10.13125/2039-6597/327
By sheer coincidence, just as the political unrest erupted in Libya in early 2011, a first-ever collection of Libyan fiction was published by Banipal. The publication is prefaced by a statement supported by more than 400 Arab intellectuals, writers and journalists pertaining to the recent events in Bahrain, Libya and Yemen. Collaboratively, they condemn the corruption in governmental regimes and the kowtowing Arab media, from whom they unanimously disassociate themselves. This publication is both a political manifesto and a sparkling mosaic of literary faces, genres and words from Libya.
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2039-6597
327
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Estelle Jobson
Between
A collection of Libyan fiction in Banipal 40: Magazine of Modern Arab Literature
Text.Serial.Journal
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Between the Texts / Reviews: Eds. Giulio Iacoli and Marina Guglielmi
2011-11-28
2011-11-28
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1
Estelle Jobson
2011/11/28
10.13125/2039-6597/327
University of Cape Town
2039-6597
2
it
A collection of Libyan fiction in Banipal 40: Magazine of Modern Arab Literature
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       A  collection  of  Libyan  fiction  in  
             Banipal  40:  Magazine    
      of  Modern  Arab  Literature  (2011)  

      By  sheer  coincidence,  just  as  the  political  unrest  erupted  in  Libya  
in  early  2011,  a  first-­‐‑ever  collection  of  Libyan  fiction  was  published  by  
Banipal.  The  publication  is  prefaced  by  a  statement  supported  by  more  
than   400   Arab   intellectuals,   writers   and   journalists   pertaining   to   the  
recent   events   in   Bahrain,   Libya   and   Yemen.   Collaboratively,   they  
condemn  the  corruption  in  governmental  regimes  and  the  kowtowing  
Arab   media,   from   whom   they   unanimously   disassociate   themselves.  
This  publication  is  both  a  political  manifesto  and  a  sparkling  mosaic  of  
literary  faces,  genres  and  words  from  Libya.    
      Banipal   publishers,   based   in   London,   publish   their   literary  
journal,  Banipal:  Magazine  of  Modern  Arab  Literature,  three  times  a  year.  
It   serves   to   showcase   contemporary   Arab   authors   in   English  
translation,   irrespective   of   where   and   in   which   language   they   are  
writing   or   publishing.   The   fiction   in   the   collection   includes   extracts  
from   published   and   forthcoming   works,   private   collections,   poems,  
short   stories   and   chapters   from   novels.   The   non-­‐‑fiction   component  
includes   interviews,   author   profiles   and   relevant   essays   about  
literature,  such  as  on  the  Libyan  short  story  and  another  on  the  Libyan  
novel.    
      The  reader  is  exposed  to  talent  emerging  from  diverse  life  paths,  
from   established,   highly   accomplished   writers   as   well   as   fresh,  
emerging   ones.   Some   are   exiles   in   the   west,   by   choice   or   necessity,  
others   are   based   in   Libya,   and   yet   others   live   elsewhere   the   Arab  
world.   While   many   are   ensconced   professionally   in   the   arts   and  
culture,  others  are  doctors,  lawyers  or  accountants,  in  professions  that  




Between,  vol.  1,  n.  2  (Novembre/  November  2011)    
Estelle  Jobson,  A  collection  of  Libyan  fiction  in  Banipal  40:  Magazine  of  Modern  Arab  Literature  (2011)  




have   little   call   for   daily   rumination   over   a   thesaurus.   Yet   they   write.  
Lyrically.      
       The   threads   of   connection   to   other   countries   are   sometimes  
tenuous,   sometimes   fierce.   ‘The   First   Lesson   in   Migration’,   by   Razan  
Naim   Moghrabi,   tells   of   a   woman   curious   about   the   smuggling   of  
people:  of  Iraqis  based  in  Libya  who  pay  to  be  smuggled  to  Italy  and  of  
the  ruthless  individuals  who  traffic  them.  The  youngest  contributor  to  
the   collection,   21-­‐‑year-­‐‑old   Mohammed   Mesrati,   describes   in   a   chapter  
from   his   novel,   Mama   Pizza,   the   experiences   of   a   young   man  
distributing   menus   on   foot   to   homes   in   London.   We   read   a   chapter  
from  the  debut  novel  of  a  daring  young  writer,  Wafa  Al-­‐‑Bueissa,  set  in  
Alexandria.  For  her  frank  and  fearless  writing,  such  as  how  her  young  
protagonist   forges   her   identity   and   sexuality   by   breaking   boundaries,  
the  author  has  been  banned  in  Libya  and  compelled  to  seek  asylum  in  
the  Netherlands.    
       Ties  to  the  former  colonial  countries,  their  languages  and  cultures  
linger.   In   the   short   story   ‘Lobsters’   by   Ahmed   Fagih,   a   philosophy  
lecturer  in  Beirut  bases  himself  so  slavishly  and  pedantically  on  the  life  
and  habits  of  Jean-­‐‑Paul  Sartre,  that  he  plots  his  own  demise  to  mimic  
that   of   his   idol.   In   the   short   story   ‘The   Bicycle’   by   Azza   Kamil   Al-­‐‑
Maghour,  a  young  girl  learns  to  ride  a  bicycle,  venturing  into  what  was  
formerly  a  boys-­‐‑only  domain.  The  story  has  the  gentlest  of  allusions  to  
Italian  architecture,  road  names  and  turns  of  phrase.    
       Chief   protagonists   are   not   only   people,   but   animals:   a   hoopoe  
caught   in   a   trap,   horses   torn   between   freedom   and   domestication,   a  
dog   named   Ramadan,   and   flocks   of   migrating   birds   captured  
exquisitely  by  Ibrahim  Al-­‐‑Koni,  who  despite  only  learning  to  read  and  
write  Arabic  at  the  age  of  12,  has  become  one  of  Libya’s  most  prolific,  
respected  writers.    
       The   magazine   includes   blurbs   about   the   shortlisted   titles   for   the  
International   Prize   for   Arab   Fiction,   of   which   three   are   soon   to   be  
published   in   English.   Additionally,   Banipal   co-­‐‑funds   an   annual  
translation   award,   the   Saif   Ghobash–Banipal   Prize   for   Arabic   Literary  
Translation.  Fittingly,  translators  are  always  named  and  the  quality  of  
translation  throughout  the  publication  is  superb.    Seemingly  effortless.  


2  
                                            Between,  vol.  I,  n.  2  (November/Novembre  2011)  



The   essay   ‘Translating   Ibrahim   al-­‐‑Koni’   by   translator   Elliot   Colla  
explores   the   multi-­‐‑layered   art   of   translation   from   the   translator’s  
perspective.   While   there   are   thousands   of   captivating   words,   it   is   the  
book   covers,   photos   of   literary   locations   and   portraits   of   the   various  
contributors  that  add  a  visual  component.  We  get  to  see  the  faces  of  the  
many   collaborators   who   bring   to   life   works   that   otherwise   might  
remain  inaccessible  to  those  of  us  who  don’t  read  Arabic.  We  put  a  face  
to  the  name  of  not  only  the  bank  of  writers,  but  of  the  translators  and  
reviewers,  too.  This  is  because  Banipal  strives  not  only  to  bring  to  the  
English-­‐‑reading   world   diverse   writing   from   the   Arab   pen,   but   to  
illuminate  the  importance  and  contribution  of  literary  translators.  
       The  next  issue,  Banipal  42,  has  a  special  focus  on  New  Writing  from  
the   Emirates.   It   showcases   works   by   27   authors   from   the   United   Arab  
Emirates   –   and   includes   background   articles   on   the   short   story,   the  
development  of  modern  poetry  and  the  novel.  Banipal  42  –  New  Writing  
from   the   Emirates  completes   the   magazine’s   14th   year   of   continuous  
publication,   while   its   new   Guest   Literature   feature   from   a   non-­‐‑Arab  
country   further   promotes   intercultural   dialogue   between   cultures  
through   literary   translation.      To   find   out   about   subscription   and  
receiving   a   complimentary   back   copy,   you   can   visit   the   website   and  
take   a   wander   through   the   immense   and   stimulating   world   of   Arab  
literature.    
       For   those   of   us   engaged   in   the   field   of   comparative   literature,  
Banipal   shines   unveils   those   regions   and   voices   which   we   would  
otherwise  not  be  able  to  enjoy,  experience  and  compare.  Through  their  
theme-­‐‑based   collections,   we   are   free   to   study   the   ways   in   which  
symbols   travel   across   borders   and   through   pens   into   different  
languages   and   cultures:   through   captivating   tales   written   by   fine  
wordsmiths.  




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Estelle  Jobson,  A  collection  of  Libyan  fiction  in  Banipal  40:  Magazine  of  Modern  Arab  Literature  (2011)  




                                                The  author  
Estelle  Jobson  
  
       Estelle  Jobson  studied  languages  and  literature  at  the  University  
of   Cape   Town   and   has   a   teaching   diploma   in   adult   literacy   from   the  
University   of   South   Africa   (UNISA).   In   addition   to   fifteen   years'ʹ  
experience   in   publishing,   she   has   a   Masters   in   Publishing   from   New  
York  University,  which  she  attended  on  a  Fulbright  fellowship.  She  is  
currently   working   as   freelance   editor,   publishing   consultant,   writer,  
and  translator.    
         
       Email:  estelle.jobson@gmail.com    



                                                The  review  
Date  submitted:  30/06/2011  
Date  accepted:  30/09/2011  
Date  published:  30/11/2011  



                                 How  to  quote  this  review  
Jobson, Estelle, "A collection of Libyan fiction in Banipal 40: Magazine of
Modern      Arab       Literature     (2011)",    Between,     I.2  (2011),
http://www.between-journal.it  
  
         
       
  




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