Middle East/North African Lit discussion

The challenge continues!

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!

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

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!

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.
Mother of Strangers by Suad Amiry
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history
Murjana: A Novel of Medieval Baghdad Ghada Karmi
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
Children of the Jacaranda Tree by Sahar Delijani
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.
The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

Here is my challenge, I will fill it in as I go
MENA 2026 CHALLENGE
1/12
1. a book, fiction or non-fiction, 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, by an author from Iraq
5. a 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, UAE)
7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb (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): Why Do You Dance When You Walk? by Abdourahman A. Waberi 27 Feb 2026 Djibouti ⭐⭐⭐ my review
12. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from the "Stan" countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan.

1. Palestine:
2. MENA history:
3. Empowering women:
4. Iraq:
5. Al Sham:
6. The Gulf:
7. North Africa: Finalement, il y a quoi dans le Coran? by Rachid Benzine and Ismaël Saidi *in progress*
8. Egypt:
9. Turkey: The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak *in progress*
10. Iran:
11. Sudan and the Horn of Africa:
12. "Stan" countries:

My goal: 5 books (for now)
Read: 0/5 (updated: 19/03/2026)
(link to the widget: here)

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: al-Azzawi, Fadhil - The Last of the Angels (planned)
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): Algosaibi, Ghazi A. - An Apartment Called Freedom (planned)
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: Ashour, Radwa - Granada: The Complete Trilogy (planned)
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): Gaafar, Reem - A Mouth Full of Salt (planned)
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: Ismailov, Hamid - The Devils' Dance (planned)