Wajdi al-Ahdal
Encyclopedia
Wajdi al-Ahdal is a Yemeni
novelist, short story writer and playwright. He was born near Bajil in the province of Hadida and studied at the University of Sanaa. Ahdal has published four novels, four collections of short stories, a play and a film screenplay.
In 2002-03, Ahdal's novel Qawarib Jabaliya (Mountain Boats) created a considerable amount of controversy in Yemen and he was forced to leave the country due to threats from radical conservatives. He spent some time in Lebanon
before returning to Yemen. A more recent novel The Quarantine Philosopher was nominated for the Arab Booker Prize in 2008. In 2010, Ahdal was selected as one of the Beirut39
, a group of 39 Arab writers under the age of 40 chosen through a contest organised by Banipal
magazine and the Hay Festival
. He was also chosen by IPAF
to be one of the seven participants in its writers' workshop (nadwa).
Ahdal's work has appeared in English translation in a number of anthologies:
He currently works in the cinema and drama department of the Yemeni Ministry of Culture.
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
novelist, short story writer and playwright. He was born near Bajil in the province of Hadida and studied at the University of Sanaa. Ahdal has published four novels, four collections of short stories, a play and a film screenplay.
In 2002-03, Ahdal's novel Qawarib Jabaliya (Mountain Boats) created a considerable amount of controversy in Yemen and he was forced to leave the country due to threats from radical conservatives. He spent some time in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
before returning to Yemen. A more recent novel The Quarantine Philosopher was nominated for the Arab Booker Prize in 2008. In 2010, Ahdal was selected as one of the Beirut39
Beirut39
Beirut39 is a collaborative project between the Hay Festival, Beirut UNESCO's World Book Capital 2009 celebrations, Banipal magazine and the British Council among others in order to identify 39 of the most promising Arab writers under the age of 39...
, a group of 39 Arab writers under the age of 40 chosen through a contest organised by Banipal
Banipal
Banipal is an independent literary magazine dedicated to the promotion of contemporary Arab literature through translations in English. It was founded in London in 1998 by Margaret Obank and Samuel Shimon. The magazine is published three times a year...
magazine and the Hay Festival
Hay Festival
The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts is an annual literature festival held in Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales for ten days from May to June. Devised by Norman and Peter Florence in 1988, the festival was described by Bill Clinton in 2001 as "The Woodstock of the mind"...
. He was also chosen by IPAF
International Prize for Arabic Fiction
The International Prize for Arabic Fiction is a literary prize managed in association with the Booker Prize Foundation in London, and supported by the Emirates Foundation in Abu Dhabi. The prize is specifically for prose fiction by Arabic authors, along the lines of the Man Booker Prize...
to be one of the seven participants in its writers' workshop (nadwa).
Ahdal's work has appeared in English translation in a number of anthologies:
- Oranges in the Sun: Contemporary Short Stories from the Arabian Gulf (2006)
- Beirut 39: New Writing from the Arab World (2010)
- Emerging Arab Voices: Nadwa 1: A Bilingual Reader (2011)
- Banipal 36: Literature in Yemen Today
He currently works in the cinema and drama department of the Yemeni Ministry of Culture.