Three Poems of Love and Desire by Nouri Al-Jarrah
Three poems of love and desire, composed in Beirut during the darkest days of the civil war, and war within war, by exiled Syrian poet Nouri al-Jarrah.
Hand-Written Love Letters and Words of the Great Arab Poets
Artist Reem Mouasher shares her recent series of paintings, inspired by the era of hand-written love letters, borrowing words of great Arab poets; Gibran, Qabbani, Al-Mutanabbi and Mahmoud Darwish.
Fiction: “Skin Calluses” by Khalil Younes
Syrian artist and writer Khalil Younes recalls the strained sexuality of Martyrs Square in Damascus.
No Sex Please, We’re Syrian: on Syrian Sexual Humor During War
A frank look at the changing social attitudes toward sexuality in war-torn Syria.
Three Love Poems by Rumi, Translated by Haleh Liza Gafori
Iranian American poet and translator Haleh Liza Gafori presents a new volume of Rumi translations in “GOLD” published by NYRB Classics.
On “True Love Leaves No Traces”
From Leonard Cohen to Apollo and Daphne to French philosopher Jean-Lun Nancy, Arie Akkermans-Amaya looks at the influences of an Istanbul exhibition.
The Art of Remembrance in Abacus of Loss
Sherine Elbanhawy lives in the pages of a memoir in verse and finds herself reluctant to leave, identifying with how its author unpacks the complexities of exile, home, family and love.
Fiction: “A Day in the Life of a Married Man”
A tale of conjugal love from the first complete story collection in English by Moroccan writer and cult feminist Malika Moustadraf, translated by Alice Guthrie.
Ukraine War Reminds Refugees Some Are More Equal Than Others
Observing the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a Lebanese American journalist in London, married to a Syrian refugee, finds the racist double standard on refugees unsettling.
Nadia Murad Speaks on Behalf of Women Heroes of War
Women’s rights activist Maryam Zar reviews the memoir by a valiant survivor of ISIS who won the Nobel Peace Prize for speaking out on her experience.
A Miscarriage of Justice in the Case of Mahmood Hussain Mattan
Rana Asfour reviews the Booker Prize-nominated novel by Nadifa Mohamed based on the true story of a wrongly-convicted Somali in 1950s Cardiff.
“There’s Nothing Worse Than War”
Letter from the Editor: Russia’s Attack on Ukraine seen from European and Middle Eastern Vantage Points