Translating Libya: In Search of the Libyan Short Story

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1850772843 ISBN 13: 9781850772842

Publisher: Darf Publishers Ltd, 2015

Translating Libya, published in 2008, was one of the first books to introduce Libyan literature to English-speaking readers. This edition includes a foreword by Ahmed Ibrahim Fagih, one of Libya's most recognised authors, and a new introduction. Intrigued by the apparent absence of 'place' in Libyan short fiction, Chorin, a US diplomat, tracked down and translated stories that mentioned cities and landmarks in Libya - and then visited them, describing what he encountered. The result is a mixture of travelogue and memoir that sheds light on the issues that fed the 2011 Revolution.

Review:

"For too long, Libya's literature during the Gaddafi years remained a mystery as the regime systematically suppressed all expressions of literary creativity that did not glorify its leader's self-proclaimed revolution. Chorin's volume is an immensely valuable addition to much of our emerging knowledge of Libya since 2011, and fills a longstanding gap in our knowledge, and appreciation, of Libya's literary landscape."- Prof. Diederik Vandewalle, Dartmouth University, author of A History of Modern Libya and Libya Since the Revolution; "Anyone who wants to better understand Libya's complexities, past and present, could do no better than to approach them through the short stories included in the second edition of Translating Libya, and the new introduction to them. Chorin's perspective is both fascinating and extremely relevant."- Prof. Robert Springborg, King's College, London; "His presentation takes the reader around the country over a period spanning a century, and provides insights into regional and social differences, assembling what he rightly describes as a 'geographic jigsaw puzzle'.The addition of a dramatic story written during the revolution provides a critical key, or pivot between pre- and Post-Gaddafi literature."- U.S. Ambassador Richard Murphy; "Through the stories and his accompanying jottings and commentaries, Chorin throws much light on different facets of Libya...The book is at the same time a delightful mixture of travelogue, scholarly study, and a record of personal encounters."- Susanna Tarbush, Qantara --Susanna Tarbush, Qantara

About the Author:

Ethan Chorin served from 2004-6 as the first US Commercial/Economic Attache stationed in Libya since 1980. From 1998-2000 Chorin lived in Aden, Yemen, where he studied port competition in the Red Sea on a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship. In addition to Arabic, he speaks French and Hebrew.