Jordan Elgrably

is an American, French, and Moroccan writer and translator. His stories and creative nonfiction have appeared in many anthologies and reviews, including Apulée, Salmagundi, and the Paris Review. Editor-in-chief and founder of The Markaz Review, he is the cofounder and former director of the Levantine Cultural Center/The Markaz in Los Angeles (2001–2020). He is the editor of Stories From the Center of the World: New Middle East Fiction (City Lights 2024), and co-editor with Malu Halasa of Sumūd: a New Palestinian Reader (Seven Stories Press 2025). Based in Montpellier, France and California, he tweets at Blue Sky.

Escaping the “Cockroach”—On Melancholy and Noir

Escaping the “Cockroach”—On Melancholy and Noir

Like a classic noir narrative in which morality blurs and truth is slippery, the world today feels increasingly...

5 DECEMBER 2025 • By Jordan Elgrably, Mohammad Rabie
Why NATIONALITY?

Why NATIONALITY?

Nationality: at the end of the day, we are richer for the diversity of our identities, and poorer...

7 NOVEMBER 2025 • By Jordan Elgrably, Malu Halasa
Lamia Fakhoury: Holding Space and Working Together

Lamia Fakhoury: Holding Space and Working Together

TMR's editor interviews Jordanian fine artist Lamia Fakhoury on her circuitous journey to devoting herself full-time as a...

3 OCTOBER 2025 • By Jordan Elgrably
Sara Shamma — Cleaving the World in Two

Sara Shamma — Cleaving the World in Two

After living in London and Beirut, Sara Shamma returned to Damascus, where her hyperrealistic paintings reflect the chaos...

5 SEPTEMBER 2025 • By Jordan Elgrably
“Silence is Not the Way”—Arab Writers Against Israel’s Genocide

“Silence is Not the Way”—Arab Writers Against Israel’s Genocide

When one poet declines to participate on the international stage in Edinburgh, supporters of Palestinian human rights are...

18 JULY 2025 • By Jordan Elgrably
Poet Mosab Abu Toha Wins Pulitzer Prize for Essays on Gaza

Poet Mosab Abu Toha Wins Pulitzer Prize for Essays on Gaza

Poet and essayist Mosab Abu Toha who grew up in Gaza under the bombs has won the 2025...

9 MAY 2025 • By Jordan Elgrably
“Return to Salé,” an excerpt from Le Bastion des Larmes

“Return to Salé,” an excerpt from Le Bastion des Larmes

Returning to Salé, his hometown in Morocco, a writer and educator is haunted by the voice of a...

2 MAY 2025 • By Abdellah Taïa, Jordan Elgrably
Read These Books by Arab American Authors

Read These Books by Arab American Authors

An inspiring collection of remarkable titles to mark Arab American Heritage Month in the US, showcasing vibrant culture...

4 APRIL 2025 • By Rana Asfour, Jordan Elgrably
Insurrection of the Spirit: Algeria’s Resistance Poet Anna Gréki

Insurrection of the Spirit: Algeria’s Resistance Poet Anna Gréki

Gréki’s poetry expresses her deep love for Algeria while also serving as a powerful tribute to resistance against...

21 MARCH 2025 • By Jordan Elgrably
Why Love, War & Resistance?

Why Love, War & Resistance?

Can love transform in the face of bombs, drones, AI surveillance, snipers, annexation, and expulsion?

7 MARCH 2025 • By Malu Halasa, Jordan Elgrably
The Editor’s Letter Following the US 2024 Presidential Election

The Editor’s Letter Following the US 2024 Presidential Election

The Markaz Review responds to the results of the 2024 US presidential election, in which Donald Trump prevailed...

8 NOVEMBER 2024 • By Jordan Elgrably
Aïda Nosrat of Atine: Artist at Work

Aïda Nosrat of Atine: Artist at Work

Jordan Elgrably interviews free-spirited Iranian performer Aïda Nosrat on music, exile, freedom, and a passion for mixing cultures.

11 OCTOBER 2024 • By Jordan Elgrably
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