Tracing the Ether - (Middle East Literature in Translation) by Moneera Al-Ghadeer (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This bilingual poetry collection showcases twenty-six acclaimed Saudi poets who are reimagining their place in our interconnected, digital world"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

An expansive bilingual anthology, Tracing the Ether showcases twenty-six acclaimed Saudi poets who are reimagining their place in our interconnected, digital world. Breaking away from the traditional focus on pre-Islamic Arabian poetry, this collection presents sixty-two contemporary poems that engage boldly with modernity, cyberspace, and globalization. These award-winning poets employ innovative forms and speculative frameworks to explore how social media and digital culture are reshaping notions of home, identity, and cultural boundaries. Their work demonstrates that far from merely imitating Western models, Saudi poets are crafting distinctive voices that speak to universal human experiences while remaining grounded in their cultural context.

By bringing these important poetic voices to a global audience, Tracing the Ether contributes to a richer, more nuanced understanding of modern Arabic literature and its place in world literature.

Review Quotes

A testament to the power of the written word, the poems transit formally across generations and transitionally between Arabic and English. The fusion of pop culture, technology, and global perspectives provides a visionary and forward-looking path for Arabic poetry.-- "Michael Allen, author of In the Shadow of World Literature"

Offers a unique opportunity for English-speaking readers to discover some of the exciting new work by contemporary Saudi Arabian poets.-- "Susan Bassnett, editor of Translation and World Literature"

This is a fantastic and much-needed translation of Arabic poetry.-- "Tarek El-Ariss, author of Water on Fire: A Memoir of War"

This stunning anthology of contemporary millennial poetry from Saudi Arabia breaks open for an English-speaking public a remarkably vibrant, fresh, and worldly literary universe.-- "Lila Abu-Lughod, author of Veiled Sentiments: Honor and Poetry in a Bedouin Society"

About the Author

Moneera Al-Ghadeer holds the UNESCO chair in translating cultures at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She was a visiting professor in the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies at Columbia University and a Shawwaf Visiting Professor at Harvard University.