‘Hope is the only thing that can shatter solid matter, bend and break earthly laws and bring down the barriers of the world.’ - Bachtyar Ali

Calling Kurdish writers & artists.. Submissions are open for a special issue of The Markaz Review!

The Markaz Review مجلة المركز@markaz-review.bsky.social · 4mo ago

So where does that leave identity? What does it mean to be Kurdish when the identity itself fractures the moment you try to define it? 🗓️ Submit by June 1. 🔗Send in your submissions via Duosuma: https://bit.ly/tmr-duosuma-submissions #TMR #CallForSubmissions #SubmissionsOpen #SWANAWriters

I really enjoyed reading ‘On the Greenwich Line’ last year so I’m pleased to see it’s been shortlisted for the EBRD Literature Prize. I also just finished reading Uzbek novel ‘We Computers’ yesterday, which is also on the list. Looks like I should check out the other titles from the shortlist!

The EBRD@ebrd.bsky.social · 4mo ago

On the Greenwich Line by Shady Lewis (Egypt), translated from the Arabic by Katharine Halls and published by Peirene Press #EBRDLiteraturePrize2026

Lovely article in @arablit.bsky.social by @verslemaroc.bsky.social about the pleasures of joining a unique book club - in this case Adabiyat, which focuses on Arab lit in English translation (or by writers from the diaspora). arablit.org/2026/02/11/o... For more info see @__adabiyat__ on instagram.

On Finding Community Through Adabiyat

Adabiyat is a virtual book club for readers of Arabic literature to come together monthly and debate, interpret, and appreciate written works of the Arab world and its diaspora. Houcine Chraïbi is …

arablit.org

The situation in Rojava is very serious, and once again the Kurds are finding themselves abandoned by the world.

The Green Party of England & Wales@greenparty.org.uk · 7mo ago

"The UK government has got to make clear to the Syrian government that the current negotiated ceasefire must be restored and that attacks on Kurdish-majority towns are unacceptable." Green Party Peer @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social responds to the ongoing attack on North East Syria.

This is fascinating by @liverpoolpost.bsky.social - I’d always wondered why so many Christmas treats involve raisins/ dried fruit. My only criticism of the article is the tone is perhaps overly celebratory of the role of Liverpool without enough attention on the slavery enabling this. bit.ly/3L8nK5E

How Liverpool invented Christmas

Every Christmas pudding tells a story of Liverpool’s innovation, enterprise and ambition — with a large helping of exploitation too. Did our modern Christmas start in our docks?

bit.ly

What a literary treat to see the latest mini issue of the Markaz Review with a focus on Kurdish literature - I may be biased as I consider Aryan Omar Hassan (of @henarpress.bsky.social) a friend, but his review of the novel “Hyper” by @agri.bsky.social is hilarious. themarkaz.org/agri-ismails...

Agri Ismaïl's Hyper is a 21st Century Kurdish Crucible

Kurdish writer Agri Ismaïl’s debut novel is nothing short of a literary miracle, suggests reviewer Aryan Omar Hassan.

themarkaz.org

History has always been contested, but #AI is making it easier than ever to rewrite the past. Salil Tripathi explores how history is at risk of being overly simplified, erasing marginalised voices: www.indexoncensorship.org/2025/11/hist...

Some interesting books on this longlist! I’ve been enjoying reading Kurdish writer Fatma Aydemir’s ‘Djinns’ lately (translated from German by @jpolizei.bsky.social). Looks like there are some other titles I need to add to my ever-growing “to read” pile!

Warwick Prize for Women in Translation@womenintranslation.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Announcing the longlist for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation 2025! Featuring 10 languages, 12 publishers, 4 collections of poetry - and much more. The longlist travels from Argentina to South Korea, from Haiti to Romania, from Sweden to Slovenia. tinyurl.com/4cu8sdv9

Today’s the first day of Autumn, so I thought I’d share this beautiful poem by Kurdish poet Qubad Jalil-Zada: کزەی پایز بەڕێوەیە دارستان لەبری خۆی داپۆشێت، خۆی ڕوت دەکاتەوە. The cool breeze of autumn is coming but instead of covering herself, the forest is undressing.

Looking forward to the next book club hosted by The Markaz Review. I loved reading Sand-Catcher and found it surprisingly funny as well as moving.

The Markaz Review مجلة المركز@markaz-review.bsky.social · 11mo ago

🗓️[UPCOMING EVENT] Join us on Sept. 28 at 1pm EST for #TMRBookClub! We’ll discuss “Sand-Catcher,” (@coffeehousepress.bsky.social) a moving fable of Palestinian memory. Author Omar Khalifah and translator Barbara Romaine join us. Hosted by @bookfabulous.bsky.social 🔗 us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

I’m so pleased to have had the chance to be involved in helping to expand @henarpress.bsky.social’s database of Kurdish Literature in English & glad that others are as excited about it as we are!

ArabLit & ArabLit Quarterly@arablit.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Today, the promised conversation with Aryan Omar Hassan, the founding editor of Henar Press (first Kurdish-lit focused press in the US), about why they're focusing on experimental Kurdish literature. cc @themountaingoats.bsky.social. arablit.org/2025/09/11/a...

Henar Press is absolutely delighted to announce that we will be hosting a virtual reading for Sleeping in the Courtyard: Contemporary Kurdish Writers in Diaspora (University of Arkansas Press). Please RSVP to receive the Zoom link: forms.gle/ArUEqXotVm8k...

This article in The Guardian on the launch of GlobeScribe is worth reading. Ian Giles, chair of the SoA's Translators Association argues Globescribe “may claim to unlock global access for fiction, but their approach sidelines the very people who make literature resonate across cultures"

AI translation service launched for fiction writers and publishers prompts dismay among translators

UK-based GlobeScribe is charging $100 per book, per language for use of its services, but translators say that nuanced work can only be produced by humans

theguardian.com

Looking forward to the release of this new collection of Kurdish women’s writing, published by @uarkpress.bsky.social - Thanks Holly Mason Badra for bringing together writing from this broad range of voices from Kurdistan & the diaspora.

Jan Dost: “We wrote novels and poetry collections in our mother tongue without ever studying it at school or university… It’s what I call a shadow literature." Interesting article on the politics & personal tensions of writing in Kurdish & Arabic. bit.ly/43zbB0x

Jan Dost on writing in Arabic and Kurdish: "Like being caught between two magnets" | Qantara.de

"Safe Corridor" is Jan Dost's first novel translated into English. The prolific Syrian writer explores the hardening impact of war on children and discusses the key differences between writing in Kurd...

bit.ly

🔥 GIVEAWAY 🔥 Feeling lucky? We're giving away 5 copies of 𝘙𝘰𝘫𝘢𝘷𝘢 𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴: 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴! To enter, follow AK Press and share this post. Shipping to US & Canada, but we'll send an e-book if you're somewhere else. We'll announce the winners 2/18 (release day!) www.akpress.org/rojava-in-fo...

From this list, I’m especially looking forward to reading ‘On the Greenwich Line’ by Shady Lewis (published by Peirene Press next month). #booksky

ArabLit & ArabLit Quarterly@arablit.bsky.social · 2y ago

We have added several more notable titles to our FORTHCOMING IN 2025 list. In particular don't miss: *Batool Abu Akleen's debut collection of poetry *Several new short-story collections from @commapress.bsky.social Basically get everything in the below image. Full list arablit.org/2025/01/01/a...

Reflecting on the books I read last year, one of my favourites was 'My Friends' by Hisham Matar. I found myself pausing on page after page to take in the gentle poetry of Matar's descriptions. The book is a beautiful exploration of the fragility of friendship in a context of exile.

‘Someone in prison fears being forgotten, fears that their voice won’t be heard. People would tell me during visitations, “Your books are being read.” “They’re being translated into different languages”.. Knowing this gave me immense strength.’ - Kurdish poet, İlhan Sami Çomak bit.ly/4f9lNPs

'I spent 30 years in prison imagining becoming a free poet'

Kurdish poet İlhan Sami Çomak, 51, was freed last week after serving 30 years in prison.

bit.ly