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Our challenge continues:

/challenges/...

1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict.
2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history
3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women
4. a book, fiction or non fiction. written by an author from Iraq
5. book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)
6.A book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates )
7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania
8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt
9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author
10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author
11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea)
12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan


Please post your progress down here :)

Happy New Year everyone! My plans so far for 2024...
1. Palestine
I'm reading a few books with my son (7 yrs old) including Sitti's Secrets and We Are Palestinian: A Celebration of Culture and Tradition
2. MENA history
3. Empowering women
أوراق قديمة
4. Iraq
5. Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)
Emily Nasrallah book(s), not available in English
محطات الرحيل, خبزنا اليومي
6. The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates )
تجاوز, بساتين عربستان
7. The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania
The Djinn's Apple
8. Egypt
الشتاء الأسود
9. by a Turkish author
10. by an Iranian author
Lean Against This Late Hour by Garous Abdolmalekian
11. by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea)
12. from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan

I'm going to fill my books in as I do them...
MENA 2024 Challenge
12/12
��1. a book about the Palestine conflict: Without a Country by Ayşe Kulin* 16 Dec 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
��2. a book based on or about MENA history: When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi 17 Jan 2024 ⭐⭐�� my review
��3. a book about "Empowering women": Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo 9 May 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
��4. a book written by an author from Iraq: When Mountains Weep by Gharbi M. Mustafa* (Kurdistan) ⭐⭐ my review
��5. a book by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria): Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Queen Noor 19 May 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
��6. a book by an author from The Arabian Peninsula (Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates): Mama Hissa's Mice by Saud Alsanousi* (Kuwait) 15 Dec 2024 ⭐⭐�� my review

��7. a book by an author from The Maghreb (North Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania): The Outsider by Albert Camus* (Algeria) 7 Dec 2024 ⭐⭐
��8. a book by an author from Egypt: Memoirs of a Woman Doctor by Nawal El Saadawi* (Egypt) 16 Dec 2024 ⭐⭐�� my review
��9. a book by a Turkish author: Without a Country by Ayşe Kulin* (Turkey) 16 Dec 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
��10. a book by an Iranian author: The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali* (Iran) 21 Dec 2024⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
��11. a book by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Eritrea): The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste* (Ethiopia) 15 Sep 2024 ⭐⭐�� my review
��12. a book by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan: Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie (Pakistan)* 29 Mar 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐�� my review

I'll write my books here, when I've read them...

0/12

1. a book about the Palestine conflict.
2. a book based on or about MENA history
3. a book about "Empowering women"
4. a book written by an author from Iraq
5. a book by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)
6. a book by an author from The Arabian Peninsula (Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates)
7. a book by an author from The Maghreb (North Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania)
8. a book by an author from Egypt
9. a book by a Turkish author
10. a book by an Iranian author
11. a book by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea)
12. a book by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan

I'd like to work on this challenge without a time range, just manage at least a few every year. I started last year and will just add and update this post as I go.

Last edited June 16

1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, novella, austere, haunting beauty read 2023, 5 stars

2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history

3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women"
We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib, Pakistani Canadian journalist, endearing feminist and queer story touching on so much- spirituality, art, cross-cultural upbringing, finding oneself- in a short book, great as audiobook read 2024, 5 stars

4. a book, fiction or non-fiction. written by an author from Iraq

5. book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh Syrian, YA, revolution plus sweet love story, great as audiobook read 2024

6. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - (Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates)

7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb (North Africa) - (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania)

8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt
Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz, fiction, classics, first in trilogy, beautiful family saga, definitely intend to read the next books in this series read 2023, 5 stars

9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak, the story of a prostitute and her outcasts friends in Istanbul read 2024, 3 stars

10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author

11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea)
Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems from Somalia, short poetry collection, themes of Somalian culture, displacement, women's and girls' lives read 2024, 4.5 stars

12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan
Jamilia by Chingiz Abtmatov from Kyrgystan, classics, novella, beautiful love story read 2023, 5 stars

Jen wrote: "I'd like to work on this challenge without a time range, just manage at least a few every year. I started last year and will just add and update this post as I go.

1. a book, fiction or non-fictio..."

This is great. I may also not get through all the books in a year, but eventually I will.

I haven't done this for the last couple years but I decided to try again, so here's my plan (because things always go according to plan!):

1. Palestine
✓Susan Abulhawa - Mornings in Jenin

2. MENA History
Madawi Al-Rashid - A History of Saudi Arabia

3. Empowering Women
Woman Life Freedom: Voices and Art from the Women’s Protests in Iran

4. Iraq

5 Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)
DNF Elias Khoury - Gate of the Sun (Lebanon)

6. Arabian Peninsula (Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE)
✓Abdulkader Al-Guneid - Prison Time in Sana'a (Yemen)
✓Sarah A. Al Shafal - Yummah (Bahrain)
✓Sophia Al-Maria - The Girl Who Fell to Earth (Qatar)
✓Manal Al-Sharif - Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening

7. The Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania)
✓Yasmina Khadra - The Swallows of Kabul (Algeria)
✓Hisham Matar - The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between (Libya)
✓Gisele Halimi - Une farouche liberté (Tunisia)
�� Sara Cheikh - Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Insha Allah: How The Journey Back To My Roots Became An Adventurous Escape From the Sahara (Western Sahara)

8. Egypt

9. Turkey

10. Iran
✓Nina Ansary - Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran

11. Sudan or Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea)
�� Mouna-Hodan Ahmed - LES ENFANTS DU KHAT (Djibouti)
✓Sulaiman Addonia - Silence Is My Mother Tongue (Eritrea)

12. Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) or Afghanistan or Pakistan
Malalai Joya - A Woman Among Warlords: The Extraordinary Story of an Afghan Who Dared to Raise Her Voice
✓Ak Welsapar - The Tale of Aypi (Turkmenistan)
✓Gulsifat Shahidi - The City Where Dreams Come True (Tajikistan)
✓Mukhamet Shai︠a︡khmetov - The Silent Steppe: The Memoir of a Kazakh Nomad Under Stalin
✓Malala Yousafzai - Moi, Malala, je lutte pour l'éducation et je résiste aux talibans

Hi
Here is my list:

1) Ibrahim Nasrallah: Time of White Horses
2) Sonallah Ibrahim: The Turban and the Hat
3) Iman Mersal: Traces of Enayat
4) Ruqaya Izzidien: The Watermelon Boys
5) Khaled Khalifa: Death Is Hard Work
6) Abdulaziz Al-Mahmoud: The Corsair
7) Youssef Fadel: A Beautiful White Cat Walks with Me: A Novel
8) Radwa Ashour: The Journey: Memoirs of an Egyptian Woman Student in America
9) Yashar Kemal: Memed, My Hawk
10) Dina Nayeri: A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea
11) Leila Aboulela: River Spirit
12) Khadija Mastur: The Women’s Courtyard

1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict.

2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history
لغز عشتار: الألوهة المؤنثة وأصل الدين والأسطورة

3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women"
Wonder Travels in Mysterious Lands رحلات عجيبة في البلاد الغريبة

4. a book, fiction or non fiction. written by an author from Iraq

5. book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria)

6.A book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates )

7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania)
The Djinn's Apple

8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt

9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author

10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author

11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea)

12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan

Thank you very much for this Melanie - this is the year I want to get back in to reading. It's been a while so I think I will start with starting over again with HWIN by Ibraheem Abbas

My goal: 2 books (for now)
Read: 2/2 (updated: 31/12/2024)
(link to the widget: here)

1. a book, fiction or non-fiction, about the Palestine conflict:
Shibli, Adania - Minor Detail (Translated book: Un dettaglio minore) (read) ⭐⭐⭐⭐��

2. a book, fiction or non-fiction, based on or about MENA history:

3. a book, fiction or non-fiction, about "Empowering women":
Haeri, Niloofar - Say What Your Longing Heart Desires: Women, Prayer, and Poetry in Iran (planned)

4. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Iraq:
al-Azzawi, Fadhil - The Last of the Angels (planned)

5. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al-Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria):

6. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - (Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates):
Algosaibi, Ghazi A. - An Apartment Called Freedom (planned)

7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb (North Africa) - (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania):

8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt:

9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author:
Shafak, Elif - The Bastard of Istanbul (Italian-language translation: La bastarda di Istanbul) (read)
Sönmez, Burhan - Istanbul Istanbul (planned)

10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author:

11. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea):

12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan:
Ismailov, Hamid - The Devils' Dance (planned)

Thank you moderators of this MENA lit group! I’ve discovered so many books I might not never read had I not joined this group and done the challenges!

1. a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict.
Ten Myths About Israel by Ilan Pappé

2. a book, fiction or non-fiction based on or about MENA history
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler-Colonial Conquest and Resistance, 1917-2017 by Rashid Khalidi

3. a book, fiction or non-fiction about "Empowering women
Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad

4. a book, fiction or non fiction. written by an author from Iraq
Three Worlds: Memoir of an Arab-Jew by Avi Shlaim

5. book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Al Sham (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria) The Wrong End of the Telescope by Rabih Alameddine

6.A book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Arabian Peninsula - ( Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates )
A Land Without Jasmine by Wajdi Al-Ahdal

7. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from The Maghreb ( North Africa) - ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,Mauritania)
The Desert and the Drum by Mbarek Ould Beyrouk

8. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by an author from Egypt
In the Language of Miracles by Rajia Hassib

9. a book, fiction or non-fiction, by a Turkish author
Lady Life by Ahmet Altan

10. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an Iranian author
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

11. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from Sudan and the Horn of Africa (Somalia , Djibouti and Eritrea)
River Spirit by Leila Aboulela

12. a book, fiction or non-fiction by an author from the "Stan" countries or Central Asia ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan or Pakistan
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

@Nicole,
how did you like Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening? You've also piqued my interest in Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran.
Thoughts of course welcome from anyone else who's read them.

I just finished Three Worlds: Memoir of an Arab-Jew and am not sure yet if I am going to use it for Iraq, MENA history or the Palestine conflict.
It could be used for all

Jen wrote: "@Nicole,
how did you like Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening? You've also piqued my interest in Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran.
Thoughts..."
It’s pretty good. It’s such a strange world compared to what I’m used to in Canada but it was interesting to read. There are still so many places that women have to fight for basic rights and freedoms and I wanted her to succeed but she was fighting an uphill battle.

Jalilah wrote: "I just finished Three Worlds: Memoir of an Arab-Jew and am not sure yet if I am going to use it for Iraq, MENA history or the Palestine conflict.
It could be used for all"

Listening to it on audiobook currently!

I've to say that I didn't read any english book till now this year, and no book about the Mena region. And there are more than one book in my shell.... Sorry

Hovering at #1: a book, fiction or non-fiction book about the Palestine conflict:
Did read: Maya Wind, "Towers of Ivory & Steel" (2024) -- thickly evidenced expose of Israeli University complicity in occupation, displacement, & militarism
Am "reading" (via audio book) Rashid Khalidi, "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine," a play-by-play, in-the-weeds narration of late C19 Ottoman Empire Palestine, through Mandate & Nakba, tracing the international involvements.

Wasn't able to complete the challenge last year, so hoping I get close to doing so this year!

1) Palestine
A Beggar at Damascus Gate by Yasmin Zahran

2) MENA History
The Book Collectors: A Band of Syrian Rebels and the Stories That Carried Them Through a War by Delphine Minoui

3) Empowering Women
Woman at Point Zero by Nawal Al Saadawi (Egypt)

5) Al Sham
The Broken Wings by Kahlil Gibran (Lebanon)

7) North Africa
For Bread Alone by Mohammed Choukri (Morocco)
The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar (Libya)
Divorce Islamic Style by Amara Lakhous (Algeria)
Chewing Gum by Mansour Bushnaf (Libya)
The Curious Case of Dassoukine's Trousers by Fouad Laroui (Morocco)
The Mischief by Assia Djebar (Algeria)
Love With a Few Hairs by Mohammed Mrabet (Morocco)

8) Egypt
Respected Sir by Naguib Mahfouz

10) Iran, Greater Persia
Layla and Majnun by Nezami Ganjavi (Azerbaijan)
No God but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam by Reza Aslan

11) Sudan & East Africa
The Wedding of Zein by Tayeb Salih (Sudan)

My to read list:
1) Palestine
4) Iraq
6) The Gulf - The Hidden Light of Objects by Mai Al Nakib (Kuwait)
7) North Africa - Intelligence Powder by Kateb Yacine (Algeria)
8) Egypt - Distant View of a Minaret and Other Stories by Alifa Rifaat
9) Turkey - 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World
12) Central Asia - My Pen is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women by Afghan Women

I’m finished! My placeholder is above!
I love this challenge because it is just that! It’s challenging finding books, especially the ones I might not normally have read! So thank you MENA lit moderators!
I look forward to doing this again next year!

Thanks Jalilah! Always glad to see your posts :)