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Abdulrazak Gurnah and Tsitsi Dangarembga
Can the Nobel Prize "revitalise" African literature?
Abdulrazak Gurnah is the fourth author from sub-Saharan Africa to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Is the tide turning for African writers? By Annabelle Steffes-Halmer
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Iranian literature in Germany
Roses from Shiraz: German devotees of Hafez
For centuries, the great classical Persian author Hafez has inspired German writers. Translations, adaptions and homages have been created in his wake, and the process continues today. Nasser Kanani has published an expansive book on Hafez’ German devotees. By Gerrit Wustmann
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Modern Persian literature
Five Farsi novels and their impact on Iranian pop culture
Thinking of novels about Iran, the first titles that spring to mind might be "Persepolis", "Reading Lolita in Tehran" or "Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America". Internationally acclaimed books they may be, yet few will have heard of them inside the Islamic Republic. Changiz M. Varzi selects some seminal modern works penned in Farsi
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Beirut publisher Nadine Touma
Dar Onboz' cases full of exquisite Arabic picture books
If she just played with the image of the victim, it would make things a lot easier for her, but that’s not what she’s going for: the Lebanese children’s book publisher Nadine Touma and her colourful portfolio. Lena Bopp paid her a visit.
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Art, life, and the New Patrons
Sartep's graphic journey to a better world
The New Patrons seek to sponsor art projects initiated by citizens in order to better dovetail art and life. Anyone can become their client. In Berlin, the impressive comic "Temple of Refuge" was created on behalf of the Iraqi-Kurdish refugee Sartep Namiq, describing the story of his flight and the hope for a better life. By Stefan Dege
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Book review: Kurt Scharf's "Halt aus in der Nacht bis zum Wein"
A window on modern Iranian poetry
Iran’s contemporary poets are less well known in Germany than the old Persian classics. Kurt Scharf has now translated 32 of them into German. Marian Brehmer dipped into the anthology
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Professor Nasser Kanani on the Persian poet Hafez
"The joyful audacity of his spirit, the melody of his poetry"
Over the centuries Hafez' legacy has exerted a unique influence on numerous poets in Europe, with many an Orientalist falling under his spell. In interview with Yasmin Khalifa, Nasser Kanani explores the great poet’s sensuality, mysticism and elegance
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Non-fiction: Kubra Gumusay's "Sprache und Sein"
Beyond the linguistic pigeonhole
In "Sprache und Sein" (Language and Being) the activist Kubra Gumusay critically examines the function of language – the narratives that reflect and determine the realities of human coexistence, which classify and empower individuals while also curtailing their rights. It is all about privilege, stereotypes and exclusion. By Melanie Christina Mohr
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Interview with Iranian author Amir Hassan Cheheltan
"Literature is based on politics and eroticism"
Amir Hassan Cheheltan has not published a novel in Iran in 15 years. The 62-year-old author does intend to refrain from writing either about politics or eroticism, as censorship in Iran prescribes. In Europe, meanwhile, his works are enjoying increasing popularity. Eight books by Cheheltan have already been published in German. Interview by Nasrin Bassiri
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Uncovering Portugalʹs Islamic roots
Where Christians pray facing Mecca
Archaeologists in Mertola have spent the last 40 years looking for traces of Portugalʹs Islamic past. What they found shows that Islam is not alien to Europe and has in fact deeply influenced Portuguese history and culture. By Marta Vidal
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The demise of Modern Standard Arabic
Tongue-tied Arabs
It is one of the most important Semitic world languages. One of the six official languages of the UN. The language of Ibn Arabis – and of the Koran. And yet Modern Standard Arabic is not very popular with native speakers. Why? Mona Sarkis has some of the answers
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Book review: Abbas Khiderʹs "Deutsch fuer alle"
Simply making German simpler
The German language should be simplified and made more accessible to all. Then integration would also work, says Abbas Khider. His proposals sound strange at first, but they are not. A book for grammar lovers. By Swantje Schutz