Why 'authentic and honest' writing maximises Arabic literature's potential in Europe

Readers want to be connected to the region through its beauty and harsh realities, say global publishers at Frankfurt book fair

Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz credits international translations of his work for winning the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature. Getty Images

Knowledge of Arabic literature, along with more high-quality translations, is essential for regional novels to thrive in the European book market.

This was the consensus of a select panel of regional and international publishers at the Frankfurt International Book Fair on Thursday, where The National formally launched its comprehensive list of the 50 Most Important Arabic Novels of the 20th Century.

Working alongside the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, the collection features titles representing countries from the Arab League, based on extensive interviews with more than 50 publishers authors, and judges associated with prestigious awards such as the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

Dejan Trajkoski, author and founder of the Proza-Balkan literary festival in his native Macedonia, said such an extensive list is needed to guide international publishers on which Arabic titles to consider for possible translation.

“The fact is, there is nothing really out there. Most of the time, we rely on our own contacts, Arab publishers and sometimes even Google, to find which book titles are promising,” he says. “So this project is hugely important because it does help provide a glimpse of what is out there. And the fact that it is done with so much consultation of authors and intellectuals elevates it beyond opinion.”

The National launched its list of 50 Most Important Arabic Novels of the 20th Century at a panel discussion at the 2024 Frankfurt International Book Fair. Photo: Zoran Mircetic / Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre

Trajkoski says Macedonian translations of Arabic works are small and include some of the books featured in The National’s list, such as Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy and Hoda Barakat’s Stone of Laughter.

These two works, he notes, indicate what some Balkan publishers look for when translating Arabic works. "Speaking for what works in the Balkan region, people do want stories that connect them to the Arab region, through its beauty, exoticism and even the harsh realities," he says. "Ultimately, what they are looking for is authentic and honest writing.

"This is why Arab books from the 20th century are translated into Macedonian and major European languages. The variety of topics is amazing because you can learn about Jordan in the 1950s and the 1919 uprising in Egypt against British colonialism. Arabic literature has been more insightful on these topics than history books."

Barbara Schwepcke, chief executive of Ginko, a UK organisation focusing on promoting cultural understanding of the Middle East through conferences and literary translations, says concerted outreach is needed from Arabic publishers to European counterparts about the commercial feasibility of translating Arabic literature.

"Naguib Mahfouz famously said he wouldn't have won the Nobel Prize if he hadn't been translated," she says. "This shows the importance of reaching out to booksellers and telling them about these books. Having the list of 50 books of the 20th century is important, but it is only the first step. Perhaps an opportunity comes to translate sample chapters from these books and present them at the next Frankfurt book fair.

"Literature is by its nature subjective, and while recommendations can only go so far, it is all about convincing people that these amazing stories are worth reading.”

The Cairo Trilogy is comprised of the novels Palace Walk, Palace of Desire and Sugar Street by Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz. Photo: Penguin Random House

Saeed Al Tunaiji, executive director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, echoes the sentiment. Through the organisation’s appearances at international festivals, where partnerships are created and deals for the publication and translations of Arabic books are sealed, the centre aims to fulfil its mission to promote the Arabic language.

“Not every Arabic publisher has the resources to make those inroads, so we view it as a responsibility to be out there and encourage translations from Arabic to foreign languages," he says. "Across Europe, Latin America and Asia, I have seen growing interest in Arabic literature, and we have to harness that attention through various initiatives, like translation grants and major prizes, such as the Sheikh Zayed Book Award."

In that regard, more quality Arabic translators are needed. Schwepcke says channelling the nuances of Arabic literature to an international audience can be challenging.

"Twentieth-century Arab novels drew me in because their themes resonate. When I read the books of Ibrahim Koni, for example, I learn about the rich hospitality and the difficulties of living in the desert,” she says. "But I only experienced this through quality translations that are more concerned with getting the flavour and richness of Arabic across than just being purely literal translations."

Al Tunaiji adds that word-for-word translations of Arabic novels only tell half the story."It really should be more than that," he says. "By allowing the reader to understand the context surrounding the book, they can then really begin to understand the richness of Arabic culture."