Event 84 Saturday 13 March 10amAl Baraha 2Two translators took a stroll through a deep dark wood. They saw a challenge and the challenge looked good!

Translator team Andy Smart and Nadia Fouda translated a number of adult Arabic novels into English while they were running Hoopoe Books in Cairo in the 1990s. More recently they’ve worked together on The Selfish Crocodile for Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP). Andy is a Consultant Publisher for BQFP and Nadia works as a Bilingual Assistant at a primary school in London. Their latest challenge has been to translate The Gruffalo – one of the best known children’s classics - with its traditional English narrative,  its regular rhythm and rhyme and plenty of humour, into lively but standard Arabic. Could it be made to sound like a story written in Arabic? Other examples of children’s classics with the same qualities, such as The Cat in the Hat, have not transferred well.

This presentation will be of interest to anyone interested in children’s books as well as to professional translators of English into Arabic. It will reveal the path that Andy and Nadia followed through the deep dark wood, the beasts that lurked behind the trees, and the importance of keeping smiling. They hope you’ll enjoy following them on the journey of translation as well as savour the end result.

Event 85 Saturday 13 March 10amAl Baraha 3Here be gorillas and fruitbats, talking seals and jazz-loving jellyfish, Lily the Pink back from weightlifting, grandads and uncaring cats, texting and riddling, tiny poems for toddling tiddlers, the mysterious death of a lighthouse keeper and an impossible Whale in the Thames. Experience Roger McGough - one of the leading lights of British poetry for children and adults alike - as he performs his new collection of slapstick verses.

If Philosophy is the Why?
and Science is the How?
Then Poetry is the Wow!

Why not also check out Roger's other session That Awkward Age on Friday at 3.30pm

Event 93 Saturday 13 March 10amAl Ras 3If you like wizards and warriors, ancient legends, tyrants and torturers, the action brutal, the battles vivid and visceral - and a writer who doesn’t take himself too seriously - you’ll love Joe Abercrombie.

Born in Lancaster, England, on the last day of 1974 he spent much of his time at school playing computer games, rolling dice, and drawing maps of places that don't exist. The dice and the maps stopped, but the computer games continued. Realising he needed to do something more useful, he wrote The Blade Itself, the first of an epic fantasy trilogy based around the misadventures of thinking man's barbarian Logen Nine fingers, which was finally published in 2006. The sequels, Before They are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings, swiftly followed and in 2009 Best Served Cold, a standalone book set in the same world, was published.

Joe has worked as a freelance film editor on a dazzling selection of documentaries, music videos, and concerts for artists ranging from Barry White to Coldplay but now spends most of his time writing edgy yet humorous fantasy novels. Meet the writer of whom SFX said ‘Modern fantasy doesn’t get much better than this.’

Event 100 Saturday 13 March 10amAl Ras 1James Meek is both an outstanding foreign correspondent and a talented novelist. As a journalist he has covered the liberation of Kuwait in 1991, Kiev and Moscow adapting to the aftermath of the old Soviet Union and Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay post 9/11. He has written four novels and two collections of short stories, using material largely gathered from his travels. The People’s Act of Love, set in Siberia in the immediate aftermath of the Russian Revolution, won the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize, was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and has been translated into more than twenty languages. His latest novel, We Are Now Beginning our Descent, opens in post 9/11 Afghanistan and is a sensitive and perceptive account of the inner life of a frontline foreign correspondent - and aspiring thriller writer - as he attempts to hide from his flawed reality in the heat of battle. It is both an intensely moving love story and a chronicle of two individuals confronting their own personal demons. If there’s one thing more exciting than reading James Meek’s novels, it’s hearing him talk about them - passionate, articulate and thought-provoking. This is a real treat.

Event 120 Saturday 13 March 10amAl Ras 2A free workshop for parents, grandparents, teachers and carers of children & students of education.

We all recognise that reading is an essential life skill, hopefully learned at an early age, and that bright, entertaining books play a vital role in achieving reading competency. But books alone are not enough. Equally important is the part played by parents, grandparents, teachers and students of education – in fact anyone who cares for or works with children – in helping children actively engage with – and relish – books. Only when books become the starting point for a range of creative and fun activities, that can be enjoyed by the whole family, do children acquire that flying start that will both shape their achievements as adults and enrich their life.
But it’s not always easy to know how best to do this. Some children are easier to engage than others. Some can become bored very quickly! Here’s where Safaa Azmy can help. Author of 34 books, a mother of three and an experienced workshop leader, Safaa is adept at linking reading to a wide range of art, science and creative ideas. In her workshop you will discover:

• How to create an interesting story-telling environment and how to keep your child interested for more than just one day
• How to choose appropriate books for your child’s age, interests & reading ability
• How to read for fun!
• How to involve all the family (fathers as well as mothers!)
• How to take the theme of a story as the starting point for finding out new information about a topic
• How to create great games and scientific experiments
• How to encourage your child to develop their own ideas
• Plus learn how to create the indispensable ‘Stories Bag’

Event 168 Saturday 13 March 10.30amDeira International School, Room AWhere do ideas for novels come from and how do you develop them?  Is it all about inspiration - that 'fleeting glimpse of the kingfisher' - or does the material for a novel evolve through patient thought, research and planning?  Bring your own ideas to the table in a workshop led by Rachel Hore, herself the author of four novels. As well as discussing some practical ways to get started on full-length fiction, you will consider the experiences of other published writers and try one or two exercises to stimulate your own imaginations.  This is a unique opportunity for anyone wishing to ignite the creative spark.

Age 17+

Event 169 Saturday 13 March 10.30amDeira International School, Room BFiction writers know their characters well – where they were born, how they feel about their lives, the colour of their socks. But fiction writers are not in the business of biography. They can’t simply tell the reader about the people who populate the imaginary world; subtler techniques must be found. Of these techniques, dialogue is the most immediate.

Workshop for adults

Event 170 Saturday 13 March 10.30amDeira International School, Room CThis workshop is designed for those still at school or university who are interested to know more about translation and who may already be practising it as part of their studies and to offer people who are interested in translation or who are thinking of becoming translators an opportunity to see what it is like. The workshop will be practical and interactive and will involve participants translating a number of excerpts from Arabic literary texts into English. There will also be a chance to look at some aspects of translation theory as well as considering some of the broader issues around translation such as publishing and the status of Arabic novels in translation.

Participants in the workshop should have a high level of both languages and should be able to read Arabic and write comfortably in English.

Workshop for 6th Form/University Students

Event 171 Saturday 13 March 10.30amDeira International School, Room DThis workshop is designed for those who are at school or university and face challenges in translating idioms and idiomatic expressions (set phrases, frozen terms and metaphors). The workshop will be practical and interactive, and will involve participants in translating a number of excerpts from English texts into Arabic.

Paticipants should have a good command of both English and Arabic.

About the presenter:
Firas Al-Shaer - MPhil in Linguistics - Extensive experience in translation and editing - E-publishing editor - Translator of poetry and literature

Event 156 Saturday 13 March 11.15pmAl Majlis Meeting RoomWriting a book is like taking a journey.  Together with author Alice Kuipers we'll be taking a journey with words and pictures.  Let's see where our imaginations lead us!

About the presenter:
Alice Kuipers was born in London in 1979. She studied at Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan Universities. In 2003, she moved to Saskatoon, Canada, where she now lives, and is married to the author Yann Martel. Her first novel was Life on the Refrigerator Door (2007). Published in both adult and teen editions, this is a compelling tale about the effects of breast cancer on the relationship between a mother and a daughter, told entirely via notes they leave to each other on the fridge door.

Event 86 Saturday 13 March 11.30amAl Ras 1Born in Addis Ababa in 1910, Wilfred Thesiger lived largely with peoples untouched by western culture, from the East African highlands to the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan.  His many books capture, in words or pictures, worlds now lost forever.
To mark the centenary of Thesiger’s bith, his biographer and friend Alexander Maitland has recorded his contribution on video, as he is unable to attend.  This free screening should not be missed.
The film will be introduced by Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner and Group Editor of Motivate Publishing, a renowned authority on Wilfred Thesiger. Arabian Sands, first published 50 years ago will be launched during the Festival as a special anniversary edition by Motivate Publishing, the region’s leading English language publisher.

Unfortunately Alexander Maitland is no longer able to come to Dubai due to the recent and unexpected illness of his wife. His planned talk, as featured in the printed programme, has been replaced with the above event, which will be free of charge.

Event 87 Saturday 13 March 11.30amAl Ras 2Surrender yourself to a session of entertaining ‘foodie’ conversation between the BBC’s enthusiastic Anjum Anand, Suzanne Hussaini who will be shortly launching a cookery programme on television here, and travelling food writer Mike Harrison.  All three share a passion for their subject.  Expect your taste buds to be tantalised!

Anjum Anand needs no introduction to lovers of modern Indian food. Pioneering the creation of Indian recipes catering for the health-conscious cook, Anjum has just published her fourth book, Eat Right for Your Body Type. Anjum’s writing reflects experience gained in leading innovative restaurants around the world. Her distinctive style on her television programmes guarantees her books a place in the bestseller lists. Anjum will also be doing a cookery demonstration later on Saturday.
 
Suzanne Husseini’s love of food began at home with her mother’s food, the source of inspiration. A versatile cook, Suzanne focuses on Arabic dishes, using a vast array of fresh herbs, nuts, vegetables and spices to create truly traditional Middle Eastern flavours. The presenter of the popular Sohbe Taibe, shown on Arabic Food Network, Suzanne is currently preparing two new shows, showcasing traditional Arabic cuisine with a modern twist.

Mike Harrison, a food and travel writer who specialises in the broader Middle Eastern region, has written extensively for a number of regional publications and has published two cookbooks; a third is out this year.  His writing and passion is fuelled by his life and work in many diverse countries.

Essential for cooks and lovers of fine food!

Event 88 Saturday 13 March 11.30amAl Ras 3Now that literary culture has gone truly global, is there such an entity today as ‘the Arab novel’?  A wealth of novels has appeared in most Arab countries in recent years and there’s been a significant increase in the number of them translated from Arabic into other languages, ensuring that ‘Arabic literature’ now reaches an audience worldwide. But what do we mean when we speak of ‘the Arab novel’? Are there distinct characteristics, recurring themes and sensibilities that unite these writers today other than the language in which they write? What has the Arab novel contributed to the novel in the world at large and how is it evolving today?

Three major novelists will explore and discuss these issues:

Bahaa Taher is one of the most widely read novelists in the Arab world. Born in Cairo, he writes short stories, plays, non-fiction and six novels and is the recipient of many awards including the inaugural International Prize for Arabic Fiction for Sunset Oasis, which has just been translated into English by Humphrey Davies.

Alawiyya Sobh is a well-known Lebanese cultural commentator and novelist and judge. Her novel Maryam of the Stories won the 2006 Sultan Qabus Prize and was widely translated, although banned in much of the Arab world. Her latest novel It Calls Itself Passion (2009) has already provoked extensive media coverage and interest.

Abdo Khal was born in Al-Majanah, Saudi Arabia and is well-known among writers who are experimenting with new forms and ideas. He writes in a distinctive style blending classical and colloquial Arabic and the southern and Hijazi dialects. His novels include Cities Eating Grass, Barking and Spewing Sparks as Big as Castles - the latter of which which won him the 2010 International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

Event 89 Saturday 13 March 11.30amAl Baraha 2The children’s classic Who Hid the Eid Lamb?, the Al Halazone series featuring six-year old Jude, her family and friends, and Monster (animated for the Arabic version of Sesame Street) are just some of the 30 or so terrific books Taghreed Najjar has written.  A former teacher who has also headed up the publishing department in a children’s cultural centre, Taghreed now runs her own publishing house in Amman and is part of the major drive to improve the quality of children’s books available in Arabic. Join her and discover some new stories – and find out what to do if a frog comes into your classroom!

Age 6+

Event 90 Saturday 13 March 11.30amAl Baraha 3Your chance to meet the international superseller and creator of Tracy Beaker – one of the most popular characters of all time.

Jacqueline Wilson needs little introduction. A prolific writer of books for girls, former UK Children’s Laureate, winner of countless awards, tireless campaigner for books and reading and wearer of many chunky rings, Jacqueline is guaranteed to captivate and engage her audience.

Find out everything you’ve always wanted to know about her books and her life - how she became a writer (writing her first ‘novel’ when she was nine), her sources of inspiration – and perhaps even where she finds her fantastic rings!

Age 10+

Event 83 Saturday 13 March 1pmAl Ras 3As an actor, Mark Billingham was always cast as the bad guy – which he soon realised had less to do with talent than with looks. He decided to try his hand at stand-up, where ‘the one great advantage’ is that nobody gives a stuff about what you look like - as long as you're funny’. Then, in 2001, Mark launched into his third career as a writer of crime fiction with Sleepyhead, and it is as a bestselling and award-winning author that he is best known today. Join him as he reflects on his formative years treading the boards and shares insights into the writer’s life and the tricks of creating a character such as DI Tom Thorne, who can survive and prosper throughout a series (‘the day a character becomes predictable is the day a writer should think about moving on, because the reader certainly will’).  Discover how Mark, who has referred to screenwriting as an process in which work is ‘torn to pieces and rewritten and messed about’, feels about the imminent transfer of his books to television, where Thorne will shortly be brought to life by David Morrisey.  Ask whether, like Colin Dexter in Inspector Morse, Mark hopes to have a cameo.

Mark will be in conversation with Paul Blezard.

Event 91 Saturday 13 March 1pmAl Ras 1There are a substantial number of Arabs now living in the West, their reasons for exile often - but not always – inextricably linked with political issues. While at a personal level this can engender feelings of great dislocation and loss, the sense of being suspended between one culture and another – and fitting neither, it can also serve as a great spur for great creativity. Exile can empower the writer to explore their relationship both with their homeland and with their new ‘adopted’ country,  living in one language, while writing in another.

Today we bring together four writers who all live far from their homeland to explore what this means to them and how it colours and shapes their writing.

Iman Mersal was born in Egypt but now lives in Canada with her husband and sons and is Professor of Arabic Literature at the University of Alberta. She has published four collections of poetry and was the subject of Shabnam Sukhdev’s documentary based on her poetry, Stranger in her Own Skin. Her current academic interests focus on questions of diasporic identity.

Amjad Nasser was born in Jordan but has lived in London for many years where he founded Al-Quds Al Arabi. Regarded as one of the most influential and progressive voices in contemporary Arabic poetry, he has published nine collections of poetry as well as three travel books.

Samuel Shimon left Iraq in 1979 and after a few peripatetic years settled in Paris in 1985 before moving to London in 1996 where he has lived ever since. His autobiographical novel An Iraqi in Paris was published to great acclaim; he has also published two collections of poetry, co-founded Banipal and is working on his second novel.

Fadhil al-Azzawi left Iraq and settled in Germany in 1977. One of the leading poets and writers in the Arab world, he has published thirteen volumes of poetry and seven novels, as well as short stories, criticism and memoir and is a prolific translator of German and English works into Arabic.

Event 92 Saturday 13 March 1pmAl Ras 2Tim Butcher has spent much of his life in inhospitable climes: the Balkans reporting the war for the Daily Telegraph, Iraq during the invasion, and Israel and the Lebanon chronicling the struggle with Hezbollah.  Having journeyed across the Congo in order to write Blood River: A Journey to Africa’s Broken Heart, following the route of Henry Morton Stanley, he has most recently been on a 400-mile trek on foot through Liberia and Sierra Leone, a trip immortalised 75 years ago by Graham Greene in Journey Without Maps.

Here in the tranquil surroundings of the Emirates Festival, Tim – who writes for a wide variety of international publications, talks about that journey, in advance of its telling in Chasing the Devil, his new book being published later this year.

Event 94 Saturday 13 March 1pmAl Baraha 2Born in Australia and brought up in Northern Ireland, Oliver Jeffers burst onto the scene in 2004 with his first picture book How to Catch a Star, a book conceived as he sat on a jetty in Australia, gazing skywards. Lost and Found (the story of Boy and Penguin) The Incredible Book-Eating Boy, The Way Back Home and The Great Paper Caper all swiftly followed – as did innumerable awards. And now there’s The Heart and the Bottle. Join this prolific young illustrator as he recreates his amazing drawings; watch The Incredible Book-Eating Boy spring to life while enjoying listening to the story.

Age 3-6

Event 155 Saturday 13 March 1.30pmAl Majlis Meeting RoomJoin popular illustrator Korky Paul for an energetic workshop, full wit, enthusiasm and lots of audience participation.
Known only to himself as ’The World’s Greatest Portrait Artist and Dinosaur Drawer’ Korky will read from his books and draw plenty of ‘perfect portraits’ for you to take home.
Korky manages to bring home the point that writing, reading, and drawing are things that are inherently meant to be fun.