The author is born in Amman, Jordan, in 1948, and received his education both in Amman and East Jerusalem.

After gaining his General Secondary Education Certificate, he went to London where he studied English language for one year. He then joined the Arab University of Beirut where he graduated in philosophy and psychology. Returning home he worked as a cultural journalist through the years of 1977 and 1979. He is the founder of a publishing company, Azmina, created in 1992, where he works as an editor.

“Columns of Foam”, first published in 1987, was considered by the Arab Writers’ Association like one of the best hundred novels of the twentieth century. Elias Farkouh is also the author of several novellas, and of a second novel. He translated several literary works from English into Arabic.

Farkouh’s ‘The land of purgatory’ was among the six finalists for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, or Arab Man Booker prize, held in Abu Dhabi in March 2008.

Represented titles

Columns of foam | Qamat al-zabad – view details
The land of purgatory | Ard al-yambous – view details

Other novels by the author

Pillars of dust | Aamidat al-ghoubar | -Amman -Jordan -1996