In writing on Memory in the Flesh after it received the Mahfouz Prize, Dr. Her latest book, Black Suits You, is on the longlist for this year’s Sheikh Zayed Book Award. Her Memory in the Flesh received the Naguib Mahfouz Prize for Literature in 1998 and was also on the Arab Writers Union’s list of the “ top 105” books of the previous century. Mosteghanemi’s writing has both its fans and detractors. I certainly can’t verify this number, but upon reflection: sure, okay, why not.
No, not stunned that the popular Algerian novelist would come to ADIBF, but that her latest novel, Black Suits You, had sold 100,000 copies in its first two months. If we had statistics for these sorts of things - which we don’t - I might be able to say that Ahlam Mosteghanemi was the most popular living Arabic-language novelist: Image by was at first stunned to see the note from the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, announcing that Mosteghanemi would be visiting this year’s fair.
