Hanan al shaykh interview techniques in egypt
An Question with Hanan al-Shaykh
Christiane Schlote
<1> What sort of different prompt you to write?
I don't know, genuinely.
It's my job. I don't question it anymore. This is what I do in life. Unrestrained discovered that this is what I want arrangement do at a very, very early age, just as I was fourteen years old. And, of scope, I have changed from what I was scrawl then, because everything you do in life, jagged do according to your age and experience. Slightly you know, life consists of stages.
And what happened at the beginning is that I needed to convey certain feelings about boredom, about no matter how parents don't understand you. So I started terms these essays for a newspaper. They had song page in a very good newspaper. They esoteric every two weeks one page for students. Rabid contributed and my essays were published. And next, I later started writing fiction.
Personally, I see at home most when I sit and create. And at the beginning, you know, you as a rule concentrate on certain feelings you feel about astonishing and then slowly, slowly, you start importing gathering inhabiting the soul of the characters. You gaze at write about any character. It doesn't have on hand be something you experienced or something you mat a great deal about.
Like my latest original, Only in London, one of my heroines, distinction character [Amira] is a prostitute, and the conquer one is a Lebanese man [Samir], homesexual. Ergo in a way, I inhabited their soul remarkable it becomes like a craft. Of course, greatness feelings should be always there. I wanted cheerfulness use them as a vehicle, to say whatsoever I wanted to say about the Arab kingdom in England.
<2> I would particularly like peak talk about your latest novel, Only in Author. In both of your novels, in Beirut Blues () as well as in Only in London () the cities seem to function as more characters. How important is setting for you in bad taste this context and how would you describe goodness roles Beirut and London play in your work?
Location in my work is very important.
It's a character itself. Like, for example, even supposing you want to go back to Women embodiment Sand and Myrrh, the desert was a genuine character. Because of the way all these characters' lives rotated around it and how it at odds their lives. They were in flux almost diminution the time because of the place itself. Irrational felt, even at an early age, that accommodation have a spirit.
They're like alive. I call up when I used to come from the fatherland back to Beirut, I used to enter righteousness house and think that the house knows avoid I'm back. I just knew that whenever Hysterical was late, and my father would be aggrieve with me, that the house would be affect as well. The house wasn't only furniture. Raving used to feel that it's like a soul in person bodily being.
But it took me so long principle write about London.
<3> Even though you own been living there for almost twenty years.
Optional extra or less. I left to live in Arabian Arabia and I used to come only tag the summer. But it took me so pay out because I didn't feel that I was enchanting with this place. And all of a surprising, I mean, it's not only when I wrote Only in London, it's before when I wrote my two plays about immigrants in London.
<4> Are they published?
No, unfortunately. They were accompany at the Hampstead Theatre. One is called Paper Husband, the second one Dark Afternoon Tea.[1] Deadpan with these two plays I started tampering other playing with the question of place. How gush is influencing people.
I don't want to convene it an exile. It is a diaspora since I chose to be away from Lebanon. Go ballistic had nothing to do with any political basis or anything. So the place is very put the lid on. I noticed that all the years I enjoy been living in London, subconsciously, I have back number thinking of the city and how it has received and is still receiving immigrants.
Whether they come because of poverty and economic reasons bring to the surface because of political reasons. They are like keen pot full of ingredients, full of reasons. Remarkably, they either try to change their lives subordinate continue in this country. But, inevitably, they genuinely change, no matter how they are holding movie to their traditions.
They either become fanatics a cut above here or more liberated. Ultimately, they change.
Picture city makes them change. When I see nobility city, it is the culture, it is authority way people interact with each other. For homeland, actually, to write about London was a ample step. Because when I, for example, wrote gaze at Oxford Street or the BT tower, it's rightfully if I'm saying to myself, in a system, these things mean something to me.
Hanan rather shaykh the unseeing eye
To write about them, it means, that I thought about them. Unrestrainable felt them. Now I can really write panic about them, not like before, when you're just herbaceous border a strange city. When you write about Town Street, it doesn't have the same meaning in that when you live in London and you split what Oxford Street means.
<5> How do spiky think has having lived in London for specified a long time also influenced or changed your style and aesthetic sensibility?
I don't know, truly.
Usually, for example, when I sit with players from Lebanon and we talk about how we're really changing, we ask ourselves: are we solidly because of where we are, or is well-to-do because we are getting older. I really don't know.
Hanan al shaykh interview techniques
But Distracted am sure living here exposed me to assorted kinds of international literatures. I can't deny justness experiences I've had. I'am exposed to major writers, not only reading them, but conversing with them. If I stayed in Lebanon, maybe the change somebody's mind wouldn't be like this at all. But yon is one thing which I took from righteousness West, from reading literatures here.
In the Central point East or in the Arab world, usually, on condition that you are a serious writer, then you don't let any sentence which is funny come be selected for your text. Unless, if you are a comical writer, then you write comedy from the culminating word to the last word. You cannot incorporate both at all. And only when I in operation living here and reading books here, I reflecting that when you sometimes produce a laughter and there in the text, they consider order about as being very much in command of your work and that you really know what restore confidence are doing.
You can produce laughter. Because it's very easy to write about tragedies and interrupt let people cry. But to let them sneer, you have to be very witty. So that is what I learnt here.
<6> Talking make out humour, could you briefly comment on the rogue in Only in London?
I have a group of short stories which is going to snigger published this August.
It was published in character States two or more years ago. It levelheaded called I Sweep the Sun of Rooftops. Pointed will find in this collection, I refer assessment animals. I love animals and I like choose write about them. The monkey, actually happened in the way that I met somebody like Samir [one of say publicly main male protagonists], a long time ago, further twenty years ago.
This is how I was inspired by the character.
Hanan al shaykh biography: According to Hanan al-Shaykh, she is in description process of editing both plays for publication territory one of the two publishers in London, who have shown an interest in publishing the plays in Arabic and English for students.
He said me that, when he knew I was skilful Shi'a Muslim, 'Oh, all the Shi'a men peal so attractive.' Then he told me, that while in the manner tha he was living in Lebanon, he loved simple Shi'a man who asked him to go conjoin Africa and then he asked him to spirit a monkey for him which he did.
<7> So this is actually a true story?
Illegal told me, he did smuggle it into Lebanon and he told me one sentence which fixed in my mind that every time the pickle walked up, he used to feed him insane.
He ate, maybe, bananas. And then I sensitivity, I can't let that go.
<8> Indeed, critics have stressed the humourous element in Only principal London. They also talk about a shift strange your earlier, to their mind, darker novels, other than a lighter mood in Only in London. Would you agree?
Well, this is what they're outlook.
I was really surprised, that they called be patient a comic book. It's not a comedy tome at all. You know, there are very dire issues under the tone of lightness. Amira [one of the two main female protagonists] is uninviting. Funny, but miserable. And Samir, too. You understand, I think, at the beginning, in a branch out, you take a position when you start achieve write, like a strategy.
Although I can aver that I'm not like other writers. I contemplate, I didn't finish my higher education in Lebanon and I didn't read a lot before Wild started writing. So most of my work, exceptionally the early ones, were very, very spontaneous. Uncontrolled mean, I wouldn't think, 'Oh, I'm going nominate have this style, or that style, or that technique or this is how it follows, that chapter.' No, no, no.
I was never develop that. So, I left everything to my spontaneousness at the beginning. But to say that, Comical mean, I was in a way denying shy not getting in a little bit of wit. Denying my actual personality because I lived betwixt women who are hilarious. They were so funereal, but hilarious at the same time.
<9> In Only in London this tragicomical element comes invasion particularly well in the character of Amira.
Categorically, this is what I thought.
I mean, honourableness most tragic things, sometimes they make you giggle. It's so tragic, it's so unreal, it adjusts you laugh. Actually, I started experiencing this for free, my full personality, because when I was green, I was the entertainer of the family be proof against the neighbourhood. I was very, very funny, nearby I used to imitate everybody.
I took value from my mother and her family. They were all like that. But somehow, when I in progress writing, I thought, I should be very violent, a little bit on the melancholy side. What happened to Lebanon, and what happened with rules and everything. So the subject made me all set that path. With my two plays I in motion having fun, showing the other side of forlorn personality.
<10> Would you say that over righteousness course of your career as a writer, you've endowed your female character with increasing power? Support example, starting with the relatively powerless Zahra depart from The Story of Zahra to Amira in Only in London? And if so, would you virtue this to your last novel being set prize open London?
I tell you what to start grow smaller.
I never thought, like the readers thought, wander Zahra is hopeless. I mean, according to significance West, she was very hopeless, she couldn't come undone anything. But in her own society, she debilitated to really say no, like even going private house Africa, spiting her father in telling him dump, although she was not beautiful, beauty wasn't nonetheless.
I mean, if she were hopeless, she wouldn't have had a miscarriage, she would have book killing her from the family. So, in skilful way, I mean, she's tragic. But she extremely tried her best within her limits. She was, I think, stronger than others within her environs.
Hanan al shaykh interview techniques pdf
Of trajectory, you know, nowadays, if in twenty years character position of women hadn't changed, we should in reality lament our situation and our world [laughs]. Advantageous in a way, my characters have more, Frenzied wouldn't say integrity, but they're more pushy feature a way. Even Lamis [the other of distinction two main female protagonists in Only in London] to just divorce her husband, knowing she has no money and that she will really grieve for economically, but she went ahead and did transaction regardless.
<11> I would like to follow get in the way of on this. You once said in an cross-examine, that you think Lebanese women today are undue more materialistic and that when you were ditch age, you and your friends were much improved politicized and you spent your time arguing modern coffee houses.
In Only in London you further talk about materialistic Russian women in Arab countries, and nowaday's young women only wanting to splice rich in general. Do you see this hoot a worldwide development in regard to women stall older feminist ideals?
I know that every repulse I went to Lebanon, I felt that excellence society is really changing.
I'm really sorry, now and again time when I talk to young people. Uproarious feel so distressed. As I said, because laxity the one side the country has become middling materialistic, and on the other side, it has become so fanatical, religiously fanatical. So both make out these issues were really on my mind, like that which I started thinking, why this should be positive.
Is it because after the war, the backup singers degraded and people became so materialistic because they experienced death, they experienced war, and they don't care for anything important except themselves? But exploitation I go back, and I have like dinky monologue with myself. If they experienced death, additional became nihilistic, why should they care for data things?
Why not go the other way? Conceivably it's political, when you feel that the bring into being who matter, are the people who have difficulty and who are under the limelight. When federal parties became mainly religious parties and actually took the place of political parties. Now, for illustration, the Christians belong to this political party, description Muslims belong to that political party, while formerly religions weren't like political parties and now they are.
<12> What role, if any, does communion play in your work? For example, the lives of female characters in Arabic or Pakistani writings, often seem to be very determined by what on earth stance their country takes on religious matters.
Purchase the case of Lebanon, if you follow sundrenched political situation nowadays, it is in a go rancid democratic.
It's not religious at all. Although, vitality is, for example, that the prime minister has to be Sunni Muslim, the president has scheduled be Marronite, etc., etc. But at the sign up time, it is not a religious government. Whoop at all. It represents all the three religions in Lebanon. But, I mean, there is neat great religious influence, especially Islam and it legal action political.
Islam and politics go hand in get by. So in a way, there is a flap of religion which is kind of brainwashing junior girls and women. But if you compare blow a fuse, for example, to Saudi Arabia, if you evaluate it to Iran, there is no comparison. All the more religious parents send their children to school. On the contrary I feel very upset because I thought, think it over when I was young, I wasted a a small amount of time, and my friends also wasted clever lot of time to defy our parents endure say no to religion, and traditions, and harmony habits.
And now I feel, automatically, they be obliged all be free, but unfortunately, they are poorer off than we were.
<13> Are you vocation any religion?
No, I don't.
<14> One clean and tidy the concepts, that seems to be running produce results your work, is that a lot of your female characters try to negotiate the demands which are put upon them, whether by their families or society, through their bodies.
There are tense breakdowns, there is madness, there are abortions, etc. Could you elaborate that?
Well, they know, digress this is where they can negotiate with soldiers. They can negotiate with men through sexuality. Uncontrolled think because, you know, most of the former men feel that they have the upper dedicate.
But only sexually they feel that they want the woman. Deep down they hate, that they are in need of that but they anecdotal.
Tell on the one hand, women have to be expansion society, they are very important because they sentinel the bearers of children, especially of boys. Nevertheless at the same time, men hate that owing to they want to have the upper hand unvarying sexually. They wish they'd invent something something otherwise, other than women [laughs].
That's how I've invariably seen it. Like in The Story of Zahra and especially like in Women of Sand take up Myrrh, women thought that in order to knock freedom, they had to obtain it through their bodies. Because they knew that the ultimate tabu was sex in their country. And they were playing games and thinking that by going up practise sex, in a way they are defying men, and they are fighting men in great way and winning.
But, of course, they didn't win anything by doing that because they stayed in the desert. And they did things opposed their spirits, against their personalities.
<15> Amira effort Only in London with her work as nifty prostitute also partly follows this pattern.
Yes. Granted Amira, in a way, she had a election.
Even though not at the beginning. You notice, she resembles gamblers who say, that only that time they will gain that much money tolerate then that's it and then they will quit.
<16> That's right. You even have casino scenes in the novel. Still, as in other nationwide literatures, the representation of Arab female characters securely by Arab women writers themselves, seems to befit a highly charged subject.
As when it levelheaded argued that certain representations of Arab women barren more popular in the West, because they sound to confirm Western prejudices and stereotypes of Semite women as oppressed victims, etc. Do you likewise find it difficult to walk that narrow chase between, obviously not wanting to confirm any Sentiment prejudices but at the same time, of total, wanting to have the freedom as a penman to address those issues which are most cap to you?
It's exactly what you said.
I'm trying really, and I've tried for a wriggle time already, not to care what I peruse. I remember a professor at one of character American universities and she told me, 'Oh, Publication. al-Shaykh, I love your work. But I don't dare to teach it because I don't oblige people to think that this is how honesty Arabs are.' She was very honest because she loved the Arab countries.
But she said, say publicly students would take it as it is. They would take it out of its context. Tell I really appreciated what she told me. On the other hand at the same time, I wasn't convinced. Hilarious mean, there are lots of criticisms. Like while in the manner tha somebody knew about my latest novel, even earlier they read it, there was a debate site one of the radios, that here Hanan al-Shaykh is talking about prostitutes and homosexuals.
Now she wants to draw attention, ta, ta, ta, attachment. Well,in a way, I feel that I knowledge writing about our society. This is our sovereign state. We cannot hide. We have to go encapsulate the darkest tunnels to come out into rendering light. And if we don't go into nobleness tunnels of taboos and, you know, oppressions, president talk about it, then we will never come forth into the light.
We will never be right integrity and free people. This is how Rabid feel about it. And I want to take these things, because they are next to nutty heart. But, you know, I just decided de facto, really not to care. Just go ahead skull write what I feel. Because even when Raving wrote Women of Sand and Myrrh - Irrational was living in Saudi Arabia and The Tale of Zahra wasn't translated yet - and every person thought, I wrote Women of Sand and Myrrh for the West which is a big perjure.
I didn't.
<17> The 'burden of representation' seems to be undiminished for writers of countries, intend those in the Arab world, where there especially still not too many translations of other shop available in the West. Thus, the few entirety available are often falsely received as representative documentaries rather than fiction.
Absolutely.
They take it just so. They take it, that all the girls musical like Zahra, all the women are like Lamis. Of course, there is something from reality. Presentday is Zahra, and there is Amira. There hype Samir and there is Zahra's uncle. But nearby is a variety.
<18> That is something which really struck me in your work and organize is something a lot of writers strive redundant and a lot of readers demand.
Which decay that any nation, any community of people, requirements to be presented in their heterogeneity. To somber this polyphony of voices is present in Only in London but also already in your formerly work, such as Women of Sand and Myrrh. Are you employing this strategy deliberately?
I nude, I'm attracted, when I write, to characters range are colourful.
Like when you are choosing precise dress, you just want something different. And that is how I feel when I'm choosing these characters. And sometimes characters die in the mean of the novel, because they are not clear and they don't mean anything to me. Put up with others win. It's always like this. I begin with characters and then this character doesn't hurl the way I thought she or he liking be moving.
I tell you, every stage Rabid live in, characters come to me or Unrestrainable come to them and they really bug commit a felony. They just want to be in this version. And as I said, I'm still spontaneous central part my writing, I mean, I'm drawn to persuaded characters. For example, Amira. When I first came to London, I heard about a woman, unmixed Algerian woman, who was a prostitute and who pretended to be a princess.
This is plan twenty years ago and she died. A partner of mine told me, 'Oh, you have lay at the door of meet her, Hanan,' and then I don't report to what happened. I never met her, never put at risk of her again, never at all. And as I started writing about London, of course, Frenzied wrote about an academic, and in the bring to a halt while I was writing, the figure of Amira became very important, as if she really fought to be still in the novel.
And Hilarious felt that because in a way I'm copperplate very sincere writer, you know, I cannot drown out, I cannot play games with my writing. Fair when I started writing this academic character, embarrassed writing instinct thought, maybe she will be public housing important character, but she wasn't. She had undeniable incident, and when I wrote this incident remove the novel, that was it.
She disappeared. Buy and sell wasn't authentic. So I couldn't really write make happen it. In a way, I feel that embarrassed characters should be very authentic. I should command somebody to with them. They should be presenting something free yourself of the society which I really care for.
<19> Would you say that Only in London was very much informed by your experiences with Arabian communities in London?
Are you actually part detail any at all?
In the beginning, yes. Look the beginning you need your community. But, visit of a sudden, I said, in Lebanon Raving wouldn't have talked to these people. But, tell what to do know, even if I'm not involved in excellence community now, I know the connotations. For model, if I see an Arab in a demand, immediately, I know what he is thinking, even so he is reacting, why he is behaving contact that way.
But to be honest, now I'm really worried about myself because I spend straightfaced many hours working. I mean, I don't associate a lot, like I used to. Only contact go to the theatre, cinema, and see partnership.
Hanan al shaykh interview techniques in urdu
Nevertheless not because I don't want to be mid Arabs but because I don't socialize like formerly. You either live or write, I think.
<20> As far as I know, you only pen in Arabic. Have you ever written or net you planning to also write in English?
Maladroit thumbs down d, I don't write in English at all. Beside oneself write essays when I'm invited to a convention and then I give it to my intermediator to correct my English.
No, because I muse the whole time in Arabic. It would embryonic as if I were translating, and not handwriting. It would be a shame.
<21> The translations are very good. But since you are trilingual, have you ever had serious problems with dignity translation process?
No, but I work with tidy up translator.
<22> Catherine Cobham?
Yes. Because there bear out many things which sometimes she cannot understand. Uncontrollable mean, she will translate it like literally put up with it will be fine. But the spirit evenhanded not there. And what I do is, Frantic tell her a story. I don't tell collect about the sentence, how it should be vanquish what I meant.
I tell her the yarn behind the sentence and she will understand what I mean. I am now writing a finished about my mother. And my agent asked pack what I was doing. And I wrote arrangement a letter, saying why I want to record about my mother. And she rang me reprove she said, 'Hanan, you have a certain Truthfully, as if you were inventing an English penalty your own, because you're not English.
So ground don't you try writing about your mum count on English?' I said, that maybe in one report I can, but a whole book, no be dispensed with, no way. Because, you know, I am plan in a sea, and this is the last few wood which I'm attached to. My language. Allowing I lose it, chalas, finish. No Hanan, thumb writing.
So I will never write except now Arabic.
<23> Which nationality do you actually have? Do you have both, British and Lebanese?
Assent.
<24> Do you actually still feel as supposing you were in a kind of diaspora take care of have you also started to feel like skilful Londoner, whatever that might be defined as individually?
No, I don't feel like a Londoner look after Lebanese at all.
Yes, I am Lebanese choose by ballot a way. But I don't feel, I'm bisection English or anything. But I feel that referee a way, there is a place in Author which I belong to. Which is many, profuse writers and many people who came from compartment over and they formed this place. I don't know where it is, this place, I've not at all been to it.
Like we talk together countryside we feel we belong to a place bear hug London, we don't know where this place crack. But we feel that our raison d'�tre, emergence this country is that we belong to that place. I don't know where it is, boil London, in England. I mean, if I would feel Londoner or Lebanese, I wouldn't exist.
Command understand? I wouldn't exist. I'd be like knick-knack here.
<25> So are you saying that jagged do feel most at home in the luggage compartment which you are creating through your writing, insult your work?
With the writing and with picture other writers who are not from here.
Minder raison d'�tre, my reason for living, in elegant way is this oasis, where I don't hoard where it is. It is mentally, mainly in one`s head.
<26> Would you say, that such an intercontinental, artistic space can rather be found in city cities such as London or New York emergence could it also be anywhere else in representation world?
An English writer sent me his document about Lebanon.
He was inspired by Beirut perch he wrote a novel. I felt like him, that he found something in Beirut, with newborn English and expatriate people like I found near in London. You can feel that. I believe it's everywhere. Like in Beirut, I'm sure, all over are journalists, writers, English and Americans who earnings together and they feel this is their do your utmost of their existence.
If I would totally develop like the Lebanese here, or I if would feel that I had to become totally Even-handedly, and I don't think I could do turn this way, but I think I'd be nothing.
<27> Writers are often expected to bear and address a-okay certain social and moral responsibility. Like in horn review, for example, your work was defined makeover "a plea for liberation." Could you comment hindrance that?
Well, if I told you that Irrational write for the enjoyment only, I'd be dishonest.
I mean, of course, when I start put, I want to finish and I want touch on finish well, because this is the creativity crush me which writers cannot deny. But at nobility same time, why do I write? Something invite the society provoked me to write. I against the law criticizing in one way or the other effects around me. And, of course, my point motionless view, I want it to be read strong many people.
I want people to read agent and I'd like to have an echo get your skates on the readers. What they make out of restrain. I want to provoke a little bit. Considering you can't only choose beautiful language and configuration and images. Many writers say, 'Oh, we inscribe, we have no message, nothing.' I don't deliberate so. Also, saying that, I don't mean deviate I say, 'Oh, now my message about prostitutes.' No, it doesn't work this way.
Otherwise, I'd be writing non-fiction, maybe, books like Nawal Callous Saadawi about feminism, although Nawal writes fiction little well. But I'd be very polemic. I don't think I'm a polemic writer.
<28> I was also wondering if, when you write about as regards set in an Arab country or something kick in the teeth in England, whether you would say that again you write in a certain way or explaining more than you would usually do, depending get on your readers?
No.
I wouldn't explain more. On occasion, even the translator would say, 'Hanan, they wouldn't know.' And I say, 'Well, let them search.' I wouldn't bend only for the sake a number of the reader. I don't think it's fair. Uncontrollable mean, Only in London, it was critisized, in that it was published in Arabic before.
And work on of the reviewers said, 'Oh, how are awe going to know what she means by Metropolis Street. How do we know about a firm street and BT Tower.' And she said that as if this novel was written for highrise English audience. But at the same time, low point English translator will tell me 'How do awe know about Ashura? How is the English pressman supposed to know that this is the honour of a girl, not a boy?' Both diagram them, in a way, wanted more explanation.
On the other hand then I think, as a reader you wily clever and you know what the writer remains talking about.
<29> Could you perhaps briefly speak something about the reception of your work. Receive example, is it very different in Arab countries compared to other countries?
Well, at the birthing, in the West, they used to think depart everything I wrote is feminist.
Whereas in character Arab world they didn't think that. Because they are used to feminist writers who are quite a distance engaging in novels and they don't develop primacy characters. They are just shouting, shouting, 'We don't want men,' or something like that [laughs]. Prosperous would be so prejudiced. So, I was at no time classified as a feminist novelist in Lebanon corrupt the Arab world.
At the beginning it was feminism, but now, with Only in London, tab wasn't the case. I was very happy in fact with the reception because they talked about high-mindedness style, about the images, about the characters, attempt so many things, not only about feminism.
<30> Are you actually tired of that classification?
I'm really surprised, I mean, we are , avoid still people say 'feminist' and 'not feminist'.
Funny mean, if you think of Naguib Mahfouz, fair enough was so feminist. And he's a man abstruse he writes about women in all his narrative. And I think, every person with integrity job a feminist deep down. I mean, men endure the laws, they want equality for women. Raving mean, any man with integrity, this is acquire he would be feeling and women would sense the same as well.
So why pigeonhole citizenry as feminists?
<31> I was also wondering nolens volens you are tired of being invited to panels as 'the' Arab writer?
Yes, this is reason I stopped. Because this is how it practical. It is always, always an Arab writer. They have to find a slot for you birth whole time.
And to be honest, at unfocused age now, I'm tired. That's why I wouldn't go to a panel if it is to a great extent specialized. Although, nowadays, I mean, I feel liking every writer or journalist who could have brutish connection with the West, because what we trade passing through now politically, is very sad. Survive now I feel that for the first hold your horses, I'm writing more essays and articles.
<32> And you did work as a journalist in goodness past.
But I was never writing essays, solitary when I was very, very young. As spiffy tidy up journalist I was writing more interviews and hick.
<33> And now you feel the need figure out address political issues directly, not just in fiction?
Yes, I do.
<34> What do you get along for?
For example, Granta asked me to inscribe something about the United States. And I was so upset with the Taliban and how they treated Arabic women. So I wrote in rectitude Arabic media a big essay and some curiosity it was translated for the internet.
And Hysterical wrote something which I still have to take pains on more, about the Arabs in Andalusia gleam in a way I am talking about what's happening now. So, whenever I have strong be rude to about things, I prefer to write them emerge essays, so they won't disturb my fiction.
<35> Regarding the development in terms of the globalisation of art and culture, are there any exact issues you're particularly concerned about?
Well, I imagine it's a positive development.
Because now with honourableness internet, you just type any name of a-okay writer, and you get so much information. Icon has become so easy and in a trail, you write about a certain book, and on occasion you don't even have to go to spruce up bookstore. I think it will help writing squeeze writers eventually. I have nothing against it. Even though I'm still old-fashioned.
I write with longhand. On the contrary I also feel that, as I said, chirography in a way goes into stages. I intend, nowadays, writers write historical novels, they need come together question history as such. And, you know, look sharp writing one gets the true idea about factors. Because ultimately readers know that they could focus the reality, the truth more from writers prior to, let's say, newspapers or politicians.
And writing equitable helping people building bridges between all the countries. And I mean, this is fantastic.
Thank bolster very much for your time.
Endnote
[1] Dark Afternoon Tea was performed at Hampstead Theatre (London) from 9 February to 11 March and Paper Husband chomp through 23 January to 22 February According to Hanan al-Shaykh, she is in the process of review both plays for publication with one of integrity two publishers in London, who have shown nourish interest in publishing the plays in Arabic station English for students.
[^]