10 Noir Novels to Kill For
These ten novels—all steeped in uncertainty, grit, shadowy streets, and moral ambiguity—encapsulate the best of Arab noir writing.
It Was Just an Accident: A Haunting Tale of Revenge
Jafar Panahi’s film reminds us that vengeance doesn’t stop at borders.
A Bomb for Personal Use—an excerpt
This gritty thriller interweaves multiple perspectives to explore exile, identity, resistance, and the human cost of war.
The End of the Sahara—an excerpt
A novel that tells the story of the end of socialism in Algeria, almost one year before the fall of the Berlin Wall.
In Praise of Half-Light: Notes from a Gray City
Playwright Melis Aker makes a compelling argument in favor of shadows.
“Tuesday”—a story from Palestine
This tautly written short story charts the existential dread of Israeli checkpoints.
The Price of Freedom: Prison Writings from Post-Revolutionary Egypt
At the most basic level, writing creates a bond between the world inside a cell and the world outside.
A Never-Ending Day—an excerpt
Small-time crook Magdy survives a street brawl, an angry relative, and an accidental murder — all in one day.
10 Noir Films from the Arab world, Iran, and Turkey
From classic noir to chilling psychological thriller, these ten films encapsulate the cinematographic experience of NOIR.
Pharmakon State: A Republic of Ruins, a Ritual of Return
An art exhibition in Damascus is filled with works that build upon trauma, asking: What happens after the collapse?
Bejan Matur on Finding Poetry in a Vortex
“I know the poem is waiting for me somewhere,” explains Bejan Matur, whose lyrical poetry bridges oral tradition with written word.
The Whispers Of Nadia Tueni and Maroun Baghdadi
In her column, Amal Ghandour ruminates on Lebanese poet Nadia Tueni and the director who filmed her, Maroun Baghdadi.