Flaubert’s Poison Pen
Flaubert's theory of meaning and form rests on a mystical conception of the nature of writing, alongside the theory of music in writing.
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The Mourning Diaries of Atash Shakarami
The diaries provide a complex double-layered narrative of Nika as a victim of regime brutality, and of Atrash as a survivor of state horror.
“A Blind Window on Childhood”—a short story by Hamoud Saud
Omani writer Hamoud Saud’s short story “A Blind Window on Childhood” translated from Arabic by Zia Ahmed, reveals a family's secret history.
“Ten-Armed Gods”—a short story by Odai Al Zoubi
In a stream of consciousness short story by Odai Al Zoubi, a minister under investigation in the Syrian government awaits his fate.
“The Lakshmi of Suburbia”—a story by Natasha Tynes
In Natasha Tynes’ new short story, “The Lakshmi of Suburbia,” an unhappy wife falls in love with herself and an internet influencer.
“The Cockroaches”—flash fiction
In the violence of the Gaza war, a love that dares not speak its name blossoms at a hefty price in flash fiction by Stanko Uyi Sršen.
“Keeping Up”—fiction from Mohamed Farag
The more things change, the more they become strange, or so finds the confused narrator of this Kafkaesque adventure in a developing country.
“The Doll with the Purple Scarf”—flash fiction from Diaa Jubaili
Iraqi novelist Diaa Jubaili's short story, translated by Chip Rossetti, portrays dolls as unlikely victims of life under the Islamic State.
The Butcher’s Assistant—a true story set in Alexandria
While studying abroad in Alexandria, Bel Parker becomes a butcher's apprentice to immerse herself in the local language and culture.
“Certainty”—a short story by Nora Nagi
In this latest story by Nora Nagi, an Egyptian woman trapped in a loveless marriage far from home finds freedom.
“We Danced”—a story by MK Harb
In exercises to “release your inner child,” meditation, or psychotherapy, Beirutis search for mental and physical relief, in MK Harb's latest short story.
“Madame Djouzi”—a story by Salah Badis
Salah Badis' short story follows an elderly Algerian woman contemplating the end of her life amidst the threat of earthquakes or having to sell her cherished furniture.
“Frida Kahlo’s Mustache”—flash fiction from Abdullah Nasser
In this flash fiction by Abdullah Nasser, a couple struggling to conceive undergoes a transformation that changes everything.
“Besara”—an excerpt from Things Are Not in Their Place
An excerpt from Omani writer Huda Hamed’s bittersweet coming-of-age novel about race and self in a new English translation by Zia Ahmed.
“Deferred Sorrow”—fiction from Haidar Al Ghazali
In Haidar Al Ghazali's short story, a Palestinian father during the war on Gaza makes an impossible choice.