The International Prize of Arabic Fiction (IPAF) also known as the Arab Booker has announced its long list. RAYA’s Ibrahim Nasrallah’s The King of Galilee, and Mohammad Hasan Alwan’s Beavers are on the list!

“A tragedy narrated, pursued chapter after chapter, and its threads woven with great ability, talent and ingenuity by the Lebanese novelist Jabbour Douaihy, in his magnificent novel ‘Chased away’, one of the six shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, 2012.”

This being said, I have a lot of affection towards Beirut, to which we came from our villages at the beginning of the seventies, feeling that we could change the world. This is a beautiful illusion, and I have not regrets.

The news below was taken from the IPAF’s website. Our favorite literature blogger is attending the conference in Cairo and should get back later today with some further insight!

Since 2008, the International Prize for Arabic fiction, also known as the Arab Man Booker Prize, has been a reference in the literary scene. The long list for the 2012 prize was announced yesterday, and Jabbour Douaihy’s Chased away is in it!

The IPAF, or Arab Booker prize’s shortlist was announced earlier today in Doha, Arab Capital of Culture of 2010. The winner will be announced on March 14th, 2011 in Abu Dhabi.