The Boundless Book Club

'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...

On this episode, Annabelle and Andrea talk about three books that have made them laugh, and then they are joined by the fabulous Woodhouse Prize 2021 nominee Naji Bakhti, author of Between Beirut And The Moon. 

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.

In this episode, the Boundless Book Club celebrates Diwali with Tamreez Inam, the Emirates LitFest's head of programming, joining Andrea to talk about a few books by Indian authors.

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. 

In this episode, Annabelle tells us all about her love of the creepy dark spooky stories and goes on a recommendation spree, before speaking with the prolific, uber cool and phenomenally gifted Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

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.

In this episode, Andrea and Annabelle are joined by Mazen Nahawi, enthusiastic reader and Founder and CEO of media intelligence firm CARMA, here to add some intelligence to the conversation about one of the highest profile snubs this year. 

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. 

In this episode, Andrea and Annabelle are joined by author Nadia Wassef who talks about her fabulous memoir Shelf Life, Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller, and the foundation’s own Dania Droubi joins the conversation about the Russian Dolls (or piñata cakes) of literature: books about books.  

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.

Welcome back to Season 3! In this SHORT episode, Andrea and Annabelle go on a quick pit-stop tour of five books you can read in one sitting, or in fits and starts as you go about your daily business in what feels like the busiest month of the year. Expect weird intrigue, an uncomfortable honeymoon, a look at a world without chocolate or cats, and some scathing upper class satire (and that doesn't even include Andrea's bonus celebrity impression).

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.

In this episode we say happy 244th birthday to the ever youthful and dynamic United States of America. Ahlam and Andrea recommend two very different books that say something about growing up in the US, and then they are joined by American author Avni Doshi who shares her top tip for what to read this 4th July. 

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. 

In this episode, Ahlam, Andrea and Annabelle recommend books that have music at their heart before novelist Jessica Anya Blau stops by to chat about her latest book Mary Jane, the joy of 70s music, Keith Richards and more. You can expect a record store owner who uses music to navigate his breakups, hipster 'audio craftsmen' who are haunted by an eerie jazz tune and its dark history, and a summer nanny whose life is forever altered when a famous rock star and his wife move in next door.

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.