Ehkili | Books & Literature from the Arab World
Ehkili is the podcast of the afikra community dedicated to books and literature from the Arab world. It invites listeners to read along with the afikra community and discover notable authors and works from the region. Episodes feature interviews with Arab writers about their books written in Arabic, English, or French, as well as conversations with non-Arab authors who have written extensively about the Arab world. The show also brings together book lovers to discuss and analyze significant literary works from the region. Formerly known as afikra's Book Club, it explores literary journeys and contemporary writing.
Episodes
Nazik Al-Malaika: The Iraqi Woman Who Helped Revolutionize Arabic Poetry | Prof. Emily Drumsta
Can the rhythm of a poem mimic the frantic hooves of horses carrying away the dead? Assistant Professor Emily Drumsta to explores the rich history of Arabic literature, the evolution of the Arabic novel, and her deep-dive into literary translation. The conversation centers on the life, political shifting, and meticulous criticism of pioneering Iraqi poet Nazik al-Malaika. Drumsta discusses her boo
What Will People Think? | Sara Hamdan on the Jimmy Fallon Book Club Shortlist
Author Sara Hamdan discusses her journey to becoming a published writer and the nuanced storytelling behind her book, "What Will People Think?" from its unexpected appearance on Jimmy Fallon's Book Club shortlist to navigating the complexities of Palestinian heritage in her work. Hamdan delves into the importance of collaboration in creative fields, the value of allowing one's work time "to breath
The Hollow Half: a Memoir of Bodies and Borders | Sarah Aziza
The author discussed her multigenerational Palestinian family memoir "The Hollow Half: A Memoir of Bodies and Borders," which spans from mandate Palestine to the present day. Sarah Aziza reflects on her relationship with her Palestinian identity, the complexities of being "half" something, and her lifelong journey with the Arabic language. The conversation also touches upon the impact of the ongoi
Ihsan Abdel Quddous's Enduring 20th-Century Legacy | Jonathan Smolin
Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Dartmouth College, Jonathan Smolin, discusses his book "The Politics of Melodrama: The Cultural and Political Lives of Ihsan Abdel Kouddous and Gamal Abdel Nasser," which examines the life and work of Ihsan Abdel Quddous who played an immense role in shaping 20th-century Arab culture as a prolific writer, journalist, and political commentator. Smolin details
Author Selma Dabbagh | We Wrote In Symbols: Love and Lust By Arab Women Writers
In this episode of Ehkili, Palestinian writer Selma Dabbagh discusses the influence of her legal background on her storytelling and explores the complexities of her Palestinian identity, particularly in the context of political engagement and activism. The conversation also delves into Dabbagh's novel "Out of It" and her anthology "We Wrote In Symbols: Love and Lust By Arab Women Writers," highlig
Short Stories from Arab Cities | Exploring Urban Narratives With the Co-Editors of "Mudun" Reem Khorshid & Faris Bseiso
In this episode of Ehkili, we speak with Reem Khorshid and Faris Bseiso about their literary project Mudun, published by Kaph Books and supported by the Barjeel Art Foundation. They trace the origins of this anthology of short stories about Arab cities, which began as a pandemic project and grew into a collection featuring narratives both in Arabic and English. Highlighting diverse and often under
Palestinian Writing From the Diaspora | Sahar Mustafah Interviews Susan Muaddi Darraj
In this episode of Ehkili, Sahar Mustafah welcomes author and editor Susan Muaddi Darraj to discuss her recent anthology, "Ask the Night for a Dream: Palestinian Writing From the Diaspora." The conversation highlights the significance of amplifying Palestinian literary voices, the challenges of publishing during the ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank, and the vital rol
Steve Lonergan and Jassim Al-Asadi | The Ghosts of Iraq's Marshes: A History of Conflict, Tragedy, and Restoration
In this episode of Ehkili, Mysa Kafil-Hussain speaks with Jassim Al-Assadi and Steve Lonergan, authors of "The Ghosts of Iraq's Marshes: A History of Conflict, Tragedy, and Restoration." They delve into the history, environmental challenges, and cultural significance of the marshlands, as well as the authors' collaboration on their book. They discuss the impact of draining the Iraqi marshes on loc
The Story of One Palestinian Family Under Occupation | Sami Hermez & Sireen Sawalha
Sami Hermez is an anthropologist who teaches at Northwestern University in Qatar. He is the author of "War Is Coming: Between Past and Future Violence in Lebanon" published in 2017. His work in and out of the classroom reflects a strong commitment to freedom, justice, and equality, as his own family's history of migration spans the Levant, with roots in Al-Qosh, Aleppo, Beirut, and Jerusalem.Conne
Eyeliner: A Cultural History | Zahra Hankir
This episode was recorded on March 27th, 2024.Zahra Hankir is a Lebanese-British journalist, editor and author. She was awarded a Jack R. Howard Fellowship to attend the Columbia Journalism School and holds degrees in politics and Middle Eastern studies. Her first book "Our Women on the Ground" was a bestseller and won the Susan Koppelman award for best anthology in feminist studies. This second b
Coming of Age in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn | Aisha Abdel Gawad
Writing Between Two Moons: An Arab-American coming of age story set in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn during the “War on Terror”. Author Aisha Abdel Gawad sheds light on her experience writing the novel while balancing her work as a high-school teacher, capturing Bay Ridge’s unique community in her book, and her creative process. Together, Mikey and Aisha reflect on the post-9/11 War on Terror, age of survei
Belonging, Divorce & Summer in Egypt | Malaka Gharib
In this episode of Book Club, Malika Gharib joins us to share her musings on what it means to be an artist, the symbiotic relationship between journalism and comics, as well as what the 'American Dream' truly means. She reflects on growing up as a first-generation Filipino Egyptian, her changing relationship with her heritage, and how she uses her work as a medium to grapple with questions of iden
Finding the Caliph's House | Tahir Shah
Tahir Shah talks about his experiences in the Arab region. He talks about The Caliph's House, a book he has written that is inspired by his trips to Morocco in his childhood; from Marrakesh to the Sahara.Tahir Shah is a best-selling author and filmmaker known for his work in both fiction and non-fiction. He has produced over forty works, including books, documentaries, screenplays, and journalism.
Kuwait & "An Unlasting Home" | Mai Al-Nakib
Mai Al-Nakib talks about her novel "An Unlasting Home" which traces Kuwait's rise from a pearl-diving backwater to its reign as a thriving cosmopolitan city to the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion.Mai Al-Nakib is a Kuwaiti writer and academic. She was born in Kuwait and spent her early years living in London, Edinburgh, and St. Louis, Missouri. She received her PhD in English literature from Brown
A Century of Armenian Life & Family | Joumana Haddad
Welcome to this episode of the Afikra Book Club with the engaging Joumana Haddad who takes us on a journey through her past and upbringing in Bourj Hammoud to uncover family sorrows and share the stories of those left scathed by the Armenian genocide.Joumana Haddad is an award-winning Lebanese writer, journalist, university professor and human rights advocate. She’s worked for Lebanon’s An Nahar n
Collective Failure to Improve the Arab World | Amal Ghandour
Amal Ghandour talked about her book 'This Arab Life,' where she explores common cultural and societal issues that most generations in the Arab world face.Amal Ghandour is a Lebanese-Jordanian author and blogger (Thinking Fits), with a career that spans more than three decades in the fields of research, communication, and community development. Her book, About This Man Called Ali (2009), was named
Suad Amiry | Mother of Strangers
Suad Amiry talked about her book, "Mother of Strangers: A Novel," which is a story of young love set in Jaffa in between 1947 and 1951.Suad Amiry is a Palestinian writer and architect living in the West Bank town of Ramallah. She studied architecture at the American University of Beirut, the University of Michigan, and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Her parents went from Palestine to Amman
Sahar Mustafah | Reversing Stereotypes Through Literature
Sahar Mustafah talked about her book "The Beauty of Your Face." The novel is about a Palestinian American woman wrestles with faith, loss, and identity before coming face-to-face with a school shooter, it navigates a country growing ever more divided.The daughter of immigrants, Sahar Mustafah explores her Palestinian heritage in her writing. She earned her MFA in Fiction from Columbia College wher
Instrumental Coasts and Waterways to British Control in the Middle East | Sabrina Mahfouz
In this Book Club, we talked to Sabrina Mahfouz about her book "These Bodies of Water." The novel is about imperialism, and the history of the Middle Eastern coastlines and waterways that were vital to the British Empire's hold.Sabrina Mahfouz is a British-Egyptian writer, performer and educator. Her first short play, That Boy, was performed at the Soho Theatre in 2010 and won a Westminster Prize
The Divas of Cairo's Roaring 20s | Raphael Cormack
Raphael Cormack discussed his new book Midnight in Cairo: The Divas of Egypt's Roaring 20's.Midnight in Cairo tells the thrilling story of Egypt’s interwar nightlife and entertainment industry through the lives of its pioneering women. Introducing an eccentric cast of characters, it brings to life a world of revolutionary ideas and provocative art – one which laid the foundations of Arab popular c
The Turtle of Oman & Michigan | Naomi Shihab Nye
Naomi Shihab Nye talked about her books ‘The Turtle of Oman’ and ‘The Turtle of Michigan. The books are about Aref as he travels from Muscat, Oman, to Ann Arbor, Michigan.Naomi Shihab Nye was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father was a Palestinian refugee and her mother an American of German and Swiss descent, and Nye spent her adolescence in both Jerusalem and San Antonio, Texas. She earned her
Arab Queer Literature & NYC's Little Syria | Zeyn Joukhadar
Zeyn Joukhadar talked about his book ‘The Thirty Names of Night: A Novel’.Zeyn Joukhadar is the author of the novels The Map of Salt and Stars, 2018, and The Thirty Names of Night, 2020 and a member of the Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI). His work has appeared in KINK: Stories(eds. RO Kwon & Garth Greenwell), Salon, The Paris Review,Shondaland, [PANK], Mizna, and elsewhere. He has been nomi
Kareem Abu-Zeid | Arab Poetry & Translations
Kareem James Abu-Zeid talked about his translations of ‘Exhausted on the Cross”by Najwan Darwish and “Confessions” by Rabee Jaber.Kareem James Abu-Zeid is a translator, editor, writer, teacher, and scholar who works across multiple languages. As an acclaimed translator of Arabic literature, he works with prominent English-language publishing houses to introduce the writings of Arab poets and novel
James Barr | A Line in the Sand: Britain, France, and the Struggle that Shaped the Middle East
James Barr talked about his book ‘A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the Struggle that shaped the Middle East’. A Line in the Sand vividly tells the story of the short but crucial era when Britain and France ruled the Middle East.James is a leading historian of the modern Middle East and author of the widely-acclaimed A Line In The Sand and Lords of the Desert. He is now working on a history
Home Is Not a Country | Safia Elhillo
In this Book Club, we talked to Safia Elhillo about her book "Home is not a country." The novel is about family, identity, and finding yourself in the most unexpected places.Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Edited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Book Club:Book Club is an interview series that calls for afikra community members, wh
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