“The City Within”—fiction from MK Harb
In MK Harb's latest story, a man steps out of his home in Beirut after two years of living in isolation to a life-changing encounter.
The Imagination Interviews
Zahhāk: An Etiology of Evil
Omid Arabian recounts the legend of the serpent king from Ferdowsi's epic "Shāhnameh," exploring human psychology and the roots of tyranny.
Rebels of the Alpujarras: a House in Granada
Nestled in the old Arab quarter of Granada lies a house with an exceptional Morisco history, the Carmen Aben Humeya.
“The Long Walk of the Martyr”—fiction from Salar Abdoh
In Salar Abdoh’s new short story, Iranian militias return from war to a life and country to which they have difficulty adjusting.
“The Burden of Inheritance”—fiction from Mai Al-Nakib
In Mai Al-Nakib’s new short story, a woman makes a Herculean effort to preserve the memory and artwork of her late husband.
In Shahrazad’s Hammam—fiction by Ahmed Awadalla
Ahmed Awadalla’s new story reveals sexual pleasure and doubt in a bathhouse in Beirut.
STAMP ME—a monologue by Yussef El Guindi
Yussef El Guindi explores an anxious traveler's mind racing with thoughts of what to say as he faces border and customs control.
The Ship No One Wanted—a story by Hassan Abdulrazak
Can a crush on a teacher survive marriage, revolution, and a sinking, refugee dingy on the Mediterranean Sea?
Inside the Giant Fish—excerpt from Rawand Issa’s graphic novel
In Rawand Issa's "Inside the Giant Fish," a girl looks for her lost memories on a beach that no longer exists.
“Nadira of Tlemcen”—fiction from Abdellah Taïa
Sometimes you have to escape everything you know in order to become yourself.
Naar, Are You illuminated?
A fiction that celebrates the indomitable spirit of women who embrace their agency.
Abortion Tale: On Our Ground
In Ghadeer Ahmed's latest story, three women with no abortion rights refuse to be victims of exploitation and blackmail.
Hayat and the Rain—fiction from Mona Alshammari
The power of the imagination may not be enough to save a young girl’s hopes when faced with rural poverty.
On Ice—fiction from Malu Halasa
In an excerpt from an unpublished novella by Malu Halasa, ice skating in the desert is more than just a sport.
Tears from a Glass Eye—a story by Samira Azzam
Samira Azzam was a Palestinian short story writer whose work influenced her more famous successor, Ghassan Kanafani.