Stephan Guth, Professor of Middle East Studies, talks to Karin Kukkonen about the Arab novel in the context of social and political reform in Middle East countries. He explains how reading novels could “teach” people how to feel in modern society, why historical romance novels were considered useful entertainment in the 19th century, and discusses the function of emotional storytelling in the Middle East’s confrontation with Europe.

The reading recommendation from Stephan Guth: 

Jurji Zaydan, 1914. Tree of Pearls, Queen of Egypt. Translated by Samah Selim.

Tayeb Salih, 1966. Season of Migration to the North. Translated by Denys Johnson Davies.

Stephan Guth is editor of Literary Visions of the Middle East.

Written alternative