The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is taking place from January 29 to February 3 at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City. It will feature more than 150 events including author talks, panel discussions and performances.
From sessions with award-winning international writers and regional talent to talks that delve into specialist topics and performances that pay homage to the literary greats, here are The National’s picks for this year.
A Sip Through Time, January 31
Coffee lovers are invited to delve into various facets of the hot beverage with A Sip Through Time. The session, which will be in Arabic only, will be led by writer and researcher Majed Alahdal, author of Diwan Al-Qahwa. He'll provide deep insights into the history and identity of coffee.
6.30pm to 7.30pm; Khor Pavilion, Intercontinental Hotel; free event
Abraham Verghese: The Covenant of Water, January 31
Author of the hugely successful 2009 novel Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese will be on stage to discuss his 2023 literary hit The Covenant of Water.The story follows the mystery of a family in Kerala who lose one member to drowning. The narrative spans three generations from 1900 to 1977. Verghese will delve into this family saga set at a crucial time in India’s history.
7pm to 8pm; Story Dunes, Intercontinental Hotel; Dh100
All That Glitters, January 31
Part drama, part culinary experience and part dinner, All That Glitters is a murder mystery where no one is safe. Dinner guests can help solve the whodunnit between a group of glamorous over-the-top actors, a controlling director and a suffering assistant in a locked-down film set.
8.15pm to 10.30pm, Al Baraha lll, Intercontinental Hotel; Dh425
Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket), February 1
Children have several engaging workshops and fun activities to explore during the festival. This includes a talk by Daniel Handler, more popularly known as Lemony Snicket, the author of A Series of Unfortunate Events.
The book series comprises 13 novels following the peculiar and chaotic lives of the orphaned siblings Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire. The books were adapted into a 2004 film starring Jim Carey and more recently a Netflix series starring Neil Patrick Harris. Handler's session will be moderated by children’s author Jack Meggitt-Phillips.
10am to 11am; Story Dunes, Intercontinental Hotel; Dh75
Laaleen Sukhera on 250 Years of Jane Austen, February 1
The renowned English author Jane Austen will be celebrated 250 years after her birth, as works such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility still resonate with audiences today.
In the Discovery Talks section that features authors and experts delving into specialised topics, Laaleen Sukhera, founder of the Jane Austen Society Menap and editor of Austenistan, will lead a talk about the novelist's life and legacy.
3pm to 3.45pm; Khor Pavilion, Intercontinental Hotel; free event
Zeinab Badawi: An African History of Africa, February
The history of cultures, countries and continents will be explored and re-examined in several sessions including An African History of Africa with journalist and filmmaker Zeinab Badawi.
The session will delve into Badawi’s book of the same name, which looks at Africa’s history from ancient civilisations to its medieval empires, through to the periods of change in recent centuries but through an African perspective.
4.15pm to 5pm; Al Baraha lll, Intercontinental Hotel; Dh75
Nizar Qabbani, February 1
Syrian diplomat, poet, writer and publisher Nizar Qabbani, whose work has been adapted into many well-known songs in the region, will be honoured in a session about love and nationhood.
Nizar Qabbani: Endless Love will be a session filled with poetry and performance where audiences can experience theatrical interpretations of Qabbani’s most famous poems.
7.30pm to 8.30pm; Al Baraha lll, Intercontinental Hotel; Dh75
An Evening with Abdulrazak Gurnah, February 1
Abdulrazak Gurnah, a Nobel Prize-winning Tanzanian-British novelist, will be on stage to discuss his latest book Theft. Known for his complex and powerful novels such as Paradise, Afterlives, Desertion and By the Sea, his works explore important concepts such as exile, identity and belonging, Gurnah will reflect on these themes and his career during his session.
7.30pm to 8.30pm; Story Dunes, Intercontinental Hotel; Dh100
The Bethlehem Banquet, February 1
In a special event, Franco-Palestinian chef, hotelier and author Fadi Kattan will host the Bethlehem Banquet, which includes dinner and conversation. Kattan will share his personal journey as an author and chef and celebrate Palestinian culture through cuisine – from its ingredients and dishes to its traditions and resilience.
8.30pm to 10.30pm; Zaytoun Restaurant, Intercontinental Hotel; Dh425
History Lessons, February 2
History is also put under the microscope through the medium of fiction with The Covenant of Water's author Abraham Verghese and Pip Williams, who penned The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho. The two popular novelists are set to discuss how they bring historical fiction about marginalised voices to life in authentic ways.
2pm to 3pm; Al Ras lll, Intercontinental Hotel; Dh75
Postmodern Prose, February 2
Khalid Albudoor, considered one of the pioneers of the modern poetry movement in the UAE, along with poet, writer and editor Asmaa Azaizeh will discuss the world of postmodern Arabic poetry from its beauty to its challenges. Albudoor and Azaizeh will look at various facets of this poetic movement including how writers express their experiences through the medium.
2pm to 3pm; Al Baraha l; Intercontinental Hotel; Dh50
Jack Meggitt-Phillips, February 2
Meggitt-Phillips is an English author, known for the acclaimed children's series The Beast and the Bethany, which tells the story of a 500-year-old man, a hungry beast and a rebellious prankster. The series has been translated into more than 30 languages and has a major film deal with Heyday Films.
2.30pm to 3.15pm; Al Baraha ll, Intercontinental Hotel; Dh50
