Cairo Book Fair: the Algerian novel captures the interest of readers and the media
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Loading... - Janet Parker
- 10 Feb 2022
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The new edition of the Cairo International Book Fair, which closed on Monday, was an opportunity for Algerian novels and books to mark their presence at this important meeting.
As such, the novelist Ismail Yebrir, absent at the Cairo Salon for health reasons, and whose works were present, affirmed that the Algerian novel of Arabic expression has always been present in the Arabic novel, through names popular like Benhedouga and Taher Ouettar, as the first generation, followed by the author Waciny Laredj. This generation published in Damascus and Cairo because of the difficulty of publishing in Algeria in the 90s.
The writer considered that "the real emergence of the Algerian novel was with + Memoires de la chair + by Ahlam Mosteghanemi who won the Naguib Mahfouz prize", adding that this victory "marked the history of the Algerian novel and attracted attention of the Arab reader". All this presence has reinforced the place of the Algerian novel, which "has been the exception in many cases", he underlined.
As for the participation of Algerian writers in the Cairo Salon, the same speaker felt that their presence at this international meeting is an opportunity to promote their works.
The novelist Abdelwahab Aissaoui indicated that the Algerian novel has known "an obvious development" in particular with the appearance of several novelists who have won prizes in competitions in the Orient and in the Golf, like Miloud Yabrir and Abdelmounaim Bensayeh .
Novelist and university teacher Ahmed Tibaoui, winner of the 2021 Najib Mahfoud Prize, said that the great interest shown by young people in the novel and in several works published in favor of the prizes granted to Algerian novels, "constitutes a breakthrough in terms of quantity".
To a question on the prizes won recently by the works of young Algerian novelists, Mr. Tibaoui indicated that this "constitutes a double-edged sword", because it allows, on the one hand, its author to mark his presence on the media plan and on the other hand, is an opportunity to publicize the work.
Algeria took part in the 53rd edition of the Cairo International Book Fair with more than 600 titles between books and publications of Algerian publishing houses relating to different fields: literature, history, heritage, building, as well as books for children. Several Algerian writers were invited to this edition, some of whom organized signing sales. Read More…
