You Need to Add These Books by Arab Women to Your 2017 Reading List

We’re all going to make (and break) resolutions in 2017, but this list will keep you motivated to read all year long. Check out some incredible books written by Arab women.

By Carla Sertin

Begin Slideshow

1 of 7

Tashari (2013) – Inaam Kachachi

Kachachi shows us an Iraqi family displaced by war. With the ongoing refugee crisis, this book speaks to issues we are all contemplating today. The book was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

2 of 7

Love Stories on Al-Asha Street (2014) – Badriyah al-Bisr

Al-Bisr’s book tells the story of change and technology in Riyadh. As radio gives way to television, things start to change on Al-Asha Street.

3 of 7

The Tiller of Waters (1998) – Hoda Barakat

A devastating look into Lebanon’s 15-year civil war, this book explores regional history and contemporary issues in a country torn apart by war.

4 of 7

Of Noble Origins (2012 in English) - Sahar Khalifeh

This novel follows a Palestinian family that claims to have ancestry linked to the Prophet. It provides a woman’s perspective to the events of 1948. Khalifeh is a well-known author – in 2013, she won the Mohamed Zafzaf prize for her writing.

5 of 7

The Open Door (1960) - Latifa Al-Zayat

Al-Zayat’s novel was modern for its time, showing a young protagonist coming of age in a politically active Egypt. The book won the inaugural Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, and was also turned into a popular movie.

6 of 7

The Dove’s Necklace (2016) – Raja Alem

A detective is searching for a killer in Mecca. The story twists and turns like Mecca’s alleys, and we learn about life in the holy city. This novel made Alem the first woman to win the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

7 of 7

Nisanit (1988) – Fadia Faqir

Named after a settlement in occupied Palestine, this novel follows a girl whose father is arrested as a Palestinian rebel. Meanwhile, a guerrilla fighter is tortured by David, a Zionist Holocaust survivor. The stories are intertwined to tell the story of occupied Palestine.

Search form

You are here

Art & Books

You Need to Add These Books by Arab Women to Your 2017 Reading List

Tashari (2013) – Inaam Kachachi

Love Stories on Al-Asha Street (2014) – Badriyah al-Bisr

The Tiller of Waters (1998) – Hoda Barakat

Of Noble Origins (2012 in English) - Sahar Khalifeh

The Open Door (1960) - Latifa Al-Zayat

The Dove’s Necklace (2016) – Raja Alem

Nisanit (1988) – Fadia Faqir

Share Article

Write a comment

More from Art & Books

Popular

Look of the Day

Instagram

Connect

The Newsletter