Mahmoud Shukair (born 1941) is a Palestinian writer. He was born in Jabal al-Mukabbar in Jerusalem and studied philosophy and sociology at Damascus University. He worked for many years in teaching and journalism, and served as editor-in-chief of the cultural magazines Al-Talia'a (The Vanguard) and Dafatir Thaqafiya (Cultural File). He also occupied senior positions in the Jordanian Writers' Union, the Union of Palestinian Writers and Journalists, and the Palestinian Ministry of Culture.
Shukair is one of the best-known short story writers in the Arab world, and his stories have been translated into numerous languages. His 45 books include nine short story collections and 13 books for children. He has also written extensively for television, theatre, and print and online media. In 2011, he was awarded the Mahmoud Darwish Prize for Freedom of Expression. His 2016 novel Praise for the Women of the Family was nominated for the Arabic Booker Prize
Education:
Bachelar of Sociology and Philosophy. Damascus University, Syria, 1965.
Experience:
Vice President of the Jordanian Writers Association and a Board Member for ten years, (1977- 1987).
Board Member of the Palestinian Writers and Journalists Union, (1987- 2004).
Member of the Palestinian National Council, (1988- 1998).
Chief Editor of the weekly newspaper published in Jerusalem: Attaleiaah (The Vanguard), (1994- 1996).
Chief Editor of the magazine: Dafater Thakafiah (Cultural Pamphlets) published by the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, (1997- 2000).
Editor of the Cultural Affairs in the magazine: Sawt Al-Watan (The Homeland Voice) published in Ramallah, (1997- 2002).
Editor of the cultural affairs in the Jerusalemite Daily newspaper: Al-Jihad, (1965- 1967).
Editor of the affairs of the Occupied Territories in a Jordanian newspaper: Al-Rai, (1978- 1980).
Secretary and Coordinator of the Committee of The Palestinian Awards in Literature, Arts, and Social Sciences (1997-2000)
Member of the Masarat Committee of the Palestinian Cultural Festival in Belgium, Ramallah, Brussels, (2007- 2008)
Member of the Administrative Committee of the children magazine: Al- Zayzafonah, Ramallah (2008- )
Member of the Institute of Mahmoud Darwish, Ramallah, (2008- ).
Coordinator of the Committee of Mahmoud Darwish Prize, 2010.
Publications:
1- Books, Stories, Novels and Plays:
- Bread of Others/ short stories, Salah Addeen publishing house, Jerusalem 1975.
- The Palestinian Boy/ short stories, Salah Addeen publishing house, Jerusalem 1977.
- Rites For A Miserable Woman/ very short stories, Ibn Rushd publishing house, Amman 1986.
- Roses for the Blood of Prophets/ very short stories, Al- Ahali publishing house, Damascus 1991.
- An Other Shadow of The City/ a biography of the place, Dar Alquds publishing house, Jerusalem 1998.
-
- A Fast Passing By/ very short stories, Dar Ashurooq publishing house, Amman 2002.
- Shakira's Picture/ short stories, The Arab Institute for researches and publishing, Beirut 2003.
- The Daughter Of My Aunt, Condoleeza/ short stories, The Arab Institute for researches and publishing, Beirut 2004.
- A Small Place For Evening Grieves/ very short stories, The Arab Institute for researches and publishing, Beirut 2004.
- Charming Cities And A Frivolous Wind/ travels, , The Arab Institute for researches and publishing, Beirut 2005.
- Small Probabilities/ very short stories, The Arab Institute for researches and publishing, Beirut 2006.
- The Soldier And The Toy/ children short stories, Ibn Rushd publishing house, Amman1986.
- The Check Point/ children short stories, Al-karmil publishing house, Amman 1986.
- The Song Of The Donkey/ children short stories, Al-karmil publishing house, Amman 1988.
- Mariam Said The Boy Said/ a novel for youngsters, Palestinian Writers Union, Ramallah, 1996.
- The profession Of The Roost/ children short stories, Ogarit publishing Center, Ramallah 1999.
- Me And Jomana/ a novel for Teenagers, Ogarit publishing Center, Ramallah 2002.
- A Difficult Experience/ a story for Teenagers, published by UNRWA, Jerusalem, 2002.
- The Boy Who Broke the Glass/ a story for Teenagers, published by UNRWA, Jerusalem 2002.
- Birds On The Window/ a story for youngsters, published by UNRWA, Jerusalem 2002.
- The Wood Cutter/ a Palestinian folklore tale in Arabic and French, Syros publishing house, France 2002.
- The Captain/ three plays for youngsters, Ogarit publishing Center, Ramallah 2003.
- The Tree Has Said To Us/ children stories, Ogarit publishing Center, Ramallah 2004.
- Alaa' In The Small House/ a children story, published by UNRWA, Jerusalem 2004.
- The Small King/ a story for Teenagers, published by UNRWA, Jerusalem 2004.
- Mirrors of Absence/ Texts, The Arab Institute for researches and publishing, Beirut 2007.
- A Distant Planet for my Sister the Queen/ A novel for children, Tamer Institute for Community Education, Ramallah 2007.
- A White Dog with a Black Spot/ A Story for children, Ogarit publishing Center, Ramallah 2008.
- Jerusalem is Alone there/ Very short stories, Nofal publishing house, Beirut 2010.
- Jerusalem Has Said to Us/ Texts, published by the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, Ramallah 2010.
- The Dreams of the Thin Lad/ A novel for teenagers, Tamer Institute for Community Education, Ramallah 2010.
- The City of Losses and Wish/ Very short stories, Nofal publishing house, Beirut 2011.
- The Horse of the Family/ A novel, Nofal publishing house, Beirut 2013
- Banipal publishing house in London published my book: Mordechai’s Mostache and his Wife's cats, 2007.
- Acte Sude publishing house in France published my book: Ma Coussine Condoleeza, 2008.
- My book for children, The Wonderful Neighborhood, was translated into the Mongolian language and published in Mongolia, 2009.
- Some of my short stories were translated into: English, French, Spanish, Check, German, Korean, and Chinese languages.
- Translated from English to Arabic, Tales on a Horse Back, by The Mongolian Writer Jambin Dashdondog, 2010.
2- Participated in editing the books:
- Suliman Al- Najaab.. Intensive Appearance in the Palestinian Scene, published by Palestinian People’s Party , Ramallah 2002.
- Selected Palestinian Short Stories, published by Amman Municipality , Amman 2002.
- The Very Short Story, published by Ogarit Publishing Center, Ramallah 2011
- 3-Wrote the following T.V Dramas:
- Abd Al- Rahman Al-Kawakibi/ 13 series, 1980.
- What Occurred in Al- Maamoura/ 12 series, 1981.
- The Visit/ 13 series, 1984.
- Ibrahim Tawqan/ 20 series, 1985.
- Ways Which Don't Meet/ 12 series, 1986.
- Houses in the Wind/ 13 series, 1987.
- 4-Wrote the following plays:
- Democratic by Force, 1996.
- Every Thing is on Remote Control, 1999.
- Small Details, 2000.
- Joumana and the Boys, 2008.
Other Scholar Work:
Wrote a weekly article for Al- Rai, Jordanian newspaper, (1991- 1993).
Published many short stories, literature and political articles in Palestinian, Jordanian, and other Arabic newspapers.
Published many short stories and articles in Palestinian, Jordanian, Arabic and foreign magazines.
Started Writing in 1962 and published many of my short stories in the Jerusalemite magazine: Al- Ufuk Al- Jadid (The New Horizon)
Other Activities:
participated in the following:
- Four of the congresses of the General Union of the Arab Writers: in Tripoly/ Libia, 1977. in Tripoly/ Libia, 1988. in Amman/ Jordan, 1992 (as a president of the Palestinian Delegation) and in Damascus/ Syria, 1998.
- The Cultural Festival of Moldy/ Norway, 1997.
- The International Writing Program/ Iowa University/ U.S. A, (23/ 8/ 1998- 22/ 11/ 1998).
- The Congress of Children Literature/ Amman, 1999.
- Stavenger Cultural Festival/ Norway, 2002.
- The Sixth Congress of Children Literature/ Stavenger/ Norway, 2003.
- The first annual Symposium of the Jordanian writer Mounis Al- Razzaaz/ Amman, 2003.
- The Amman International Tenth Book Exhibition (4 – 14/ 10/ 2004).
- The Palestinian International Sixth Book Exhibition/ Ramallah, 2005.
- The International Writing Workshop/ Hong Kong Baptist University (14/ 11/ 2005- 13/ 12/ 2005).
- The Manchester Cultural Festival (13- 15/ 10/ 2006).
- The Congress of Narration, Amman, Jordan. 2008
- The Masarat Cultural Festival in Brussels. And signed my book which was translated into French, 2008.
- London International Book fare, London, 2008.
- Tunisian International Book Exhibition, Tunis, 2009.
- The Palestinian Cultural Week in Beirut, Beirut, 2009.
- The International Festival of Literature, Berlin, 2009.
- The Symposium of the Very Short Story, Ramallah, 2010
Awards and Honors:
- Won the Award of Mahmoud Saif Addeen Al- Earani for The Short Story, 1991.
- Won the Award of Mahmoud Darwish for Freedom and Creativity, 2011.
- Was honored by:
- The Union of Jordanian Publishers, 2004.
- The Palestinian Ministry of Culture, 2005;
- The House of Poetry, Ramallah, 2007
- The Jordanian Writers Association, 2008;
- Dar Al-aswar institute, Akko, 2008,
- The University of Philadelphia, Jordan, 2008,
- Palestinian Theatre League, Ramallah, 2009.
- The Festival of Arab Vanguards, Amman 2009.
- Dar Ashurooq publishing house, Ramallah, 2010.
- Al-Quds University, Jerusalem 2010.
- Al-Mashriq for Studies and Zahrat Al-Madaain institution, Ramallah, 2010.
- Al-Shaheen Cultural Center, Bait Dajan, Nablus, 2011.
- The National Popular Congress for Jerusalem, Ramallah, 2011.
Personal:
- Born in Jerusalem, 1941. Married to Naema on 21. 07.1961. Children: Khalid (born 1965); Amin (born1967); Isam (born1968); Basima (born1971) and Amina (born1974).
Email: shukair@hotmail.com
