A new generation of readers is driving Arabic contemporary fiction – bringing fresh authors and literary styles to the forefront of the regional literary landscape.
This was one of the key points raised during Thursday’s panel at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair – marking the launch of The National’s 50 Most Important Arabic Novels of the 21st Century.
The curated list was compiled in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, drawing on the expertise of more than 50 literary figures, including authors, publishers, academics, festival organisers, and prize jurors from across the Mena region.
At the session, prominent Egyptian author Mohamed Abu Al Fadl Badran, former secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Culture, was joined by literary critic Haytham Al Haj Ali and Saeed Al Tunaiji, executive director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.
Together, they discussed how a growing youth literary culture, combined with the influence of major prizes, is reshaping what readers expect from Arab publishers. They pointed to novels featured in the list as examples of authors gaining prominence, as readers increasingly seek contemporary reflections of Arab society through blurred genres and innovative literary techniques.
“We have a large youth demographic that has imposed the names of new novelists,” Al Badran said. “And these novelists are brilliantly creative and strategic in combining poetry with love, logic with narration. That’s why they gained a large audience.”
Online platforms have also played a vital role in bringing new voices to the fore, said Al Haj Ali.
He pointed to novels such as 2005’s Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea and 2006’s Wanna Be a Bride by Mona Al Shammari, both not on The National's list and which were originally serialised online before becoming regional bestsellers and securing foreign translations.
Popular Egyptian author Ahmed Mourad, whose psychological thriller The Blue Elephant features in The National’s list, also built a loyal readership through his interactive literary discussions on social media.
“That direct line of communication between writer and reader is something new,” he said. “It shows how a novel can begin in different ways, from a blog post to a series of tweets, before finding print success. This is reshaping the structure and style of the Arabic novel.
Regional literary prizes that focus on new works, which often lead to international translations, are also helping modern Arabic literature gain global recognition.
Two other novels from the list – The Bamboo Stalk by Kuwait's Saud Alsanousi, which won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2013, and No Knives in the Kitchens of This City by late Syrian author Khaled Khalifa, winner of the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature in 2013 – are examples.
“These prizes, like the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, focus solely on the quality of the work, and as a result, they can bring a previously unknown novelist into global circulation,” Badran said.
“At the same time, for those who are already well known, they can serve as motivation to keep going. I remember when Naguib Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988. At the time, only one of his novels – The Harafish – had been translated into German, and everyone rushed to read it. Mahfouz himself said that the award encouraged him to continue writing.”
While Arabic novels are being propelled by new platforms, the region’s literary criticism has yet to keep pace, according to Badran.
“We have excellent critics, but not schools of critical thought,” he said. “Each critic operates independently, without a collective vision – and that limits their ability to shape taste or create lasting influence.
“We often borrow Western theories and try to apply them to novels that are rooted in completely different cultural and social contexts. We need home-grown critical tools – tools that speak to our histories, our rhythms, our readers.”
Al Tunaiji, from the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, said the issue points to a broader challenge facing Arabic publishing – the absence of a fully developed professional ecosystem that can elevate the standards of both publishers and translators.
He cited the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair’s annual masterclasses in editing, translation, and publishing as examples of how the industry is working to close that gap. Such initiatives, he noted, are essential to keeping the Arabic novel vibrant, offering readers a fresh sense of what contemporary literature can achieve – rather than relying on the prestige of the past.
“We need to rethink what we offer and how,” he said. “The Arab reader gravitates towards specific topics, but it’s diversity that attracts them. And this is what all these various initiatives should offer – from book fairs to book compilations like we did with The National.
“It’s not just about sales, but about building bridges between East and West, between the older reader and the young. That’s what keeps literature alive.”
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is running at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until May 5
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
UAE SQUAD
Omar Abdulrahman (Al Hilal), Ali Khaseif, Ali Mabkhout, Salem Rashed, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Zayed Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Khalid Essa, Ahmed Barman, Ryan Yaslam, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmin (Al Wasl), Adel Al Hosani, Ali Hassan Saleh, Majed Suroor (Sharjah), Ahmed Khalil, Walid Abbas, Majed Hassan, Ismail Al Hammadi (Shabab Al Ahli), Hassan Al Muharrami, Fahad Al Dhahani (Bani Yas), Mohammed Al Shaker (Ajman)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 518bhp
Torque: 625Nm
Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds
Price: Dh633,435
On sale: now
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
VERSTAPPEN'S FIRSTS
Youngest F1 driver (17 years 3 days Japan 2014)
Youngest driver to start an F1 race (17 years 166 days – Australia 2015)
Youngest F1 driver to score points (17 years 180 days - Malaysia 2015)
Youngest driver to lead an F1 race (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest driver to set an F1 fastest lap (19 years 44 days – Brazil 2016)
Youngest on F1 podium finish (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest F1 winner (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest multiple F1 race winner (Mexico 2017/18)
Youngest F1 driver to win the same race (Mexico 2017/18)
PRISCILLA
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Sofia%20Coppola%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Cailee%20Spaeny%2C%20Jacob%20Elordi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.5-litre%20V12%20and%20three%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C015hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C500Nm%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eight-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Early%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh2%20million%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
