Ibtihal Salem or Ebtihal Salem (1949 – 15 August 2015) was an Egyptian short story writer, novelist and translator.
Her novel “It Never Rains Lovers” was our book club selection for October 2009.
More information on Ibtihal Salem and her work can be found on the book's page.
Bio as submitted by the author to arabworldbooks.com:
Name Ebtihal Salem
Full Name Ebtihal Mohamed Mohamed Aly Salem
Field Writer: Short Stories, Novels, Translator
Publications
I. Author of:
1. Youm Ady Geddan (An Ordinary Day), short stories, Culture Houses Association, Cairo, 2009
2. Al Sama' La Tomter Aheba (The Sky Doesn't Rain Lovers), a novel, Fekra Publishing House, Cairo, 2008.
3. Sunduq Saghir fi al-Qalb (A Small Box in the Heart), Novel, Egyptian Public Association of Books, Cairo, 2004
4. Children of the Waters: Short Stories by Ibtihal Salem, Translated by Marilyn Booth, Center of Middle East Studies, University of Texas, 2003
5. Asfoor Ana (A Bird I Am), a book for children, Egyptian Public Association of Books, Cairo, 2002
6. Sir Al-Qitta Al-Ghamida (The Secret of the Mysterious Cat), Short Stories for children, Dar Al-Helal, Cairo, 2001
7. Nawafiz Zarqaa’ (Blue Windows), Novel, Egyptian Public Association of Books, Cairo, 2000
8. Nakhb Iktimal al-Qamar (A Toast for the Full Moon), Egyptian Public Association of Culture Houses, Cairo, 1997
9. Dunya Saghira (Small World), short stories, Egyptian Public Association of Books, Cairo, 1992
10. Al Nawras (The Sea Gull), short stories, Egyptian Public Association of Books, Cairo, 1989
My stories were translated into several languages, and published in collective books, such as:
1. English: My Grandmother’s Cactus, translated by Marilyn Booth, Quartet Books, London, 1991. republished, University of Texas Press, 1993.
2. German: Pappschachtel Stadt, translated by Hartmut Fühndrich, Lenos Pub. Switzerland, 1991.
3. French: Voix à elles, Egyptian Center of Exterior Publicity, (the same book was translated into English by the title Voice of Their Own), 1994
4. Italian: Rose del Cairo, translated by Elisabetta Bartuli, edizioni e/o, 2001.
5. Parola di Donna, Corpo di Donna, antologia di scrittrice arabe contemporanee, a cura di Valentina Colombo, Oscar Mondadori, Italy, 2005.
II. Translator of
1. Hawadeet Sha'beyya (Folk Stories), Egyptian Public Association of Books, Cairo, 2009
2. Intaleq (Partir), translation of French poems for children, High Council of Culture, 2005
3. Mukhtarat min al-Shi'r al-Faransi (Poems Choisis pour Enfants), Supreme Council of Culture, Cairo, 2004
4. Bondoqa (Noisette), Short Stories for Children, Egyptian Public Association of Books, Cairo, 2002
Other
1. Translator (French-Arabic) at the Egyptian Broadcast Association.
2. Published (as an author and translator) also in many Egyptian and Arabic periodicals, such as: Al-Ahram; Al-Akhbar; Al-Masa'; Nisf-el-Dunia; Adab wa Naqd; Ibdaa’; Al-Qahira; Al-Thaqafa Al-Gadida; Al-Hayat; Al-Hadath; Al Seyasa; Al-Reiad; Okaz; Al-Shahid; Akbar Al-Adab; Sutur; Al-Muhit Al-Thaqafi, and more.
3. Deliverd a Lecture about my literature and Egyptian literature today for American students visiting Egypt, first in Cairo, for students of Evergreen State University (Washington), supervised by Therese Saliba, 2004; Second, at the American University in Cairo, for students of University of Illinois, supervised by Kenneth Cuno, 2004.
4. Participated in many TV programs, such as: Al-Qissa Al-Qasira (The First Channel); Qamar Al-Nil (The Nile Culture Channel); Huna Al-Qahira (The Third Channel); plus participating in the Lightning Channel in a Program on Literature and Human Rights. Also participated in satelite channels.
5. Participated in several conferences with papers and statements, such as: The Egyptian Novel Conference, Qasim Amin Women Conference, The International Conference on Translation, The Alexandria Literature Conference, other conferences on literature in Port Said, El-Menia, Dammietta, Suez, Ismaileia, Beni Suef, Loxor, Guiza … etc.
6. Attended many seminars about my work, in many places, such as: the Cairo Opera, Cairo Atelier, Cairo International Book Fair, El Hanager Center, several Culture Houses, etc.
7. My Stories are being studied as a research subject in Evergreen State University (Washington), and in University of Texas, University of Illinois.
8. Paper on translation in the International Translation Conference, the Alson Fuculty, and the High Council of Culture, 2006.
9. Member of Egyptian Union of Writers, Cairo Atelier, Pen International.
Coming Soon 10. Short Stories from East Asia, translation
11. Short Stories for Children
12. Yaum ‘Ady Geddan, (An Ordinary Day), a collection of short stories
Awards
1. My novel Nawafez Zarqaa’ was awarded the Prize of “Literature of War”, 1998.
2. Evaluation Certificate for my literature production, from the Conference of Literature at University of El-Menia, 1984.
3. Evaluation Certificate for my Literature production, Port Said, 1996.
4. Grant from the Hedgebrook Foundation to spend one month, May 2005, in Seatle, Washington. In which I attended lectures and conversations in many places and societies, like the Was. Un. and the public library, and Elliot Bay Library, and Evergreen College in Olympia,etc.
5. Grant from the Ledig Rowolt Foundation, Switzerland, to spend 3 weeks leave of absense in the Chateau de Lavigny.
Studies of my Works
Edwar El-Kharat: study about my short stories, in the book: Al-Ketaba Abr-Alnawe’ia, Cairo, 1994.
Fawzeya Mahran, study about my book Donia Saghira, 1996.
Farida Al-Naqqash, study about Al Nawras, Al-Ahaly Newspaper.
Zeinab Farid, Study about Donia Saghira & Al Nawras, Al Reyad Newspaper.
Ebrahim Dawood, study about Nakhb Ektemal Al Qamar, Al Ahram Al Masa’i
Yosri Hassan, Nakhb Ektmal Al Qamar, Horeyati
Ramadan Bastawisi, lecture study about the novel Blue Windows, October House of Culture.
Ahmed Abdel Fattah, study about the novel Blue Windows, published in the Suadi Arabian, Riad.
Ahmed Dahbour, study about the novel Blue Windows, Al-Qods.
Medhat Al-Dayem, study about the novel Blue Windows, Al-Sharq Newspaper.
Studies about my novel Nawafez Zarqaa’:
Ahmad Dahbour, Cairo, 2002.
Amgad Rayan, Cairo, 2002
Ramadan Bastawisee, Cairo, 2002.
Magdy Tawfiq, Cairo, 2001
Mahmoud Qasem, Cairo, 2001
Said el-Wakeel, Cairo, 2001
Ibrahim Fat-hi, Cairo, 2000
Personal Information:
Date of Birth 8-11-1949
Education B.A., on Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University, 1974
Work Executive director in the theater (El Samer)
