from Iraq
5. book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)
The Jasmine Sneeze - done
6.A book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates )
Shushuya: My Special Dragon Friend - done
7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania
A Sky With No Light by Khaoula Hamdi (reading the Arabic original خولة حمدي – سماء بلا ضياء)
8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt
الشتاء الأسود
9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author
10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author
11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea)
12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan
Here is my list. Looking forward to these:1. 1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict: Mother of Strangers by Suad Amir
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history: The Many Lives of Ibrahim Nagui by Samia Mehrez
3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women: Empty Cages by Fatma Qandil
4. a book, fiction or non fiction. written by an author from Iraq: Absent by Betool Khedairi
5. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria): Tigers on the Tenth Day and other Stories by Zakaria Tamer
6. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates ): Honey Hunger by Zahran Alqasmi
7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania): The Disappearance of Mr Nobody by Ahmed Taibaoui
8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt: Blue Lorries by Radwa Ashour
9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author: The Sultan of Byzantium by Selcuk Altun
10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author: Rosewater and Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran
11. 11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea): The Orchard of Lost Souls by Nadifa Mohamed
12. 12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan: The Monkey’s Wound and Other Stories by Hajra Masroor
Richard wrote: "Here is my list. Looking forward to these:
1. 1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict: Mother of Strangers by Suad Amir
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or ab..."
Thanks for sharing your list!
1. 1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict: Mother of Strangers by Suad Amir
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or ab..."
Thanks for sharing your list!
Here is my list...I hope to find someone reading the same books 1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict. Time of White Horses: A Novel by Ibrahim Nasrallah
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history
3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women
4. a book, fiction or non fiction. written by an author from Iraq Diwan AlMutannabi
5. book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria) ميثاق النساء حنين الصايغ *the one I am looking most forward to because I have heard raving reviews....
6.A book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates )
7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania
8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt; The Mirage by Naguib Mahfouz; Utopia by Ahmed Khaled Tawfik,
9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author
10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author
11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea)
12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan.
Hello everyone ! I’m super excited to join this year’s challenge. Below are the books I’ve selected so far. I’ll be completing the challenge with 5 topic. For the remaining topics I plan to go with the flow and draw inspiration as I go.
1. The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine from Rashid Khalidi ( this book needs no introduction)
2. Nedjma from Kateb Yacine ( Algeria’s struggle and identity under French colonial rules)
3. Chronique d’un decalage from Azza Filali( a Tunisian woman explores empowering and freedom through everyday experiences, questioning social norms, identity, and the space women claim for themselves)
4. A stranger in your own city from Ghaith Adbul Ahad( the biography of a lost Irak
5.
6.
7.
8. God dies by the Nile and other novels from Nawal El Saadawi ( I an in love with this woman mind nothing else to say :)
9.10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world from Elif Shafak ( super popular I am sure you heard about it)
10.
11.
Thank you MENA Lit moderators for offering this challenge again! My Placeholder:
1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict.
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history
Murjana: A Novel of Medieval Baghdad
3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women
4. a book, fiction or non fiction. written by an author from Iraq
5. book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)
6.A book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates )
7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania
8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt
9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author
10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author
11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea)
12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan.


1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict.
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history
3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women
4. a book, fiction or non fiction. written by an author from Iraq
5. book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)
6.A book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates )
7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania
8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt
9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author
10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author
11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea)
12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan.
Please post your own list in here!