Traces of Enayat (Transit Books, 2023) is a work of creative nonfiction tracing the mysterious life and erasure of Egyptian literature’s tragic heroine. It begins in Cairo, 1963. Four years before her lone novel is finally published, the writer Enayat al-Zayyat takes her own life at age 27. For the next three decades, it’s as if Enayat never existed at all. ... Show More
Today
James Bultema, "Free Enough to Grow: The Turkish Protestant Movement, 1961-2016" (Springer, 2026)
In Free Enough to Grow: The Turkish Protestant Movement, 1961-2016 (Springer Nature, 2026), James Bultema identifies and investigates four central factors that gave rise to the Turkish Protestant movement in the latter half of the twentieth century and the early years of the twen ... Show More
1 h
Apr 19
Nathaniel Greenberg, "The Long War of Ideas: American Public Diplomacy in Arabic After 9/11" (Columbia UP, 2026)
In the wake of the September 11 attacks, US officials identified the so-called battle for hearts and minds as the “second front” in the war on terror. A wave of funding flowed into public diplomacy in the Middle East, seeking to change views of the United States through Arabic-la ... Show More
48m 38s
Apr 19
Sabri Jiryis, "The Foundations of Zionism" (Ebb Books, 2025)
Translated into English for the first time since its original publication by the PLO's Palestine Research Center, this book extensively details the origins of Zionism and its development as an ideology and political project that has wrought havoc in the Middle East and beyond ove ... Show More
52m 7s
Nov 2024
Poetry in the Time of Genocide, Part 1: A Conversation with 2024 National Book Finalist Lena Tuffaha
In this two-episode special, host Diana Buttu speaks with award-winning Palestinian-American writers Fady Joudah and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha, who are both finalists for the 2024 National Book Awards. Dr. Joudah and Ms. Tuffaha comprise two of the only five shortlisted writers for the ... Show More
26m 3s
Aug 2025
How Do You Decolonize Care? | Sundus Abdul Hadi & Maktaba Bookshop
<p>We explore the Arab community's evolution in Montreal, the intent behind Maktaba Bookshop as a space for Arab representation and cultural exchange, and the concept of decolonizing care. The founder of Maktaba in Montreal, Iraqi artist and author Sundus Abdul Hadi shares her im ... Show More
54m 51s
Apr 2025
Short Stories from Arab Cities | Exploring Urban Narratives With the Co-Editors of "Mudun" Reem Khorshid & Faris Bseiso
In this episode of Ehkili, we speak with Reem Khorshid and Faris Bseiso about their literary project Mudun, published by Kaph Books and supported by the Barjeel Art Foundation. They trace the origins of this anthology of short stories about Arab cities, which began as a pandemic ... Show More
48m 37s
May 2024
Hala Auji et al., "The Arab Nahda as Popular Entertainment: Mass Culture and Modernity in the Middle East" (I. B. Tauris, 2023)
What was popular entertainment like for everyday Arab societies in Middle Eastern cities during the long nineteenth century? In what ways did café culture, theatre, illustrated periodicals, cinema, cabarets, and festivals serve as key forms of popular entertainment for Arabic-spe ... Show More
41m 24s
Sep 2025
Storytelling: A Common Thread of Humanity | Fatima Al-Banawi 160
A Saudi storyteller, actor, writer, and director whose work blends art with social impact, Fatima is the founder of Alf Wad Production House and The Other Story Project, initiatives that have transformed storytelling into a tool for cultural dialogue and community building.Her br ... Show More
2h 3m