To find out more about the impact social media is having on literature, listen to Episode 3 from this season.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode include:

One of Us is Lying, by Karen M McManus

The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars in this twisty page turner.

These Violent Delights, by Chloe Gong

Romeo & Juliette in 1920s Shanghai with a big bad threatening the very existence of our protagonists.

This Woven Kingdom, by Tahereh Mafi

A Cinderella story set in a magical Middle East-flavoured kingdom, with magic, Jinn, and forbidden love, blowing up on TikTok.

About Chloe Gong:

Chloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and its sequel Our Violent Ends. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she double-majored in English and International Relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe is now located in New York pretending to be a real adult.

Need more recommendations? How about some armchair travel or perhaps we can tempt you with the Best Books of 2021 for your TBR?

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Ex Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation, and current resident podcaster. A book pusher and compulsive book clubber, she is a literary omnivore with a preference for fiction. Andrea also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Books and authors mentioned include:

Shahnameh: The Epic of the Persian Kings, by Ferdowsi

Part myth, part history, these epic tales contain magical birds, superhuman heroes and centuries-long battles.

The Silence of the Girls, by Pat Barker

This retelling of the Iliad and the battle of Troy from another perspective works not only as a great story, but makes us question history as we know it.

Ben Miller is an actor, director and comedian and the bestselling author of magical stories for all the family: The Night I Met Father Christmas, The Boy Who Made the World Disappear, The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale, How I Became a Dog Called Midnight and Diary of a Christmas Elf. His next children's book will be released in September 2022. He is best-known for the Armstrong and Miller sketch show, the Johnny English and Paddington films, BBC's Death in Paradise and recent Netflix smash, Bridgerton.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Ex Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation, and current resident podcaster. A book pusher and compulsive book clubber, she is a literary omnivore with a preference for fiction. Andrea also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Books and authors:

Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus

Set in the 1960s, this is a story of an unconventional female scientist with a quiet game-plan to change the world, and Tamreez loved it.

How to Kill Your Family, by Bella Mackie

Andrea is on a mission to make everyone laugh out loud in public by pushing this revenge comedy slash family drama slash slasher.

Teen Couple Have Fun Outdoors, by Aravind Jayan

A bittersweet comedy offering candid insight into contemporary Indian society and an online generation, Annabelle predicts this one will be big when it drops in July.

Jo Browning Wroe grew up in a crematorium in Birmingham. She has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and is now Creative Writing Supervisor at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge. Her debut novel, A Terrible Kindness, was shortlisted for the Bridport Peggy Chapman-Andrews award. 

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Ex Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation, and current resident podcaster. A book pusher and compulsive book clubber, she is a literary omnivore with a preference for fiction. Andrea also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

As always, there are two fantastic novels to consider when you explore the evolution of love and relationships.

Books and authors mentioned:

Love Marriage, by Monica Ali

Two families come together and unravel ahead of their children's wedding. Characters with depth deal with their secrets and traumas in this beautiful novel.

Exciting Times, by Naoise Dolan

A more modern relationship story would be heard to find, from the poster child of the millennial novel.

Dr Ty Tashiro is an author, social scientist, and relationship expert with a Ph.D in Psychology. His first book, The Science of Happily Ever After, shows how our decision-making abilities falter when it comes to choosing mates and how insights from social science can help us make smarter decisions.

In Awkward: The Science of Why We’re Socially Awkward and Why That’s Awesome, he explains why some of the same characteristics that make people feel socially awkward can be the same traits that propel them toward extraordinary achievements.

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Ex Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation, and current resident podcaster. A book pusher and compulsive book clubber, she is a literary omnivore with a preference for fiction. Andrea also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

So instead of interviewing an author or recommending books, today, we dive into the results of a study we have just published about trends in literature with our partners and friends from Four Communications.

The Emirates Literature Foundation team are joined by Natalie Amos, Managing Director Lifestyle MENA, and dialling in from London is Truda Spruyt, Managing director Culture at Four Communications, where her clients include the International Booker Prize, and the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction.

Download the white paper: https://www.elfdubai.org/en/white-paper-read-between-the-lines

Click here to take the test and find out what kind of reader you are!

Andrea and Annabelle are joined by Maham for a quick book recommendation, before internationally bestselling writer of crime fiction, Sophie Hannah, comes on to talk about her latest book, her characters, and her love of luxury spas.

Books and authors:

Sometimes I Lie, by Alice Feeny

Twisty enough to make your head spin, nothing is what it seems in this domestic noir. read it now before the TV show starring Sarah Michelle Gellar comes out.

The God of Small Things, by Arundhati Roy

A family drama or a textbook of morality? Maham recommends a favourite read where each of the characters have secrets to hide.

The Couple at the Table, by Sophie Hannah

Six couples. One luxury resort. And the perfect murder.

A woman on her honeymoon receives a note warning her about the couple at the table next to hers, but all the tables are the same distance from each other. Who would write this note, and what does it mean?

Sophie Hannah is the master of outlandish and impossible mysteries, and in this podcast she explains how she plots her novels, and how she found inspiration in the works of Agatha Christie, even before she began writing Poirot novels.

Books and authors mentioned:

Sea of Tranquility, by Emily St. John Mandel

Moon colonies and a haunting violin. Annabelle recommends this epic Sci-Fi with a 270 page count to anyone who liked Station Eleven.

The Maid, by Nita Prose

Top curl up and read recommendation from Andrea is this murder mystery with a unique protagonist.

Wahala, by Nikki May

Another exciting debut, this modern tale of friendship has been described as a 'brown Big Little Lies'.

Sundial, by Catriona Ward

Twisty psychological horror novel from the author of The Last House on Needless Street. Must be read immediately.

With new books coming out this year, and also mentioned were: Monica Ali, David Lagercrantz, Celeste Ng, Jo Wroe, Silvia Moreno Garcia and Matthew Perry. We could not BE any more excited about reading in 2022.

Books mentioned in this episode:

The Doctor's Kitchen by Dr Rupy Aujla

Another cookbook you'll buy and abandon on the shelf? Not so with Dr Rupy who knows a thing or two about busy schedules as an NHS GP. The path to a healthier life is through small consistent changes so even if you don't make a single recipe from his books, the guiding principles and ingredient lists are the arsenal you need when you're not sure what to add to that mystery curry you're making when you get home, or what to buy on your next grocery shop.

The Cracks that Let the Light In by Jessica Moxham

This recommendation is inspiration fodder for absolutely anyone, especially parents who need a guiding light in dark times. As Jess herself says - "This is a book about what happened when it felt like my life had fallen apart and how I put it back together. It’s about family, love and how to be happy despite your life turning out nothing like you planned." and in these uncertain times, Jess' story is all the more relevant.

Twelve and a Half by Gary Vaynerchuk

In his latest bestselling book, GaryVee shares how he has embraced twelve and a half key skills to become a better leader. Not only is Gary Vaynerchuk a serial entrepreneur and one of the world’s leading marketing experts, he is also the author of six bestselling business books, including most recently Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success. He is the chairman of VaynerX and CEO of the media agency VaynerMedia.

Languages of Loss by Sasha Bates

After the unexpected death of her husband Bill, Sasha draws on her years of psychotherapy work in this book to make sense of her own personal experience of grief. Wherever you’re at in your own relationship with grief and loss, this book is a practical exploration of grappling with difficult and overwhelming emotions, and is an excellent and necessary reminder that it's ok to feel what you're feeling.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a...]]>It's the end of January. We don't know how it came around so soon, but it did, and the pressure is on for that fresh slate feeling - and books are here to help. On this episode of The Boundless Book Club Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle are joined by the Emirates Literature Foundation's very own Maham Uzair to recommend four books to help you live your #bestlife, in a realistic, genuinely useful and practical way all with authors who are appearing at this year's Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. No quick fixes here, thankyouverymuch.

Books mentioned in this episode:

The Doctor's Kitchen by Dr Rupy Aujla

Another cookbook you'll buy and abandon on the shelf? Not so with Dr Rupy who knows a thing or two about busy schedules as an NHS GP. The path to a healthier life is through small consistent changes so even if you don't make a single recipe from his books, the guiding principles and ingredient lists are the arsenal you need when you're not sure what to add to that mystery curry you're making when you get home, or what to buy on your next grocery shop.

The Cracks that Let the Light In by Jessica Moxham

This recommendation is inspiration fodder for absolutely anyone, especially parents who need a guiding light in dark times. As Jess herself says - "This is a book about what happened when it felt like my life had fallen apart and how I put it back together. It’s about family, love and how to be happy despite your life turning out nothing like you planned." and in these uncertain times, Jess' story is all the more relevant.

Twelve and a Half by Gary Vaynerchuk

In his latest bestselling book, GaryVee shares how he has embraced twelve and a half key skills to become a better leader. Not only is Gary Vaynerchuk a serial entrepreneur and one of the world’s leading marketing experts, he is also the author of six bestselling business books, including most recently Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success. He is the chairman of VaynerX and CEO of the media agency VaynerMedia.

Languages of Loss by Sasha Bates

After the unexpected death of her husband Bill, Sasha draws on her years of psychotherapy work in this book to make sense of her own personal experience of grief. Wherever you’re at in your own relationship with grief and loss, this book is a practical exploration of grappling with difficult and overwhelming emotions, and is an excellent and necessary reminder that it's ok to feel what you're feeling.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Authors and books include:

My Heart is a Chainsaw, by Stephen Graham Jones

Nivea Serrao recommends this beautifully written horror novel.

Sleepyhead, by Mark Billingham

Funny and horrific in equal measures, this is the first outing for DI Tom Thorne, and the start of a 17 book series of bestsellers.

The Hunting Party, by Lucy Foley

A snowed-in murder mystery with toxic friendships? Yes please, says Andrea.

The Bridgerton series, by Julia Quinn

You may have seen the series, but the books are, as always, better. Each book has a different sibling as protagonist, and Nivea particularly recommends The Viscount Who Loved Me.

Yesterday, by Felicia Yap

This speculative fiction and crime mash-up asks, how do you solve a murder when you only remember yesterday?

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

About Annabel Kantaria:

Annabel has five published novels, with the latest, The House of Whispers, written under the pseudonym Anna Kent. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology, has worked as an editor for a woman's magazine and teaches workshops on writing and editing, including for inmates in Dubai Central Prison.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro  

Andrea has scoured the internet for the many 'Best Books of the Year' lists courtesy of critics and booksellers, taking in Vogue, The Guardian, The New York Times and many more. Names like Colson Whitehead with Harlem Shuffle, and Sally Rooney with Beautiful World, Where Are You? come up repeatedly, and in shared second place you'll find Rachel Cusk's Second Place, tied with Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads and Patricia Lockwood's No One Is Talking About This, but the clear winner for the most mentions on these list is Ishiguro's nuanced take on the inner life of a solar powered 'artificial friend' called Klara.

The House of Whispers by Anna Kent

Grace and Abi fell out at university years ago, but now Grace is making contact with Abi after she's started a new life for herself. As Grace slips back into her friend's life, something isn't quite right - and Abi's husband can't help but wonder why Grace has returned to exert this unnerving influence over his wife.

Worst. Idea. Ever. by Jane Fallon

Annabel Kantaria's recommendation is a tale of two best friends whose relationship is threatened when one of them tells a (well-meaning) white lie. Lydia's online business is struggling, and Georgia sets up a fake account to pose as a potential customer but Lydia starts sharing more than business with her, and Georgia is shocked by the truths that start pouring out.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Multiple narrators tell this story of a man called Ted who lives in the last house on Needless Street, with his talking, religious cat Olivia, and his daughter Lauren. Children have been disappearing from the lake near Ted's house and Dee, who lost her sister years prior in the same lake, is sure Ted has something to do with it. A roller coaster horror/thriller tale that you'll inhale in one sitting.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

How can you talk about the best books of 2021 without mentioning the ones that flew off the shelves? After the incredible success of The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman published another cosy crime caper in September this year: Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron are back and this time they have murder, stolen diamonds and violent mobsters to contend with.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time...]]>Toxic friendships, septuagenarian sleuths, solar powered robots, and talking religious cats are just a few of the topics addressed on this episode of the Boundless Book Club as Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle are joined by author Annabel Kantaria to discuss the best books published this year, before moving on to discuss Annabel's own 2021 publication under the pseudonym Anna Kent: domestic thriller The House of Whispers.

About Annabel Kantaria:

Annabel has five published novels, with the latest, The House of Whispers, written under the pseudonym Anna Kent. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology, has worked as an editor for a woman's magazine and teaches workshops on writing and editing, including for inmates in Dubai Central Prison.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro  

Andrea has scoured the internet for the many 'Best Books of the Year' lists courtesy of critics and booksellers, taking in Vogue, The Guardian, The New York Times and many more. Names like Colson Whitehead with Harlem Shuffle, and Sally Rooney with Beautiful World, Where Are You? come up repeatedly, and in shared second place you'll find Rachel Cusk's Second Place, tied with Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads and Patricia Lockwood's No One Is Talking About This, but the clear winner for the most mentions on these list is Ishiguro's nuanced take on the inner life of a solar powered 'artificial friend' called Klara.

The House of Whispers by Anna Kent

Grace and Abi fell out at university years ago, but now Grace is making contact with Abi after she's started a new life for herself. As Grace slips back into her friend's life, something isn't quite right - and Abi's husband can't help but wonder why Grace has returned to exert this unnerving influence over his wife.

Worst. Idea. Ever. by Jane Fallon

Annabel Kantaria's recommendation is a tale of two best friends whose relationship is threatened when one of them tells a (well-meaning) white lie. Lydia's online business is struggling, and Georgia sets up a fake account to pose as a potential customer but Lydia starts sharing more than business with her, and Georgia is shocked by the truths that start pouring out.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Multiple narrators tell this story of a man called Ted who lives in the last house on Needless Street, with his talking, religious cat Olivia, and his daughter Lauren. Children have been disappearing from the lake near Ted's house and Dee, who lost her sister years prior in the same lake, is sure Ted has something to do with it. A roller coaster horror/thriller tale that you'll inhale in one sitting.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

How can you talk about the best books of 2021 without mentioning the ones that flew off the shelves? After the incredible success of The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman published another cosy crime caper in September this year: Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron are back and this time they have murder, stolen diamonds and violent mobsters to contend with.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

In this UAE National Day special, Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle are joined by Eman Al Yousuf, author and Arabic Literature Events Executive at the Emirates Literature Foundation, and diplomat HE Omar Saif Ghobash, author of Letters to a Young Muslim. We talk about the UAE's literary scene - where it's at right now, where it's going, the genres that are most popular and why, how the concept of constructive criticism is evolving in the region, and Omar's foray into writing fiction about a subject close to his heart.

Books by Emirati writers in translation mentioned in this episode:

Karima by Dr Mana Saeed Al Otaiba

One of the biggest Emirati literary names, Dr Mana Saeed Al Otaiba is the author of over a hundred books published in Arabic, and no stranger to Ahlam and Eman, who remember studying and memorizing his poetry at school. His novel Karima was published in Arabic in 1990 but was published this year in English. If you're looking for a great story about love and revenge set betwen the UAE and Morocco, this is definitely one to add to your TBR pile.  

The Statue of Dalma by Reem Al Kamali

One of the most important Emirati historical fiction novelists, Reem Al Kamali's The Statue of Dalma is thankfully available to enjoy in English. The story of a handsome young man called Nurta, on the island of Dalma off the coast of Abu Dhabi who sets about carving a giant statue of a goddess during the fall of the Sumerian civilization, the rise of the Akkadian Empire and subsequent attacks, and the impact of this turmoil on the man's labour of art and love.

The Sand Fish by Maha Gargash

Be transported to the UAE of the 1950s, through this story of an independent Emirati Woman, Noora, who escapes a forced arranged marriage in the wake of her mother's death.  

Zelzelah: A Woman Before Her Time by Mariam Behnam

If you prefer memoir to fiction as a way to immerse yourself in this young nation, Ahlam recommends this story of Mariam Behnam (AKA Zelzelah which means 'earthquake' in Farsi and Urdu) and her unconventional life in Iran and the UAE. The first woman in her conservative and traditional family to get a university degree, she went on to become a diplomat in Pakistan and Iran and get caught up in the revolution of 1979, and to then seek refuge in Dubai.

Letters to a Young Muslim by Omar Saif Ghobash

Told in a series of personal letters to his son, UAE diplomat Omar Saif Ghobash tackles how to balance being true to one's faith as a Muslim while navigating the complexities of modern life.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good...]]>'My country is younger than my father' - Eman Al Yousuf

In this UAE National Day special, Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle are joined by Eman Al Yousuf, author and Arabic Literature Events Executive at the Emirates Literature Foundation, and diplomat HE Omar Saif Ghobash, author of Letters to a Young Muslim. We talk about the UAE's literary scene - where it's at right now, where it's going, the genres that are most popular and why, how the concept of constructive criticism is evolving in the region, and Omar's foray into writing fiction about a subject close to his heart.

Books by Emirati writers in translation mentioned in this episode:

Karima by Dr Mana Saeed Al Otaiba

One of the biggest Emirati literary names, Dr Mana Saeed Al Otaiba is the author of over a hundred books published in Arabic, and no stranger to Ahlam and Eman, who remember studying and memorizing his poetry at school. His novel Karima was published in Arabic in 1990 but was published this year in English. If you're looking for a great story about love and revenge set betwen the UAE and Morocco, this is definitely one to add to your TBR pile.  

The Statue of Dalma by Reem Al Kamali

One of the most important Emirati historical fiction novelists, Reem Al Kamali's The Statue of Dalma is thankfully available to enjoy in English. The story of a handsome young man called Nurta, on the island of Dalma off the coast of Abu Dhabi who sets about carving a giant statue of a goddess during the fall of the Sumerian civilization, the rise of the Akkadian Empire and subsequent attacks, and the impact of this turmoil on the man's labour of art and love.

The Sand Fish by Maha Gargash

Be transported to the UAE of the 1950s, through this story of an independent Emirati Woman, Noora, who escapes a forced arranged marriage in the wake of her mother's death.  

Zelzelah: A Woman Before Her Time by Mariam Behnam

If you prefer memoir to fiction as a way to immerse yourself in this young nation, Ahlam recommends this story of Mariam Behnam (AKA Zelzelah which means 'earthquake' in Farsi and Urdu) and her unconventional life in Iran and the UAE. The first woman in her conservative and traditional family to get a university degree, she went on to become a diplomat in Pakistan and Iran and get caught up in the revolution of 1979, and to then seek refuge in Dubai.

Letters to a Young Muslim by Omar Saif Ghobash

Told in a series of personal letters to his son, UAE diplomat Omar Saif Ghobash tackles how to balance being true to one's faith as a Muslim while navigating the complexities of modern life.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Books and authors mentioned:

Something I Said, by Ben Bailey Smith

Hilarious middle grade caper following 13 year old Carmichael Taylor as he suffers the consequences of being funny.

Broken, by Jenny Lawson

Hilarious and poignant, this book offers LOLs and hope in equal measures.

Between Beirut And The Moon, by Naji Bakhti

With comedy and danger lurking behind every corner, this is a coming of age novel like no other, set in post-civil-war Beirut.   

Naji’s recommendation:

Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, by Roddy Doyle

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Alka Joshi, author of The Henna Artist, joins the conversation to talk about her book coming to Netflix, the importance of representation in the writer's room, and how a career in advertising has helped the fiction writing process.

Books and authors in this episode:

A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth

A fully engrossing marriage plot set in 1950s India, with hints of Austen.

The Dying Day, by Vaseem Khan

India's first female police officer is on the trail of a missing priceless manuscript, with a trail of bodies, cryptic clues, constant sexism and a heart of darkness.

The Henna Artist, by Alka Joshi

Delicious escapism when seventeen-year-old Lakshmi escapes her marriage and becomes a successful henna artist in 1950s pink city of Jaipur.

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned:

The Gashlycrumb Tinies, by Edward Gorey

The ABC of horror, this beautiful illustrated little work of nonsense delights in all the right ways!

Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Glamorous, decadent, and creeping dread. What's not to love?

The Decapitated Chicken and other stories, by Horacio Quiroga

Mental illness, hallucinatory states, and the survival of man and animal in a tropical jungle, is all on offer in this collection of short stories.

Pet Sematary, by Steven King

We all know about the ancient Indian burial ground next to the pet cemetery isn't good news, but what surprised us is the emotional punch packed into this classic horror novel.

Audition, Ryu Murakami

This tale of a man looking for love by staging auditions is disturbing in a gruesome way that will appeal to fans of Tarantino.

We also reminisce about the terrifying book recommended in our Scary Books episode last year, which you can listen to here: https://the-boundless-book-club.captivate.fm/episode/the-scary-books-episode-/

And if you can't get enough of horror, we have more tips on our blog: https://blog.elfdubai.org/blogs/post/horror-movie-books-halloween

About Silvia Moreno-Garcia:

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed speculative novels Gods of Jade and Shadow, Signal to Noise, Certain Dark Things, and The Beautiful Ones; and the crime novel Untamed Shore. She has edited several anthologies, includ­ing the World Fantasy Award–winning She Walks in Shadows (aka Cthulhu’s Daughters). She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Sir Kazuo Ishiguro is no stranger to the Booker Prize, having won the award in 1989 for The Remains of the Day, and let’s not forget, a whole raft of other awards including the Nobel Prize and an OBE. 

After the longlist was announced in July, Ishiguro was a joint favourite to win with his latest book, Klara and The Sun, and looked like a clear shoo-in for the shortlist. But he was snubbed, pipped to the post by Damon Galgut's The Promise, Maggie Shipstead's Great Circle, Richard Powers' Bewilderment, Anuk Arudpragasam's A Passage North, Nadifa Mohamed's The Fortune Men, and Patricia Lockwood's novel No one is Talking About This.

Books and authors in this episode:

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

A misanthropic bookseller who doesn’t like books, a baby found in the children’s section of the book store, and a stolen priceless treasure – this book has a lot going on and Dania can’t recommend it enough.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Cassandra Mortmain lives with her bohemian and broke family in a crumbling castle in the middle of nowhere, waiting for her father to write another Important Novel that will lift them back out of poverty. Her older sister reads Jane Austen novels and longs for romance. Thankfully, the Cottons inherit the estate and arrive from the US with two eligible young brothers in the family, and the stage is set.  

The Liar’s Dictionary by Eley Williams

Swansby's New Encyclopaedic Dictionary is riddled with fictitious entries known as mountweazels penned by Peter Winceworth, a man wishing to make his lasting mark back in 1899. It's up to young intern Mallory to uncover these mountweazels before the dictionary can be digitised for modern readers.

Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller by Nadia Wassef

In 2002, with her sister, Hind, and their friend, Nihal, Nadia founded Diwan, a new kind of independent bookstore. They were three young women with no business degrees, no formal training, and nothing to lose. This adventure took over their lives completely, and this book is a love letter to the business they created.

Also check out our blog post with more books about books! 

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

A sensitive and sparsely told story of two newlyweds and the ensuing complications and obstacles that their honeymoon brings to light, is perfect for anyone who wants a complex novel about relationships and intimacy with a fraction of the time usually required to read one.

The Day Cats Disappeared From the World by Genki Kawamura

A book that sold millions of copies in Japan, this is the story of an unnamed narrator who makes a deal with the Devil in exchange for a longer lifespan, but there's an odd catch...and the Devil sports Hawaian print shirts instead of horns.

The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

Published in 1945, this is the first in a trilogy about a lady's pursuit of love in an English upper class family. The satire is every bit as biting as you might expect.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson   

From the author of The Haunting of Hill House comes this tale of two sisters, their eccentric sickly uncle and the gradual unpeeling of why the town hates them, and most importantly, why the rest of their family is dead. It's unsettling, beautifully written and short.

The Digested Read by John Crace

If you haven't got time to read a full length novel, you could just read John Crace's satirical summary of it. Each digested read is 500 words and can be read while you wait for the kettle to boil.

About us:

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and once scored 82 points in one move in Scrabble. Best day ever.

Annabelle Corton is the English Programme Manager at the Emirates Literature Foundation. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Dominicana by Angie Cruz

Based on the author’s mother’s experience, this coming of age novel shares the story of Ana, who at the age of 15 is married to 32 year old Juan Ruiz and taken to America, with the weight of her family’s future on her shoulders.  

Educated by Tara Westover

From the isolation and loneliness of the immigrant experience to the isolation and loneliness of being estranged from your family, this is the memoir of a young woman growing up in a Mormon survivalist family, where seeking education was seen as an act of rebellion.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Brought up as an Indian in suburban America, Gogol finds himself itching to cast off the inherited values and priorities that his parents assign him. His mother is feeling desperately isolated in this new country and unable to assimilate, and Gogol struggles with integrating the two sides of his identity, as an American and a second-generation immigrant.  

About Avni Doshi:

Avni Doshi is an American novelist currently based in Dubai. She was born in New Jersey to immigrants from India. Her debut novel, Girl in White Cotton, was published in India in 2019. In 2020, it was published in the United Kingdom under the title Burnt Sugar. The novel was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake?

….She’s not sorry. 

Don't miss our Festival podcast where you can listen to fantastic writers including Amin Maalouf, Elif Shafak, Malala, and Ian Rankin. Tune in to the Best of Emirates LitFest https://emirateslitfest-podcast.captivate.fm/listen

Books and authors mentioned in this episode: 

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 

Piranesi lives in a house so vast it has weather systems and tides, with one other nameless person, aptly titled 'The Other'. It's weird, and wonderful, and full of intrigue and Annabelle might start a fan club for the book, which also featured on our Best Books of the Year episode with Mark Fiddes. 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Andrea's favourite on the list is a multigenerational fiction tale about the ramifications of pretending to be something that you're not, which explores the lives of two twin sisters  in the US from the 1950s to 1990s - one who lives life as a black woman, and one who 'passes' for white. This also featured on 'And the Award for the Best Supporting Character Goes To' episode with Jasper Fforde.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi  

A PhD student navigates scientific research into the opioid addiction that took her brother's life while grappling with the fraught relationship she has with her Ghanian Mum who feels out of place in Huntsville, Alabama. 

No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood

A tale of two halves with an experimental first act that reads in the style of a twitter thread with plenty of wit and internet-savvy humour. It jerks you in a completely different narrative direction in the second half when tragedy strikes the title character IRL. 

Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller

Two impoverished twins barely scrape together an existence in their crumbling home until the death of their mum reveals secrets that make them question everything they've ever known. 

How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones 

There is trouble in paradise in this Barbados-set story of three marriages, a cautionary tale, and the sacrifices that some women make to survive. 

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble. 

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the...]]>In this episode, Andrea and Annabelle go on a quick pit-stop tour of the six novels on the Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist - you can expect everything from a mystery story in an ocean-filled mansion to cautionary tales in Barbados, with a side helping of fun facts about authors, and a weird story about what watching The Exorcist 72 times does to a man.

Don't miss our Festival podcast where you can listen to fantastic writers including Amin Maalouf, Elif Shafak, Malala, and Ian Rankin. Tune in to the Best of Emirates LitFest https://emirateslitfest-podcast.captivate.fm/listen

Books and authors mentioned in this episode: 

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 

Piranesi lives in a house so vast it has weather systems and tides, with one other nameless person, aptly titled 'The Other'. It's weird, and wonderful, and full of intrigue and Annabelle might start a fan club for the book, which also featured on our Best Books of the Year episode with Mark Fiddes. 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Andrea's favourite on the list is a multigenerational fiction tale about the ramifications of pretending to be something that you're not, which explores the lives of two twin sisters  in the US from the 1950s to 1990s - one who lives life as a black woman, and one who 'passes' for white. This also featured on 'And the Award for the Best Supporting Character Goes To' episode with Jasper Fforde.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi  

A PhD student navigates scientific research into the opioid addiction that took her brother's life while grappling with the fraught relationship she has with her Ghanian Mum who feels out of place in Huntsville, Alabama. 

No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood

A tale of two halves with an experimental first act that reads in the style of a twitter thread with plenty of wit and internet-savvy humour. It jerks you in a completely different narrative direction in the second half when tragedy strikes the title character IRL. 

Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller

Two impoverished twins barely scrape together an existence in their crumbling home until the death of their mum reveals secrets that make them question everything they've ever known. 

How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones 

There is trouble in paradise in this Barbados-set story of three marriages, a cautionary tale, and the sacrifices that some women make to survive. 

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble. 

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

You can't have a conversation about books and music without mentioning this 1995 bestselling exploration of love and pain through pop culture, top ten lists, and the eyes of 35 year old record store owner Rob Fleming.

White Tears by Hari Kunzru

Andrea leaves us on the edge of our seat with this recommendation about two hipster record producers who tape a black man singing a blues song, and live to regret it. A ghost story that's also a meditation on cultural appropriation, and a dark period of musical history, it's like nothing you've ever read before.

Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau

If you're looking for the perfect summer read, try this coming of age story about a fourteen year old girl who is thrown into the chaos and drama of the family she works for over the summer in 1970s Baltimore, which only increases as a famous rock star moves into the family home to discreetly receive treatment for his drug addiction.

About Jessica Anya Blau

Jessica Anya Blau was born in Boston and raised in Southern California. Her novels have been featured on The Today Show, CNN and NPR, and in Cosmo, Vanity Fair, Bust, Time Out, Oprah Summer Reads and other national publications. Jessica's short stories and essays have been published in numerous magazines, journals and anthologies. Jessica co-wrote the script for Love on the Run starring Frances Fisher and Steve Howey. She sometimes works as a ghost writer and has taught writing at Johns Hopkins University, Goucher College and The Fashion Institute of Technology. Jessica lives in New York.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

In this episode, we look at books and writers that put forward an unpopular opinion, including persuasive arguments for not becoming a mother, why you should be against empathy, and our author and editor guest Allison K Williams' opinion that not everyone has a book in them (that deserves readers).

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Motherhood by Sheila Heti

A thoughtful novel for those who are interested in both unpopular opinions and unique writing styles, Sheila Heti's auto fiction is a writing woman's exploration of motherhood, particularly the taboo reasons why she would not want to shoulder the role society has laid out for women for centuries.

Against Empathy by Paul Bloom

If you're anything like us over at the Boundless Book Club, you might be surprised by Paul Bloom's assertion that empathy is not the guiding light it is portrayed to be. Andrea takes us through this psychologist's take on the dangers of empathy as a tool for decision-making and how rationality and compassion are the way forward if we want to make the world a better place.

About Allison K Williams

Allison K Williams is a Writer, Editor, Speaker and Writing Coach. She is the author of Get Published in Literary Magazines and Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book which publishes later this year. She has edited and coached writers to deals with Penguin Random House, Knopf, Mantle, Spencer Hill, St. Martin’s and independent presses. She’s guided essayists to publication in the New Yorker, Time, the Guardian, the New York Times, McSweeney’s and TED Talks. Allison runs the Rebirth Your Book writing retreats virtually and around the world. As Social Media Editor for Brevity, she inspires thousands of writers with blogs on craft and the writing life. A former circus performer, Allison has written for NPR, CBC, the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, Creative Nonfiction, McSweeney’s, Kenyon Review Online and Travelers’ Tales.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

In this episode, Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle discuss books that allow us access to places we would normally be denied, whether glimpsing the afterlife, exile, North Korea, or a fog-covered island dominated by a sinister cult.

Author, translator and expert on North Korea, Immanuel Kim, joins us to share insight into one of the least visited countries in the world.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Kololo Hill by Neema Shah

Partly inspired by her grandparents' journey from India to East Africa in the 1940s and set during the expulsion of Asians from Uganda by Idi Amin in the early 70s, Neema Shah's debut multi-generational story of an Indian family forced to flee their home at the whim of the 'Butcher of Uganda' is a pacey and moving read.

The Cult on Fog Island by Mariette Lindstein

Sometimes it's even harder to leave a place than it is to enter. This is the case in this psychological thriller about what appears to be the perfect island community, written by a former member of the Church of Scientology who was based at the cult's headquarters for 20 years.

Dying To Be Me by Anita Moorjani

The ultimate access denied that connects us all is the afterlife. This memoir details Moorjani's diagnosis with cancer, her subsequent near-death experience, how her healing process baffled doctors and how it helped her grapple with her own mortality.

About Immanuel Kim

Immanuel Kim is Korea Foundation and Kim-Renaud Associate Professor of Korean Literature and Culture Studies at George Washington University. He is the author of Rewriting Revolution: Women, Sexuality, and Memory in North Korean Fiction, and the translator of Friend by Paek Nam–nyong, one of North Korea’s most popular writers.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Stay tuned for a fascinating roaming conversation with Jasper Fforde coming in around the 28 minute mark.

Complete the survey for a chance to win fabulous books, perhaps even one signed by Jasper Fforde! https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/ahCNu5

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

I think you might be able to guess which jilted spinster Ahlam was drawn to in this classic about the young Pip, his mysterious benefactor, and his love for the beautiful Estella.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The list of supporting characters in this beloved fantasy series is extensive, and mostly male, but the female characters of Middle Earth really hold their own. Can you guess which one Annabelle chose?

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

This incredible book that has captivated readers all over the world stars two twin sisters whose paths in life diverge when they make very different choices that will affect the way they are perceived in a fiercely segregated time and place. But Andrea argues the bounty hunter on the sidelines needs his own show.

About Jasper Fforde

Jasper Fforde has been writing in the Comedy/Fantasy Genre since 2001 when his novel 'The Eyre Affair' debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list. Since then he has published fourteen more books, several of them bestsellers, and counts his sales in millions. 'The Constant Rabbit' will be his 15th novel. He lives and works in Wales.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Muslim Women Mystics: The Life and Work of Rabi'a and Other Women Mystics in Islam by Margaret Smith

Ahlam recommends this introduction to the great Sufi thinker, Rab'ia of Basra, in a book that discusses the contribution made by Basra and other women mystics to Islamic heritage and history.

Intuitive Fasting by Dr Will Cole

Chiropractor and practitioner of functional medicine Dr Will Cole might not be Andrea's favourite science writer but the recipes in his book look promising if you're looking for steadier blood sugar and a healthier approach when breaking your fast.

Breath by James Nestor

Science writer and journalist James Nestor's ten-year foray into investigating the history of scientific breakthroughs and studies into the 'lost art of breathing' cover the importance of nose breathing, hypoventilation training in athletes, the correlation between breathing and prayer, and much more

About Gelong Thubten

Gelong Thubten is a Buddhist monk, meditation teacher, and Sunday Times bestselling author of A Monk's Guide to Happiness. His new book, a practical guide complete with meditation exercises, is titled Handbook for Hard Times: A Monk's Guide to Fearless Living, due to be published March 2022.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

----

In this episode, Andrea and Annabelle look at books that take their characters to some dangerous places, from the isolation of a cabin in the Arctic, to the simmering violence of an African jungle, before speaking to bestselling Icelandic crime writer Yrsa Sigurdardottir about writing crime fiction in the land of fire and ice.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter

Austrian housewife Christiane Ritter's memoir of a year spent in a cabin in Spitsbergen surrounded by polar bears and deadly conditions in 1933 with her husband is a masterclass in resilience and inspiration for anyone travelling to the Arctic or following a loved one on a journey into the unknown.

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

If you're ready for cold weather to seep into your fiction, you can try this horror/ghost story  set in an isolated base camp of a scientific expedition in Svalbard in 1937. Thanks to Emily Barr for the recommendation!

Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd

In the midst of raging civil wars in an unnamed African nation, ethologist Hope Clearwater is apprehensive of the results of ongoing primate research and grapples with the strain of her marriage to a brilliant mathematician on the brink.

An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie

Published in 1981, this Togo teenager's account of discovering a book about Greenland, and then working his way north over the course of a decade to get there is the travel memoir we can't wait to read next.

About Yrsa Sigurdaddotir

A prolific writer and civil engineer with both children’s books and dark crime fiction to her name, Yrsa Sigurdaddotir made her crime fiction debut in 2005 with Last Rituals and has been translated into more than thirty languages. The Silence of the Sea won the Petrona Award in 2015 and The Prey won the 2020 Icelandic Blood Drop Award for the best crime novel of 2020. Gallows Rock is her thirteenth adult novel and the fourth in the Freyja and Huldar Series. The Legacy is the first in this series and one of the titles mentioned in the episode.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Sheila Maher also drops in from Dublin to recommend her top tip for a book by a fellow Irish author.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Himself by Jess Kidd

Tall dark handsome stranger who has a way with the ladies and for seeing the dead, rolls into rural Irish town looking for answers about his mother, while tough old bird Mrs Cauley stages a play to help him reveal the inhabitants' secrets. If you're looking for another beautifully written tale with wit and a touch of endearing strangeness, Jess Kidd's second book Mr. Flood's Last Resort/The Hoarder is also highly recommended.

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

Ireland. 1859. Science and faith clash in this story of a young girl who becomes a money-making attraction in a small town for reportedly surviving without food for months, and the nurse suspicious of the claims who forms a bond with her. Top tip - much like Trevor Noah's Born a Crime, Ahlam suggests this book is best listened to as an audiobook.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis is a twelve-year-old criminal mastermind. Is he a match for Holly Short, who is part of a fairy special forces unit? Andrea is of course recommending Artemis Fowl, the criminally good children's classic suitable for all ages with good taste. She awards it top marks for both tugging at the heartstrings of adults and offering children a rollicking adventure full of Irish wit.

Six at the Table: Take the 70s, Add Family and Mix Well by Sheila Maher

Sheila Maher is a regular contributor to RTÉ Sunday Miscellany, and joins us to talk about her favourite Irish writers. Her own book is a memoir that takes a trip through 70s nostalgia - the story of a childhood told through meals shared and family trips.

The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan

Sheila Maher's recommendation is set in a rural Irish village and details the impact of an economic crash on 21 characters, masterfully told through 21 different chapters in the space of 170 moving pages.

More reading tips: https://blog.elfdubai.org/blogs/post/irish-authors-to-read-all-year

Music: Fiddle-De-Dee by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

These are just some of the intense questions that Andrea, Ahlam and Annabelle from the Emirates Literature Foundation consider with Flora Rees, Head of Programming at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, as they each discuss books about people, creatures, and even bacteria with a particular set of skills even Liam Neeson would envy.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Everything that Makes us Human by Jay Jayamohan

Flora Rees recommends this non-fiction memoir from children's neurosurgeon Jay Jayamohan which begins with him blasting ACDC in the operating theatre as he does what he does every day - navigates a tiny human brain with a 3D map he conjures in his mind's eye. From the humorous contrast of his music choices to the darker moments of difficult decisions and conversations with parents, these case notes are both inspiring and heart-breaking in equal measure.

Incredible Journeys: Exploring the Wonders of Animal Navigation by David Barrie

From bacteria that are able to recreate the Tokyo train system, to the paths of albatross, ants, bees and more, this book is full of stories of creatures who find their way around the world in a myriad of fascinating ways, and Barrie's observation that we could learn a lot about where we're going from being more engaged in the natural world, than from looking at Google maps.

An Adventurer's Guide to Outer Space by Isabel Thomas

It's hard enough to moonwalk on the dancefloor, but what about an actual moonwalk? Andrea recommends this book suitable for children and adults who want to know the answers to all the best questions like - during a spacewalk how do you scratch your nose if your face is in a helmet? What do you do if you need the toilet? If you want to know more about the rockstar mad skills required to be an astronaut, this is the book for you.

Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess by Satyarth Nayak

The late Bollywood superstar was an icon who grew up on camera, playing the leading lady in the Indian film industry for three generations. The range of her acting talents and the languages she was able to perform in made her a force to be reckoned with. Ahlam talks about this biography by Satyarth Nayak, begun during her lifetime and finished sadly, after her tragic death, and the light it sheds on the rise of an eternal screen goddess.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially...]]>If you could magically be gifted some 'mad skills'- what would you choose? If you could talk to animals would you want to know what your tortoise is saying about you?

These are just some of the intense questions that Andrea, Ahlam and Annabelle from the Emirates Literature Foundation consider with Flora Rees, Head of Programming at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, as they each discuss books about people, creatures, and even bacteria with a particular set of skills even Liam Neeson would envy.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Everything that Makes us Human by Jay Jayamohan

Flora Rees recommends this non-fiction memoir from children's neurosurgeon Jay Jayamohan which begins with him blasting ACDC in the operating theatre as he does what he does every day - navigates a tiny human brain with a 3D map he conjures in his mind's eye. From the humorous contrast of his music choices to the darker moments of difficult decisions and conversations with parents, these case notes are both inspiring and heart-breaking in equal measure.

Incredible Journeys: Exploring the Wonders of Animal Navigation by David Barrie

From bacteria that are able to recreate the Tokyo train system, to the paths of albatross, ants, bees and more, this book is full of stories of creatures who find their way around the world in a myriad of fascinating ways, and Barrie's observation that we could learn a lot about where we're going from being more engaged in the natural world, than from looking at Google maps.

An Adventurer's Guide to Outer Space by Isabel Thomas

It's hard enough to moonwalk on the dancefloor, but what about an actual moonwalk? Andrea recommends this book suitable for children and adults who want to know the answers to all the best questions like - during a spacewalk how do you scratch your nose if your face is in a helmet? What do you do if you need the toilet? If you want to know more about the rockstar mad skills required to be an astronaut, this is the book for you.

Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess by Satyarth Nayak

The late Bollywood superstar was an icon who grew up on camera, playing the leading lady in the Indian film industry for three generations. The range of her acting talents and the languages she was able to perform in made her a force to be reckoned with. Ahlam talks about this biography by Satyarth Nayak, begun during her lifetime and finished sadly, after her tragic death, and the light it sheds on the rise of an eternal screen goddess.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak  

A longtime Elif Shafak fan, Ahlam talks about Elif's connection to the Arab World and why she's so beloved in the region. After underlining almost all of her copy of the Forty Rules of Love, she reviews Shafak's latest novel that was nominated for the Booker Prize inspired by the findings that the human brain remains active 10 minutes and 38 seconds after death.

Adrift by Amin Maalouf

In Adrift: How Our World Lost its Way, the latest book published in English by one of the most popular writers in the Arab World, Maalouf traces some of the biggest global crises back to a handful of key moments in history.  

I am Malala by Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafzai

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai's autobiographical book subtitled The Girl Who Stood Up for Education co-written with journalist Christina Lamb, is the remarkable story of a teenage girl trying to discuss Twilight with her friends whilst navigating the impact of terrorism on her hometown.

All of the authors mentioned in this episode will be attending the upcoming 2021 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.This episode was sponsored by Costa Coffee.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola 

In this anthology of love stories inspired by legendary figures from myth and history, you can expect to see Nefertiti running an underground club, a Yoruba goddess in her element, Greek gods working at a London fashion magazine, and much more. Read it with..

My Name is Why by Lemn Sissay 

From an abundance of love to not enough, in this memoir, acclaimed poet and Manchester treasure Lemn Sissay explores his formative years spent in the UK care system and the upheaval caused by his foster family’s rejection.

Friend by Paek Nam-nyong, translated by Immanuel Kim

The first state-sanctioned novel from North Korea translated into English tells the story of a couple’s marriage unravelling, the judge who becomes involved in assessing their grounds for divorce, and a fascinating insight into a culture and society we are rarely granted access to. And speaking of the worlds we rarely see..

The Madman’s Library by Edward Brooke-Hitching

Here's something you definitely haven't seen before. If you could build a fantasy library with all the most weird and wonderful books from history, this book details what it would it would look like according to Edward Brooke-Hitching – from books made of cheese to books written in blood, there is no quirky page left unturned.

I Know You by Annabel Kantaria

When Taylor, an American wife moves to London to be with her husband who is frequently away on business, she turns to social media to escape her loneliness, and finds more sinister company than she bargained for. She should have read.. 

Surrounded by Psychopaths by Thomas Erikson

In this book, we learn how to spot a psychopath and the tricks they use to manipulate us. Surrounded by Psychopaths is the follow-up to bestselling Surrounded by Idiots. Read it and learn to spot the warning signs that will stop you from getting into the sticky situation Taylor found herself in.  

All of the authors mentioned in this episode will be attending the upcoming 2021 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.This episode was sponsored by Costa Coffee.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk...]]>An espresso and an early start, hot cocoa and cold weather – there are some things in life that are just a perfect match. In this episode, we discover that books are no exception, as Andrea, Ahlam and Annabelle from the Emirates Literature Foundation each select two books that are perfect companions. Side-by-side or one after the other, these are the perfect pairings.  

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola 

In this anthology of love stories inspired by legendary figures from myth and history, you can expect to see Nefertiti running an underground club, a Yoruba goddess in her element, Greek gods working at a London fashion magazine, and much more. Read it with..

My Name is Why by Lemn Sissay 

From an abundance of love to not enough, in this memoir, acclaimed poet and Manchester treasure Lemn Sissay explores his formative years spent in the UK care system and the upheaval caused by his foster family’s rejection.

Friend by Paek Nam-nyong, translated by Immanuel Kim

The first state-sanctioned novel from North Korea translated into English tells the story of a couple’s marriage unravelling, the judge who becomes involved in assessing their grounds for divorce, and a fascinating insight into a culture and society we are rarely granted access to. And speaking of the worlds we rarely see..

The Madman’s Library by Edward Brooke-Hitching

Here's something you definitely haven't seen before. If you could build a fantasy library with all the most weird and wonderful books from history, this book details what it would it would look like according to Edward Brooke-Hitching – from books made of cheese to books written in blood, there is no quirky page left unturned.

I Know You by Annabel Kantaria

When Taylor, an American wife moves to London to be with her husband who is frequently away on business, she turns to social media to escape her loneliness, and finds more sinister company than she bargained for. She should have read.. 

Surrounded by Psychopaths by Thomas Erikson

In this book, we learn how to spot a psychopath and the tricks they use to manipulate us. Surrounded by Psychopaths is the follow-up to bestselling Surrounded by Idiots. Read it and learn to spot the warning signs that will stop you from getting into the sticky situation Taylor found herself in.  

All of the authors mentioned in this episode will be attending the upcoming 2021 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.This episode was sponsored by Costa Coffee.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

From the best books of the year, to your own personal favourites and beyond, how do you decide what books to give as gifts? In this episode Andrea and Annabelle explore the world of literary gift giving with poet and author of The Rainbow Factory Mark Fiddes, from their own go-to gifting choices, to the risks and rewards of book gifting and the book you should never ever give as gift.

The Best Books of the Year

Andrea kicks us off with some scientific research (an excel spreadsheet) to track which books have been mentioned the most across the best fiction books of the year lists. Can you guess which ones were the most popular? Have a think and listen to the episode to see if you’re right.

To explore this cutting edge analysis in more detail we’ve also put together a blog post which is available here: https://blog.elfdubai.org/blogs/post/best-books-2020-ultimate-list

Other books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Susanna Clarke’s first novel in 16 years since Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, at around 200 packed pages, Piranesi features a protagonist based on the 18th Century Italian artist of the same name who lives in an infinite villa where nothing is quite what it seems.

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

A recently divorced dad is looking forward to life as a bachelor until his ex-wife drops the kids off for the weekend and disappears without a trace, leaving him to manage. A novel with a twist that hits you like a train, Andrea wants to recommend this to everyone.

The Little Library Cookbook by Kate Young

If you like books and you like food, this book is a love letter to both. From a recipe for Paddington’s marmalade, to the afternoon tea in Rebecca, and the hot chocolate from Northern Lights, this is a cookbook that recreates the meals both large and small from literature and makes the perfect gift for hungry bookworms.

Middlemarch by George Eliot

If you’d told Mark Fiddes that Middlemarch is in essence the greatest soap opera ever told, he’d have got round to reading it a lot sooner. George Eliot’s tale of the interconnected lives of residents in this fictional provincial town keeps you spellbound over the course of 800 pages and is a masterclass in empathy.

The Doctor’s Kitchen by Rupy Aujla

Most of this book recommendation is concerned with Andrea delighted to confirm her bias that cinnamon is good for you, as she tells us about this cookbook written by an NHS doctor with an introduction to the health benefits of specific ingredients followed by recipes that combine them in health-boosting ways.

The Merry Spinster - Tales of Everyday Horror by Daniel Lavery

Annabelle recommends this collection of dark fairytale and children’s story retellings for anyone who likes their festivities with a pinch of Krampus and Nightmare Before Christmas. Be prepared for the beloved children’s story The Velveteen Rabbit to be forever ruined.

About our Guest:

Mark’s first collection The Rainbow Factory was published by Templar Poetry in 2016 following the success of his award-winning pamphlet The Chelsea Flower Show Massacre. Over the past year, he has won the Oxford Brookes University International Prize and been a winner in the National Poetry Competition, the Bridport Prize and the Robert Graves Prize. His work has also been published in Poetry Review, POEM, The New European, The Irish Times, Magma, Aesthetica, Poetry Salzburg and London Magazine among many others. He currently lives in the UAE....]]>Episode Description

From the best books of the year, to your own personal favourites and beyond, how do you decide what books to give as gifts? In this episode Andrea and Annabelle explore the world of literary gift giving with poet and author of The Rainbow Factory Mark Fiddes, from their own go-to gifting choices, to the risks and rewards of book gifting and the book you should never ever give as gift.

The Best Books of the Year

Andrea kicks us off with some scientific research (an excel spreadsheet) to track which books have been mentioned the most across the best fiction books of the year lists. Can you guess which ones were the most popular? Have a think and listen to the episode to see if you’re right.

To explore this cutting edge analysis in more detail we’ve also put together a blog post which is available here: https://blog.elfdubai.org/blogs/post/best-books-2020-ultimate-list

Other books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Susanna Clarke’s first novel in 16 years since Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, at around 200 packed pages, Piranesi features a protagonist based on the 18th Century Italian artist of the same name who lives in an infinite villa where nothing is quite what it seems.

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

A recently divorced dad is looking forward to life as a bachelor until his ex-wife drops the kids off for the weekend and disappears without a trace, leaving him to manage. A novel with a twist that hits you like a train, Andrea wants to recommend this to everyone.

The Little Library Cookbook by Kate Young

If you like books and you like food, this book is a love letter to both. From a recipe for Paddington’s marmalade, to the afternoon tea in Rebecca, and the hot chocolate from Northern Lights, this is a cookbook that recreates the meals both large and small from literature and makes the perfect gift for hungry bookworms.

Middlemarch by George Eliot

If you’d told Mark Fiddes that Middlemarch is in essence the greatest soap opera ever told, he’d have got round to reading it a lot sooner. George Eliot’s tale of the interconnected lives of residents in this fictional provincial town keeps you spellbound over the course of 800 pages and is a masterclass in empathy.

The Doctor’s Kitchen by Rupy Aujla

Most of this book recommendation is concerned with Andrea delighted to confirm her bias that cinnamon is good for you, as she tells us about this cookbook written by an NHS doctor with an introduction to the health benefits of specific ingredients followed by recipes that combine them in health-boosting ways.

The Merry Spinster - Tales of Everyday Horror by Daniel Lavery

Annabelle recommends this collection of dark fairytale and children’s story retellings for anyone who likes their festivities with a pinch of Krampus and Nightmare Before Christmas. Be prepared for the beloved children’s story The Velveteen Rabbit to be forever ruined.

About our Guest:

Mark’s first collection The Rainbow Factory was published by Templar Poetry in 2016 following the success of his award-winning pamphlet The Chelsea Flower Show Massacre. Over the past year, he has won the Oxford Brookes University International Prize and been a winner in the National Poetry Competition, the Bridport Prize and the Robert Graves Prize. His work has also been published in Poetry Review, POEM, The New European, The Irish Times, Magma, Aesthetica, Poetry Salzburg and London Magazine among many others. He currently lives in the UAE.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

With not one but two special guests, this episode welcomes Mimi Nicklin, author of Softening the Edge, who shares her thoughts on harnessing the power of empathy in the corporate world, and the Foundation’s very own CEO and Trustee, Isobel Abulhoul, who brings a book title we, the team around her, try not to take personally..

Books and authors recommended in this episode:

Softening the Edge, by Mimi Nicklin

Mimi and Ahlam discuss how the book came into being and what lessons we can learn from the pandemic about kindness and empathy in all parts of our lives. This is a call to action for anyone, anywhere, who believes in a better way to live.  

Surrounded by Idiots, by Thomas Erikson

Isobel assures us she doesn’t mean it literally, and we try to believe her, as she recommends this book to anyone who feels like they are surrounded by idiots. And it is not just a striking cover; this book helps you understand yourself and your and social skills better, handle conflict with confidence, improve dynamics with your boss and team, and get the best out of the people.

The Fame Formula, by Mark Borkowski

This book is effectively the history of PR, starting with snake oil salesmen and scoundrels, taking us through to the 2010s. Peppered with entertaining anecdotes and implausible tall tales, the entire first 370 pages is a very entertaining introduction to a chapter with an actual formula for fame, which you had forgotten you came for when you first opened the book.    

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

In this episode Andrea and Annabelle are joined by Khalid Al Ameri, Emirati YouTuber and vlogger who is known for his (often hilarious) daily videos about life with his Arab-American wife Salama Mohamed, which break down cultural perceptions and stereotypes.

He talks to us about the stories that he thinks challenge stereotypes, whether stereotypes can be a force for good, and the book he thinks everyone should read.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian 

This funny, charming children’s book (and series) can be enjoyed by everyone. The first book tells the story of Omar, a young Muslim boy who moves to a new town in the UK with his family and has to make sense of his new environment, including the class bully, and the mean lady who lives next door. But it is impossible not to be won over by someone as charming as Omar, both for his fictional foes and for the reader.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Sixteen year-old Aza Holmes tries to solve the mystery of a missing billionaire with her best friend and Star Wars fan fiction writer Daisy. The only obstacle in her way? The relentless onslaught of her anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. It’s an honest look at a disorder often dismissed as a straightforward need to be tidy, through the quirky storyline and quick-witted teenage dialogue that John Green writes so well.

From Rags to Riches: The Story of Abu Dhabi by Mohammed Al Fahim 

From Rags to Riches is a book Khalid recommends everyone read to understand the recent history and development of the UAE and the work that went into turning rags into the riches you can see today. Don’t They Know it’s Friday by Jeremy Williams also gets a mention.

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida 

If you’ve ever wanted to understand what it’s like in the mind of a child with autism, this book comes highly recommended from novelist David Mitchell and his wife KA Yoshida who painstakingly translated the book to bring it to a wider audience, and from Khalid in this episode who also has a child with autism. Naoki explains the unique way he feels and perceives the world, why he lines up his toy cars and blocks, and why he doesn’t make eye contact when speaking. Andrea also recommends The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read...]]>All Emiratis are rich, the Swedes are aloof and the English are all boring. Or are they?

In this episode Andrea and Annabelle are joined by Khalid Al Ameri, Emirati YouTuber and vlogger who is known for his (often hilarious) daily videos about life with his Arab-American wife Salama Mohamed, which break down cultural perceptions and stereotypes.

He talks to us about the stories that he thinks challenge stereotypes, whether stereotypes can be a force for good, and the book he thinks everyone should read.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian 

This funny, charming children’s book (and series) can be enjoyed by everyone. The first book tells the story of Omar, a young Muslim boy who moves to a new town in the UK with his family and has to make sense of his new environment, including the class bully, and the mean lady who lives next door. But it is impossible not to be won over by someone as charming as Omar, both for his fictional foes and for the reader.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Sixteen year-old Aza Holmes tries to solve the mystery of a missing billionaire with her best friend and Star Wars fan fiction writer Daisy. The only obstacle in her way? The relentless onslaught of her anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. It’s an honest look at a disorder often dismissed as a straightforward need to be tidy, through the quirky storyline and quick-witted teenage dialogue that John Green writes so well.

From Rags to Riches: The Story of Abu Dhabi by Mohammed Al Fahim 

From Rags to Riches is a book Khalid recommends everyone read to understand the recent history and development of the UAE and the work that went into turning rags into the riches you can see today. Don’t They Know it’s Friday by Jeremy Williams also gets a mention.

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida 

If you’ve ever wanted to understand what it’s like in the mind of a child with autism, this book comes highly recommended from novelist David Mitchell and his wife KA Yoshida who painstakingly translated the book to bring it to a wider audience, and from Khalid in this episode who also has a child with autism. Naoki explains the unique way he feels and perceives the world, why he lines up his toy cars and blocks, and why he doesn’t make eye contact when speaking. Andrea also recommends The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi  

Ahlam reflects on the key conflict at the heart of Burnt Sugar – having to care for a parent who neglected you as a child. Set in contemporary Pune, India, the fraught mother-daughter relationship flits between Antara’s present-day looking after a mother with Alzheimer’s and her childhood where she was abandoned at an ashram and a boarding school.    

The Shadow King by Mazaa Mengiste 

Saeed Saeed takes us on a tour of a novel set during Italy’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia as an orphaned servant adapts to a new household, and ultimately takes up arms against Italian officers.

The New Wilderness by Diane Cook

Diane Cook presents a world in which pollution and overpopulation is the new normal, and a group is sent to an unforgiving wilderness state as an experiment. Among this group are mother and daughter – Bea and Agnes – whose relationship is tested by both landscape, circumstances and what it means to be human.  

This Mournable Body by Tsitsi Dangarembga

Zimbabwean novelist, playwright, and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga tells the story of a woman embittered by her failed potential in a run-down youth hostel in Zimbabwe’s capital. Told in the second person, the novel is tense, immediate and an exploration of Zimbabwe and the legacy of its colonial history.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Horns by Joe Hill

When Ignatius Perrish’s girlfriend is found raped and murdered in his small New Hampshire hometown, everyone thinks he’s guilty. Without enough evidence to prove otherwise, Ig sets about to find the real culprit using the devilishly powerful horns he’s mysteriously acquired on his forehead overnight. A clever take on a classic tale of good vs evil that incorporates first love, childhood friendships, a chilling crime, and an exploration of what makes a monster and what makes a man.

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Twilight fans beware, none of the vampires in this story are sparkly and nice - Swedish horror master John Ajvide Lindqvist has seen to that. In a dreary suburb of Stockholm, a bullied twelve year-old boy notices new neighbours arrive suspiciously in the dead of night in - a young girl and an older man. The true nature of their relationship and those that develop throughout the book are more terrifying than you can imagine.

Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell

If you’ve ever found porcelain dolls a little bit creepy, this book won’t help shake that fear. A young girl loses her best friend and goes to stay with her cousins on a cold and remote island in an old schoolhouse. Little does she know that while the teachers and students are long gone…they left something far more sinister behind.

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

A chilling short story from the author of Gone Girl in which a sex worker becomes a palm reader and is drawn into the life of a family through a reading. What begins as an investigation of a malevolent presence in the family’s house becomes a wider fear of the family members themselves.

About us:

Ahlam bolooki is the festival director for the emirates airline festival of literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the arab world. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as the little prince and the giving tree, but has also developed a new appetite for crime fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea gissdal is the head of communications and marketing for the emirates literature foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for scrabble.

Annabelle corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the emirateslitfest each year. She runs the festival book club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. Evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? stake? ….she’s not sorry. 

About the Author:

Avni Doshi was born in New Jersey in  1982 and is currently based in Dubai. She won the Tibor Jones South Asia Prize in 2013 and a Charles Pick Fellowship at the University of East Anglia in 2014. Her debut novel is published in India by Fourth Estate under the title Girl in White Cotton.

About the Booker Prize:

The Booker Prize is the leading literary award in the English speaking world, and has brought recognition, reward and readership to outstanding fiction for more than five decades. Each year, the prize is awarded to what is, in the opinion of the judges, the best novel of the year written in English and published in the UK and Ireland. It is a prize that transforms the winner’s career.

The winner receives £50,000 as well as the £2,500 awarded to each of the six shortlisted authors. Both the winner and the shortlisted authors are guaranteed a global readership plus a dramatic increase in book sales.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

In this episode of the Boundless Book Club from the Emirates Literature Foundation, you’ll find Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle talking to Miles Buckeridge, reporter from What’s On, and a sci-fi enthusiast, a banner carrier for geekdom, and a man who believes in love being a crucial part of living your best life.

Which brings us to the big topic.. 

Stevie Wonder just called to say it. Meatloaf would do anything for it. The Beatles say they can’t buy it.

This episode is all about love.

What do you think is the best literary depiction of love, and do you believe in soul mates? Send us a message on social media or ping us an email on comms@emirateslitfest.com.  

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell

It is big and it is epic. Miles is talking about love that transcends mortality, and as a lover of the abstract, he is a big fan. This book is a series of six stories, where one leads to the next, until they start the return journey. Each story is a different style, from noir to adventure, but each has a common character, reincarnated. Do you love the idea of soul mates? Then this one is for you.

Conditions of Love – the philosophy of intimacy, by John Armstrong

Looking at love through the lens of literature, from Gothe, to Socrates, via Plato, Tolstoy and many other big names in literature, John Armstrong makes us question how we look at love. Is it a feeling that happens to us, or an active choice we make and continue to make? Andrea recommends this erudite little book, which shines a light on our understanding of love.  

Broken Wings, by Kahlil Gibran

Ahlam is drawn to this tragedy of love that goes unfulfilled. When young Kahlil meets Selma they fall madly in love at first sight, but their love is not to be. At the same moment they find each other, unbeknownst to them, Selma’s father accepts a proposal for her hand in marriage by a prominent religious man on behalf of his nephew. Duty triumphs over love, but their love is perfectly preserved in their hearts forever.

War Doctor: Surgery on the Front Line, by David Nott

Annabelle confuses everyone by not choosing a Jane Austen book, but that’s what happened. Instead, she shared the details of this non-fiction memoir about being a doctor in a war zone. David Nott’s unflinching account doesn’t spare us any of the horrors of war, and the love story that follows is unexpected and beautiful.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various...]]>Episode Description – Love

In this episode of the Boundless Book Club from the Emirates Literature Foundation, you’ll find Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle talking to Miles Buckeridge, reporter from What’s On, and a sci-fi enthusiast, a banner carrier for geekdom, and a man who believes in love being a crucial part of living your best life.

Which brings us to the big topic.. 

Stevie Wonder just called to say it. Meatloaf would do anything for it. The Beatles say they can’t buy it.

This episode is all about love.

What do you think is the best literary depiction of love, and do you believe in soul mates? Send us a message on social media or ping us an email on comms@emirateslitfest.com.  

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell

It is big and it is epic. Miles is talking about love that transcends mortality, and as a lover of the abstract, he is a big fan. This book is a series of six stories, where one leads to the next, until they start the return journey. Each story is a different style, from noir to adventure, but each has a common character, reincarnated. Do you love the idea of soul mates? Then this one is for you.

Conditions of Love – the philosophy of intimacy, by John Armstrong

Looking at love through the lens of literature, from Gothe, to Socrates, via Plato, Tolstoy and many other big names in literature, John Armstrong makes us question how we look at love. Is it a feeling that happens to us, or an active choice we make and continue to make? Andrea recommends this erudite little book, which shines a light on our understanding of love.  

Broken Wings, by Kahlil Gibran

Ahlam is drawn to this tragedy of love that goes unfulfilled. When young Kahlil meets Selma they fall madly in love at first sight, but their love is not to be. At the same moment they find each other, unbeknownst to them, Selma’s father accepts a proposal for her hand in marriage by a prominent religious man on behalf of his nephew. Duty triumphs over love, but their love is perfectly preserved in their hearts forever.

War Doctor: Surgery on the Front Line, by David Nott

Annabelle confuses everyone by not choosing a Jane Austen book, but that’s what happened. Instead, she shared the details of this non-fiction memoir about being a doctor in a war zone. David Nott’s unflinching account doesn’t spare us any of the horrors of war, and the love story that follows is unexpected and beautiful.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

There are so many though and this is just a small selection so we will definitely have to revisit this topic. If you have any suggestions, send us a message on social media or ping us an email on comms@emirateslitfest.com.  

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Baghdad Noir, edited by Samuel Shimon. Contributors include Muhsin Al-Ramli, Sinan Antoon, Salima Salih and more.

Choosing just one book for this podcast is always a challenge for Boundless Book Club members, and Saeed is no exception, so he has chosen an anthology of crime fiction set in Baghdad titled Baghdad Noir. The stories vary in style and contributors include heavy-hitters like Ahmed Saadawi of Frankenstein in Baghdad fame. Saeed talks about how it works on many levels and also acts as a travelogue to Baghdad, with a personal highlight of his being the opening essay by Editor Samuel Shimon. Most importantly for Saeed, the book is nothing like Diagnosis Murder.

Maps of Wandering and All That I Want to Forget, by Buthaina al-Essa

In this episode Ahlam talks about finding her path to a career in literature through a conversation with Buthaina while visiting Kuwait. Ahlam recommends two of her books: For Arabic speakers Maps of Wandering tells the story of two parents whose child is lost in the masses of Haj, and the impact this has on their relationship. If you’re looking for a book in translation, then she recommends All that I want to Forget about a woman who dreams of studying poetry and French literature and is instead steered towards an arranged marriage.

Azazeel, by Youssef Ziedan

A slow burn but justifiably so and worth the initial perseverance, Annabelle recommends Azazeel by Youssef Ziedan. Written entirely in the first person save for a fictional ‘translator’s note’ at the beginning, the book is presented as the memoirs of a 5^th Century Monk called Hypa. Compelled to ‘confess’ his life story to the page by Azazeel or Lucifer as you otherwise might know him, the reader gets to experience the region’s tense religious history, from Alexandria to Jerusalem and beyond, through the eyes of a man wrestling with his own faith.

Embroideries, by Marjane Satrapi

This moving and entertaining graphic novel memoir by Persepolis author Marjane Satrapi is Andrea’s recommendation. When the men of the family leave the room, the women in Marjane’s life unite around the samovar to talk about their sex lives and more with each anecdote more scandalous than the last. These women share some funny, some sad, and some truly harrowing life experiences, but with the lightness of touch and wry humor that makes it a real treat.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student,...]]>In this episode of the Boundless Book Club from the Emirates Literature Foundation, you’ll find Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle talking to Saeed Saeed, Arts and Culture features writer for The National (thenational.ae), about the voices from the Middle East that we want everyone to know about.

There are so many though and this is just a small selection so we will definitely have to revisit this topic. If you have any suggestions, send us a message on social media or ping us an email on comms@emirateslitfest.com.  

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Baghdad Noir, edited by Samuel Shimon. Contributors include Muhsin Al-Ramli, Sinan Antoon, Salima Salih and more.

Choosing just one book for this podcast is always a challenge for Boundless Book Club members, and Saeed is no exception, so he has chosen an anthology of crime fiction set in Baghdad titled Baghdad Noir. The stories vary in style and contributors include heavy-hitters like Ahmed Saadawi of Frankenstein in Baghdad fame. Saeed talks about how it works on many levels and also acts as a travelogue to Baghdad, with a personal highlight of his being the opening essay by Editor Samuel Shimon. Most importantly for Saeed, the book is nothing like Diagnosis Murder.

Maps of Wandering and All That I Want to Forget, by Buthaina al-Essa

In this episode Ahlam talks about finding her path to a career in literature through a conversation with Buthaina while visiting Kuwait. Ahlam recommends two of her books: For Arabic speakers Maps of Wandering tells the story of two parents whose child is lost in the masses of Haj, and the impact this has on their relationship. If you’re looking for a book in translation, then she recommends All that I want to Forget about a woman who dreams of studying poetry and French literature and is instead steered towards an arranged marriage.

Azazeel, by Youssef Ziedan

A slow burn but justifiably so and worth the initial perseverance, Annabelle recommends Azazeel by Youssef Ziedan. Written entirely in the first person save for a fictional ‘translator’s note’ at the beginning, the book is presented as the memoirs of a 5^th Century Monk called Hypa. Compelled to ‘confess’ his life story to the page by Azazeel or Lucifer as you otherwise might know him, the reader gets to experience the region’s tense religious history, from Alexandria to Jerusalem and beyond, through the eyes of a man wrestling with his own faith.

Embroideries, by Marjane Satrapi

This moving and entertaining graphic novel memoir by Persepolis author Marjane Satrapi is Andrea’s recommendation. When the men of the family leave the room, the women in Marjane’s life unite around the samovar to talk about their sex lives and more with each anecdote more scandalous than the last. These women share some funny, some sad, and some truly harrowing life experiences, but with the lightness of touch and wry humor that makes it a real treat.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

In this episode of the Boundless Book Club from the Emirates Literature Foundation, you’ll find Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle talking to Editor of Think With Google MENA and travel blogger Sara Hamdan, aka @holidaysinheels, about the books that are as good as a plane, train or automobile at transporting us to incredible locations.

As always, we would love to hear from listeners. Send us your top armchair travel books for a chance to win a selection of books that will transport you to your next adventure. Message us on social media or ping us an email on comms@emirateslitfest.com  

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Pearls on a Branch  : Oral Tales by Najla Jraissaty Khoury

One thing books are better at than modern-day travel? Time travel. Ahlam travels back in time to a world of tradition she yearns for, when Arab families would gather on the rooftop, under the stars and listen to a storyteller weave tales into the night. Fans of the phrase 'Once Upon a Time' can look forward to learning about its magical Arabic equivalent.

The One Memory of Flora Banks, by Emily Barr

Flora Banks has an amnesia that means she can't make memories, so imagine her suprise when she kisses a boy at a party and remembers it the next day. Thinking he might hold the key to it all, she follows him all the way to the town of Longyearbyen, Svalbard. More upbeat than the YA novels she's been reading lately, Andrea recommends this one for readers hankering for a cold trip, and Emily Barr's Backpack ˆfor those looking to spend time on the South East Asia trail by way of a psychological thriller.

60 Degrees North: Around the World in Search of Home by Malachy Tallack

After the death of his father, Malachy Tallack travels from his home in Shetland, through the 60th parallel - travelling westward first through Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Russia and more until finally coming back home. Annabelle recommends this travel memoir which packs a punch with its observations of our contradictory need as human beings for both danger and shelter, and the author's own exploration of home, love and loss.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

Sara moves us South to warmer beachy climes with this family saga set against the backdrop of war-torn Cuba. Moving between the present-day of the protagonist Marisol's uncovering of her family history and her grandmother's experiences in 1958, Sara was drawn to this by the beautiful cover, recommends it for the incredible sense of place, but not necessarily for the love story...

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like]]>Episode Description

In this episode of the Boundless Book Club from the Emirates Literature Foundation, you’ll find Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle talking to Editor of Think With Google MENA and travel blogger Sara Hamdan, aka @holidaysinheels, about the books that are as good as a plane, train or automobile at transporting us to incredible locations.

As always, we would love to hear from listeners. Send us your top armchair travel books for a chance to win a selection of books that will transport you to your next adventure. Message us on social media or ping us an email on comms@emirateslitfest.com  

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Pearls on a Branch  : Oral Tales by Najla Jraissaty Khoury

One thing books are better at than modern-day travel? Time travel. Ahlam travels back in time to a world of tradition she yearns for, when Arab families would gather on the rooftop, under the stars and listen to a storyteller weave tales into the night. Fans of the phrase 'Once Upon a Time' can look forward to learning about its magical Arabic equivalent.

The One Memory of Flora Banks, by Emily Barr

Flora Banks has an amnesia that means she can't make memories, so imagine her suprise when she kisses a boy at a party and remembers it the next day. Thinking he might hold the key to it all, she follows him all the way to the town of Longyearbyen, Svalbard. More upbeat than the YA novels she's been reading lately, Andrea recommends this one for readers hankering for a cold trip, and Emily Barr's Backpack ˆfor those looking to spend time on the South East Asia trail by way of a psychological thriller.

60 Degrees North: Around the World in Search of Home by Malachy Tallack

After the death of his father, Malachy Tallack travels from his home in Shetland, through the 60th parallel - travelling westward first through Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Russia and more until finally coming back home. Annabelle recommends this travel memoir which packs a punch with its observations of our contradictory need as human beings for both danger and shelter, and the author's own exploration of home, love and loss.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

Sara moves us South to warmer beachy climes with this family saga set against the backdrop of war-torn Cuba. Moving between the present-day of the protagonist Marisol's uncovering of her family history and her grandmother's experiences in 1958, Sara was drawn to this by the beautiful cover, recommends it for the incredible sense of place, but not necessarily for the love story...

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Fifty Million Rising, by Saadia Zahidi

Nothing says ‘Hope’ quite like cold, hard, facts and figures that demonstrate how an entire generation of women in the Muslim world entering the workforce have improved their countries’ economies and societies. Andrea shares some dazzling statistics that will make you hopeful for the future in spite of the current news cycle.

Factfulness, by Hans, Anna and Ola Rosling

Annabelle makes a pit stop recommendation of this breath of fresh air, which debunks the popular school of thought that most of the world’s problems are getting worse. Using clear rational arguments underpinned by facts, we learn to see through our biases to understand what the statistics really tell us.

Thief of Time, by Terry Pratchett

Annabelle finally lands on a Terry Pratchett novel in the ‘Death’ series for her own personal dose of hope. After loving the philosophical clarity with which satirical Grim Reaper ‘Death’ observes humanity in Reaper Man, she decides to find hope in the humour of Thief of Time - a book about what happens when we don’t embrace a bit of chaos in our lives.

The School of Life: An Emotional Education, by Alain de Botton

Ahlam delves into the book that gives her hope in its exploration the contradictory and often confusing emotional baggage of being human. From our need to put down roots to our simultaneous need for the freedom to travel the world, de Botton gives philosophical clarity to otherwise perplexing aspects of the way we live.

Millionaire Expat: How To Build Wealth Living Overseas, by Andrew Hallam

How many of us have ever felt hopeless about our finances? This one’s a practical recommendation from Andrea for instilling hope in a more secure financial future rooted in straightforward advice on how to invest your money wisely, on your own without falling prey to bamboozling financial advisors.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

The Beautiful and the Damned, by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde

Ahlam nearly misses out on great read because of Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance in the Baz Lurmahn adaptation of The Great Gatsby. Set during New York’s Jazz Age, The Beautiful and the Damned follows the life of Anthony Patch, who chases money and beauty in elite East American society. It naturally tied into one of Ahlam’s favourite classics, Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey, a story of a beautiful man who sells his soul so that a painting of himself will age instead of him. Such a compelling representative of virtue corrupted by hedonism, the character of Dorian even lives on in modern films and television series.

The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje

A young Canadian nurse, a Sikh bomb disposal expert and a thief called Caravaggio are flung together with all their secrets and baggage into a crumbling Italian Villa at the end of the Second World War. The fourth resident of this lockdown situation is the eponymous English Patient - suffering from horrendous burns after a plane crash. The novel flits between his present day care from nurse Hannah, and a gradual reveal of the English patient’s past. It’s not her favourite book overall but Annabelle makes the case for abandoning the 50 pages rule for beautiful books that reward perseverance and patience.

Vile Bodies, by Evelyn Waugh and Good Behaviour, by Molly Keen

A marriage plot turned on its head, this Evelyn Waugh classic published in 1930 is a satirical look at Britain’s rich young partygoers - the ‘bright young things’. It follows the story of writer Adam who wants to get married and in trying to secure the funds to marry his beloved Nina, loses her to another man. Andrea comments on the dark underbelly of this glitzy story and its similarity with Ahlam’s classics, and also on the parallels between Adam’s betrayal and Evelyn’s real-life betrayal by his wife at the time of writing.

Moby Dick, by Herman Melville, Dombey & Son, by Charles Dickens and Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson

Today’s podcast is not welcoming of nautical-themed fiction. Andrea just can’t get through Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick - man hunts whale for many pages. The End. Next! Funnily enough, the classic that Annabelle can do without is Treasure Island - from it’s endless references to jibs and sailing directions, to the fact that it just isn’t the Muppets version - Stevenson’s tale of adventure promised so much and just didn’t deliver. Charles Dickens also comes up as a classic author that just doesn’t hit the spot.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a...]]>Classics - it’s a section in every bookshop and on every bookshelf - but what makes a book a classic? In this episode of the Boundless Book Club from the Emirates Literature Foundation you’ll find Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle sharing their favourite classic novels and the ones they’ve been resisting or that didn’t live up to the hype.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

The Beautiful and the Damned, by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde

Ahlam nearly misses out on great read because of Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance in the Baz Lurmahn adaptation of The Great Gatsby. Set during New York’s Jazz Age, The Beautiful and the Damned follows the life of Anthony Patch, who chases money and beauty in elite East American society. It naturally tied into one of Ahlam’s favourite classics, Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey, a story of a beautiful man who sells his soul so that a painting of himself will age instead of him. Such a compelling representative of virtue corrupted by hedonism, the character of Dorian even lives on in modern films and television series.

The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje

A young Canadian nurse, a Sikh bomb disposal expert and a thief called Caravaggio are flung together with all their secrets and baggage into a crumbling Italian Villa at the end of the Second World War. The fourth resident of this lockdown situation is the eponymous English Patient - suffering from horrendous burns after a plane crash. The novel flits between his present day care from nurse Hannah, and a gradual reveal of the English patient’s past. It’s not her favourite book overall but Annabelle makes the case for abandoning the 50 pages rule for beautiful books that reward perseverance and patience.

Vile Bodies, by Evelyn Waugh and Good Behaviour, by Molly Keen

A marriage plot turned on its head, this Evelyn Waugh classic published in 1930 is a satirical look at Britain’s rich young partygoers - the ‘bright young things’. It follows the story of writer Adam who wants to get married and in trying to secure the funds to marry his beloved Nina, loses her to another man. Andrea comments on the dark underbelly of this glitzy story and its similarity with Ahlam’s classics, and also on the parallels between Adam’s betrayal and Evelyn’s real-life betrayal by his wife at the time of writing.

Moby Dick, by Herman Melville, Dombey & Son, by Charles Dickens and Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson

Today’s podcast is not welcoming of nautical-themed fiction. Andrea just can’t get through Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick - man hunts whale for many pages. The End. Next! Funnily enough, the classic that Annabelle can do without is Treasure Island - from it’s endless references to jibs and sailing directions, to the fact that it just isn’t the Muppets version - Stevenson’s tale of adventure promised so much and just didn’t deliver. Charles Dickens also comes up as a classic author that just doesn’t hit the spot.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

The problem with a 30-minute podcast is that we always end up with far more authors and books to recommend than we can mention, so while the books and authors mentioned in this episode are listed below, if you head to the Emirates Literature Foundation blog, elfdubai.org/blog, you’ll find links to the reports mentioned in the episode and a list of incredible titles by black writers that belong on everyone’s bookshelf. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Becoming, by Michelle Obama

Told by her college counselor that she wasn’t ‘Princeton material’, former First Lady Michelle Obama ignored them, applied and got in anyway. Ahlam talks about the book that is on everyone’s lips, and with good reason – Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming details how she confronted racist opposition to become an inspirational political force who simultaneously manages to be relatable to women everywhere in the face of oppression and resistance.

My Sister, the Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Imagine you have a sister with a habit of killing her love interests, and you’d only just begun to step into the shoes of Korede, the protagonist of My Sister, the Serial Killer. After repeatedly helping younger, more popular sister Ayoolah clean up after several abrupt and bloody ‘break-ups’, Korede reaches breaking point when her sister takes a fancy to the only man Korede cares about. If you like crime fiction, family sagas, or just good old-fashioned page turners, Annabelle wants you to give this Lagos Noir sensation to all your friends…and yourself.

Boy, Snow, Bird, by Helen Oyeyemi

A literary novel that divides the Goodreads comments section, Helen Oyeyemi’s Boy, Snow, Bird is as incredible as it is confusing and Andrea is here to recommend it to anyone who likes Haruki Murakami, inspired storytelling, loose retellings of Snow White, and a story about three women and the different connections between them. 

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins

In American Dirt a Mexican woman has to leave her life behind and escape as an undocumented immigrant to the United States. Within the context of staggering statistics on representation in American publishing, Ahlam talks about the controversy that ensued in the wake of the increased publicity surrounding the novel, from false stereotypes to tone-deaf marketing events.

Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov

From 2020’s American Dirt, we move to Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov published in 1955. Controversial and iconic, it’s a classic which still continues to shock and divide readers with its plot; middle-aged Professor Humbert Humbert who falls in love with twelve-year-old Lolita. Andrea talks about the enduring popularity of a book so uncomfortable in subject matter, and yet incredible in its mastery of language and character.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

One of the most popular and widely read books of the 21st Century, The Da Vinci Code is a thrilling mystery novel about Professor Robert Langdon piecing together cryptic clues that begin with a dead body in the Louvre Museum and end with a secret that the Catholic Church has tried to suppress for thousands of years. Annabelle weighs in on the novel’s controversial reception and the Dan Brown’s blurring of the line between fact and fiction. 

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

Grab a cup of cocoa, because it gets chilly as our very own Scandi, Andrea, takes us on a pit-stop tour of Scandi Noir. From the power of landscape in Wallander, to the bonkers plot of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and the rollercoaster ride of the graphic violence that pervades the genre overall and why these books could never be set anywhere else but the cold dark and brooding landscape of the north. 

Titles mentioned in this section include The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler, The Wallander Series by Henning Mankell, Camilla Lackberg novels, The Legacy by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir, and Jo Nesbo also gets name dropped.   

Ahlam reflects on her own relationship with the Arabic language, modern Arabic fiction and its relationship to the Arab World, and takes us back to the Islamic rule of Spain and its influence on similar styles of storytelling you’ll find from Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, to Arabian Nights and modern novelists like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and his Chronicle of a Death Foretold. 

The city of New York, the Great Depression and the birth of the comic book, is followed by a look at a literary and pop culture in gothic fiction from Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto to the sunnier yet still sinister stories of vampires and monsters in Southern USA - it’s a great big family tree that connects Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird with Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, and even award-winning film Get Out. 

Annabelle recommends reading The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris, Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon, and more. 

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble. 

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, Or Job, by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith 

Andrea wishes she’d found this book years ago and now finds herself nodding along to advice she’s since learned to be true and ‘hold-back’ traits of which she’s possibly still guilty. Do we have to be less polite to get that promotion? It’s all in the podcast, along with Andrea’s main point that despite bringing a self-help book to the self-help party, fiction is still the best way to understand yourself and the world around you. 

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k, by Mark Manson

Intrigued by stories of successful people bouncing back from failure, Annabelle was one of many people who spotted footballer Mo Salah reading this after a World Cup failure. Not a regular self-help reader, she makes an exception for this book because of what is has to say about life giving you lemons, and explains why she thinks the genre is so often hit-or-miss. 

Reasons to Stay Alive, by Matt Haig 

Ahlam’s first book off the shelf is Matt Haig’s memoir and self-help book based on his experience of living with depression and anxiety. She found it helpful as a tool for anyone going through mental illness themselves, but also as a tool for family and friends to understand what someone with a mental illness goes through. 

A Monk’s Guide to Happiness, by Gelong Thubten 

Ahlam takes us on a journey to happiness by way of Buddhist monk Gelong Thubten’s DIY guide on how to be happier featuring practical tips and guided meditations. Since reading the book she’s also been inspired to join a guided meditation course while in lockdown – she tells us what people often get wrong about meditation and why the book is useful to anyone, particularly now. 

The Novel Cure: An A-Z of Literary Remedies by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin

Annabelle joins Andrea in the ‘well, fiction is the best form of self-help, really’ camp. It is a lovely camping spot with books like The Novel Cure to guide you. It really does what it says on the tin: What ails you? Are you anxious? Not sure what to read next? Living with a terminal illness? Hungry? Whatever your ailment or mood or concern, there’s a book recommendation to enlighten and heal you. 

Conditions of Love: The Philosophy of Intimacy by John Armstrong 

Andrea is then inspired to recommend this meditation on intimacy which asks ‘what is it to love another person?’ featuring observations on humanity and quotes from literature. 

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in...]]>In this episode of the Boundless Book Club from the Emirates Literature Foundation, you’ll find Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle talking about self-help – its popularity as a genre, and if it is something you can find on their own bookshelves.  

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, Or Job, by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith 

Andrea wishes she’d found this book years ago and now finds herself nodding along to advice she’s since learned to be true and ‘hold-back’ traits of which she’s possibly still guilty. Do we have to be less polite to get that promotion? It’s all in the podcast, along with Andrea’s main point that despite bringing a self-help book to the self-help party, fiction is still the best way to understand yourself and the world around you. 

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k, by Mark Manson

Intrigued by stories of successful people bouncing back from failure, Annabelle was one of many people who spotted footballer Mo Salah reading this after a World Cup failure. Not a regular self-help reader, she makes an exception for this book because of what is has to say about life giving you lemons, and explains why she thinks the genre is so often hit-or-miss. 

Reasons to Stay Alive, by Matt Haig 

Ahlam’s first book off the shelf is Matt Haig’s memoir and self-help book based on his experience of living with depression and anxiety. She found it helpful as a tool for anyone going through mental illness themselves, but also as a tool for family and friends to understand what someone with a mental illness goes through. 

A Monk’s Guide to Happiness, by Gelong Thubten 

Ahlam takes us on a journey to happiness by way of Buddhist monk Gelong Thubten’s DIY guide on how to be happier featuring practical tips and guided meditations. Since reading the book she’s also been inspired to join a guided meditation course while in lockdown – she tells us what people often get wrong about meditation and why the book is useful to anyone, particularly now. 

The Novel Cure: An A-Z of Literary Remedies by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin

Annabelle joins Andrea in the ‘well, fiction is the best form of self-help, really’ camp. It is a lovely camping spot with books like The Novel Cure to guide you. It really does what it says on the tin: What ails you? Are you anxious? Not sure what to read next? Living with a terminal illness? Hungry? Whatever your ailment or mood or concern, there’s a book recommendation to enlighten and heal you. 

Conditions of Love: The Philosophy of Intimacy by John Armstrong 

Andrea is then inspired to recommend this meditation on intimacy which asks ‘what is it to love another person?’ featuring observations on humanity and quotes from literature. 

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble. 

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

Poems, Poets and Collections in this episode:

The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam 

Ahlam’s collection of poems from the 11th Century polymath Omar Khayyam have a history as fascinating as the poems themselves, from Edward Fitzgerald’s translation to the history in her own secondhand copy. Ahlam reads two of his poems and illustrates that Centuries on, we can find comfort in the fact that genius and inventor of the solar calendar Khayyam, still tussled with the same big questions we ask in 2020.   

Dorothy Parker – all the poems, all the time. 

“Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.” – this is the Dorothy Parker quote that Andrea kicks us off with, before taking us on a magical mystery tour of this legend’s style, the brevity of her wit and humour, the feminists she disappointed back in the day, and what she thinks Dorothy would make of an office cat being named after her. No specific collection is recommended, but we’re pretty sure Andrea wants you to read ALL OF THEM.

Tracy K. Smith via Poetry Foundation / her collection ‘Life on Mars’ 

An entire website of poetry (Poetry Foundation) is about as close as Annabelle gets to committing to a poetry collection – it’s a great way to explore poems grouped by random themes. She usually gravitates towards quiet moments expanded into thoughtful poems like Billy Collins’ ‘Aimless Love’ or Pablo Neruda’s ‘Ode to a Tomato’, but she’s chosen a poem about the beginning of The Universe itself by US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith. 

The episode wraps up with a look at whether we’d read each other’s recommendations and Annabelle has an epiphany about why she likes poems that focus on tomatoes or the sound of the Big Bang.  

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble. 

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? ….She’s not sorry. 

In this episode:

Love Letters of Great Men, by John C. Kirkland

You might be surprised that a book of letters from Bonaparte, Darwin, Churchill and many other old important dudes would be a source of shame, but Ahlam’s reason for purchasing it from a New York bookstore had more to do with the Sex and the City movie and Carrie Bradshaw than anything else. She also has a great story about two men and their beards.

Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella

Annabelle doesn’t even like shopping but she’s a Shopaholicaholic. Rebecca Bloomwood is a financial journalist up to her eyeballs in debt with a shopping addiction – a simple elegant conflict that has spawned an entire series of books where Rebecca Bloomwood makes terrible decisions and saves the day regardless.

Bridget Jones’ Diary, by Helen Fielding

Should you feel guilty about this one? Annabelle argues no, but includes it because she knows there are those who do. It’s a joy to read about a woman struggling to adult, and Annabelle’s picked out a quote that will speak to any woman in quarantine who has ‘misplaced’ their shaving razor, and one from the author herself on why she thinks Bridget’s antics have continued to be popular since 1996.  

Pattern, by Orla Kiely

Coffee table books – we’ve all had at least one laying around at some point. Andrea has several, doesn’t read any of them and feels nothing but joy about the whole situation. Move over guilt, because Andrea’s here with her love of the aesthetically pleasing designs of Irish-born designer Orla Kiely who broke through bland and conceptual 90s fashion with bright and colourful patterns.

Polo, by Jilly Cooper

Rich people on horses, with ridiculous names, involved in over-the-top drama? ‘Yes please!’ says Andrea - horse-riding enthusiast and lover of witty prose. When she looked up the book online she was met with ‘this book is out of stock due to high demand’ – escapism is so in right now.

Babble, by Charles Saatchi

If your boss gave you a book to read that asked questions like what your last meal on death row would be, your curiosity might be piqued. Ahlam’s certainly was. In Babble, art collector and ad exec Charles Saatchi touches on random topics in essays that you can dip in and out of.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, by Steve Harvey

When he’s not hosting Family Feud, Steve Harvey is giving out relationship advice, in books and film which Ahlam was drawn to in her 20s as she tried to understand the male psyche. Content-wise she’s not too convinced, but it reminds her of a certain time in her life – and whatever we think of them now, all our guilty pleasure books are part of our reading journey. 

The Words You Should Know to Sound Smart, by Robert W. Bly

Ahlam has two copies of this book of ‘1200 essential words every sophisticated person should be able to use’ -listen to find out why. If you want to talk about effulgent kwanza festivities, this book is for you. 

The Notebook/Dear John/Any Title, by Nicholas Sparks

A diehard fan of The Notebook, and even Dear John, though as you listen you may conclude that it has something to do with the lead actor in the film adaptation, not just the story. Any conversation of guilty pleasures is bound to reach Channing Tatum territory eventually, after all.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline...]]>In this second episode of the Boundless Book Club from the Emirates Literature Foundation, you’ll find Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle asking if there is such a thing as a ‘guilty pleasure’ when it comes to reading, and what books they have hidden at the back of the bookshelf.

In this episode:

Love Letters of Great Men, by John C. Kirkland

You might be surprised that a book of letters from Bonaparte, Darwin, Churchill and many other old important dudes would be a source of shame, but Ahlam’s reason for purchasing it from a New York bookstore had more to do with the Sex and the City movie and Carrie Bradshaw than anything else. She also has a great story about two men and their beards.

Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella

Annabelle doesn’t even like shopping but she’s a Shopaholicaholic. Rebecca Bloomwood is a financial journalist up to her eyeballs in debt with a shopping addiction – a simple elegant conflict that has spawned an entire series of books where Rebecca Bloomwood makes terrible decisions and saves the day regardless.

Bridget Jones’ Diary, by Helen Fielding

Should you feel guilty about this one? Annabelle argues no, but includes it because she knows there are those who do. It’s a joy to read about a woman struggling to adult, and Annabelle’s picked out a quote that will speak to any woman in quarantine who has ‘misplaced’ their shaving razor, and one from the author herself on why she thinks Bridget’s antics have continued to be popular since 1996.  

Pattern, by Orla Kiely

Coffee table books – we’ve all had at least one laying around at some point. Andrea has several, doesn’t read any of them and feels nothing but joy about the whole situation. Move over guilt, because Andrea’s here with her love of the aesthetically pleasing designs of Irish-born designer Orla Kiely who broke through bland and conceptual 90s fashion with bright and colourful patterns.

Polo, by Jilly Cooper

Rich people on horses, with ridiculous names, involved in over-the-top drama? ‘Yes please!’ says Andrea - horse-riding enthusiast and lover of witty prose. When she looked up the book online she was met with ‘this book is out of stock due to high demand’ – escapism is so in right now.

Babble, by Charles Saatchi

If your boss gave you a book to read that asked questions like what your last meal on death row would be, your curiosity might be piqued. Ahlam’s certainly was. In Babble, art collector and ad exec Charles Saatchi touches on random topics in essays that you can dip in and out of.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, by Steve Harvey

When he’s not hosting Family Feud, Steve Harvey is giving out relationship advice, in books and film which Ahlam was drawn to in her 20s as she tried to understand the male psyche. Content-wise she’s not too convinced, but it reminds her of a certain time in her life – and whatever we think of them now, all our guilty pleasure books are part of our reading journey. 

The Words You Should Know to Sound Smart, by Robert W. Bly

Ahlam has two copies of this book of ‘1200 essential words every sophisticated person should be able to use’ -listen to find out why. If you want to talk about effulgent kwanza festivities, this book is for you. 

The Notebook/Dear John/Any Title, by Nicholas Sparks

A diehard fan of The Notebook, and even Dear John, though as you listen you may conclude that it has something to do with the lead actor in the film adaptation, not just the story. Any conversation of guilty pleasures is bound to reach Channing Tatum territory eventually, after all.

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become a literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake?… She’s not sorry.

We also discuss how the social distancing and subsequent lock down has affected our own reading, and what genre we reach for in this time of need.

Books recommended in this episode:

• Men without Women, by Haruki Murakami

Ahlam starts off confessing to a penchant for all things Japanese. First up is a collection of short stories where the men all for one reason or another find themselves alone. In the completely unique Murakami way, no less. In this collection of stories, Ahlam found the reference for her next book recommendation, Kokoro.

• Kokoro, by Natsume Soseki

This novel from 1914 explores loneliness and isolation as well as the transition from the Japanese Meiji society to the modern era through the relationship between the narrator and his Sensei (which means teacher).

• The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

Content warning: this one might be a bit too harrowing for many listeners right now. This unforgettable Pulitzer prize winning story about a man and his son, moving south along the road in a dangerous world after an unspecified extinction event, is not for the faint of heart. It is beyond bleak, but oh so worth the effort.  

• Where the Crawdad Sings, by Delia Owens

Yes, it has been recommended before but there is a twist: Annabelle recommends this to anyone who enjoys Tiger King. Yes, you read that right.

There was something about a Venn diagram mentioned, where it sits very loosely in the fictional intersection between Tiger King wildness and the lonely lyricism of Educated by Tara Westover. Apparently it is a mystery, a coming of age novel, and so much more.  

• Practices of Selfhood, by Zygmunt Bauman and Rein Raud

A book for anyone who has ever wondered about what makes you the person you are. Are we as human beings determined by our genetic heritage, social circumstances and cultural preferences, or are we free in our choices? How does selfhood emerge? Zygmunt Bauman and Rein Raud explore notions of self, drawing on their combined expertise in sociology, philosophy and cultural theory.

• The History of Wolves, by Emily Fridlund

This one-time Booker nominated story of social and physical isolation and the things people do - and don’t do - for love is the first of Andrea’s two coming of age recommendations. In this beautiful and masterfully crafted story, we feel the slow creeping of horror as we realise what our protagonist is struggling to understand – that love is not a guarantee of safety. 

• The Girls, by Emma Cline

This is another coming of age story, but that is where the similarities end. This was a smash hit when it came out, and you can see why. It is a fast paced and fascinating look at how a teenage girl ends up joining a cult. 

• After the Fire, by Will Hill

And if cults are your thing.. This award-winning YA novel looks at what happens after, when all you have ever known is gone.

• At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson 

“I saw it on my book shelf, and thought – hey, I’m at home.” - Annabelle

Wars, famines, the Industrial Revolution, the Enlightenment - they are all there in your sofas and chests of drawers, tucked in to the folds of your curtains, in the downy softness of your pillows, in the paint on your walls and the water in your pipes.

Houses are where history ends up, and since we are spending so much time at home these days, isn’t it a good thing that they can be more interesting than they...]]>For this inaugural episode of the Boundless Book Club from the Emirates Literature Foundation, you’ll find Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle talking about Isolation, and books that in some way connect to the topic of either physical, or perhaps more common, social isolation. 

We also discuss how the social distancing and subsequent lock down has affected our own reading, and what genre we reach for in this time of need.

Books recommended in this episode:

• Men without Women, by Haruki Murakami

Ahlam starts off confessing to a penchant for all things Japanese. First up is a collection of short stories where the men all for one reason or another find themselves alone. In the completely unique Murakami way, no less. In this collection of stories, Ahlam found the reference for her next book recommendation, Kokoro.

• Kokoro, by Natsume Soseki

This novel from 1914 explores loneliness and isolation as well as the transition from the Japanese Meiji society to the modern era through the relationship between the narrator and his Sensei (which means teacher).

• The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

Content warning: this one might be a bit too harrowing for many listeners right now. This unforgettable Pulitzer prize winning story about a man and his son, moving south along the road in a dangerous world after an unspecified extinction event, is not for the faint of heart. It is beyond bleak, but oh so worth the effort.  

• Where the Crawdad Sings, by Delia Owens

Yes, it has been recommended before but there is a twist: Annabelle recommends this to anyone who enjoys Tiger King. Yes, you read that right.

There was something about a Venn diagram mentioned, where it sits very loosely in the fictional intersection between Tiger King wildness and the lonely lyricism of Educated by Tara Westover. Apparently it is a mystery, a coming of age novel, and so much more.  

• Practices of Selfhood, by Zygmunt Bauman and Rein Raud

A book for anyone who has ever wondered about what makes you the person you are. Are we as human beings determined by our genetic heritage, social circumstances and cultural preferences, or are we free in our choices? How does selfhood emerge? Zygmunt Bauman and Rein Raud explore notions of self, drawing on their combined expertise in sociology, philosophy and cultural theory.

• The History of Wolves, by Emily Fridlund

This one-time Booker nominated story of social and physical isolation and the things people do - and don’t do - for love is the first of Andrea’s two coming of age recommendations. In this beautiful and masterfully crafted story, we feel the slow creeping of horror as we realise what our protagonist is struggling to understand – that love is not a guarantee of safety. 

• The Girls, by Emma Cline

This is another coming of age story, but that is where the similarities end. This was a smash hit when it came out, and you can see why. It is a fast paced and fascinating look at how a teenage girl ends up joining a cult. 

• After the Fire, by Will Hill

And if cults are your thing.. This award-winning YA novel looks at what happens after, when all you have ever known is gone.

• At Home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson 

“I saw it on my book shelf, and thought – hey, I’m at home.” - Annabelle

Wars, famines, the Industrial Revolution, the Enlightenment - they are all there in your sofas and chests of drawers, tucked in to the folds of your curtains, in the downy softness of your pillows, in the paint on your walls and the water in your pipes.

Houses are where history ends up, and since we are spending so much time at home these days, isn’t it a good thing that they can be more interesting than they seem?

About us:

Ahlam Bolooki is the Festival Director for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the largest celebration of the written and spoken word in the Arab World. Ahlam finds it difficult to choose a favourite genre as it’s always changing and she’s still in the midst of discovering her literary self. She’s catching up on all the gems she missed as a child such as The Little Prince and The Giving Tree, but has also developed a new appetite for Crime Fiction so who knows what’s next?

Andrea Gissdal is the Head of Communications and Marketing for the Emirates Literature Foundation. From a voracious and indiscriminate reader as a child, to a part-time bookseller as a student, as an adult she has become literary omnivore but with a preference for fiction. She also dabbles in creative writing, organises her life on post-its, and has a penchant for Scrabble.

Annabelle Corton is part of the team that puts together the programme of events for the EmiratesLitFest each year. She runs the Festival Book Club and has a background in guesting and presenting on talk radio shows about various literary topics. She likes words like ‘equinox’ and ‘vespa’, and loves a good pun. She’ll read anything in reach, but has a fondness for witty tussles of good vs. evil on page and screen, especially vampire fiction where a great deal is at stake. Get it? Stake? She’s not sorry.