WHILE few Arabs are reading modern Arabic literature, a growing number of readers worldwide have the opportunity to discover Arabic literature translated into English thanks to the American University in Cairo Press, the leading English-language publisher in the region.
When AUC Press was established in 1960, it was publishing three to four books a year, then 15 to 20 books by 1985 and it will be soon releasing 100 new titles a year.
The AUC Press, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2010, was restructured in 1984 by its current director Mark Linz: “We agreed that one major focus of our growing publishing programs would be Arabic Literature in translation, an area that reflects our unique cultural bridge-building position here in Cairo.”
The first breakthrough came in 1985 when the Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz signed an exclusive publishing and licensing agreement with AUC Press. By the time Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988, six of his novels had been published. Mahfouz clearly believed that the translations of his novels were among the main reasons why he was awarded the Nobel Prize. Since then 32 Mahfouz titles have been published in English, and some 500 foreign-language editions in 40 languages have been licensed. To this day, Mahfouz remains the best-selling Arab novelist.
As interest in the Arab world grew after 9/11, AUC Press increased its publications, adding to its literary list books on modern history, political, economic and social development, Arabic culture, language studies, as well as travel literature and works on Ancient Egypt and other ancient cultures.
Arab writers are particularly eager to have their works translated.
Echoing columnist Dalal al-Bizry, who wrote: “The majority of writers have the feeling that what they write has no value unless it’s translated into a foreign language.”
AUC Promotion Manager Nabila Akl recognizes that, “Arab writers feel that having their works translated in English is the only communication between the East and the West. They also become better known abroad and get offers to spend some time writing in other countries and to participate in conferences, workshops and seminars.”
The annual Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, established with the Nobel laureate’s encouragement in 1996, supports the best book of the year which is subsequently translated into English. This award also provides the winners with offers for possible translation into other languages.
Although Alaa Al-Aswani did not receive the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature, his novel “Imarat Yacoubian” (The Yacoubian Building) has become the AUC Press’ latest international bestseller since its first publication in 2003. It has already sold more than 200,000 copies in English, French, German, Italian and a dozen other languages.
With the emergence of Gulf literature, Palestinian literature and North African literature, AUC Press is publishing the works of novelists from all over the Arab World. It has already organized special Book and Authors events in Jordan, Bahrain and Abu-Dhabi.
For the first time, AUC Press has translated “Wolves of the Crescent Moon” the novel of Saudi writer Yousef Al-Mohaimeed, born in Riyadh in 1964.
“I very much look forward to visiting Saudi Arabia and also other countries in the Gulf where we are exploring expanded translation programs of Arabic Literature, and also translation programs of Arabic thought,” says Linz.
Finding and promoting the best authors is a constant challenge. Linz confides that “friends and advisers recommend and introduce authors to us and our growing quality reputation encourages scholars and other writers to entrust their works to the AUC Press.”
The AUC Press Director acknowledges that it is an advantage for a Publishing house to be part of a university:
“To be among the relatively few universities with its own publishing house (there are only about 150 presses among more than 5000 English language universities and colleges worldwide) represents a distinct asset for AUC as it strives to become world class, and the AUC press as the leading English language publisher of the region will continue to make major contributions to the university and its bridge building role between Middle Eastern and Western cultures.”
Linz concedes humorously that his greatest achievement, apart from gardening and surviving Cairo’s air and noise pollution, is “building a significant publishing house to further cultural dialog between the Arab World and the rest of the human community.”
