IN THE UAE
More than 390 authors, poets and celebrities from around the world will descend on the emirate for the 36th edition, reports Anand Raj OK
Sharjah International Book Fair opens next week. Here are the top names who will be attending the ten-day festival, now in its 36th edition.
Syrian artist Ghassan Masoud, Algerian novelist Waciny Laredj and Saudi writer Abdo Khal will be attending the SIBF
Booker Prize-winning writer Arundhati Roy, Palestinian poet and novelist Ebrahim Nasrallah, British historian Peter Frankopan, authors Devdutt Pattanaik, Vikas Swarup, Ahmad Murad and Anuja Chauhan, poet Ali Al Sitrawi and cricketer Waseem Akram are among more than 390 authors and celebrities who will attend the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) this year. The world’s third-largest book fair – the region’s biggest – will be held at the Expo Centre Sharjah from November 1 to 11, with the theme ‘A World inside My Book’.
Among the impressive list of prominent Arab cultural and literary luminaries who will be attending the festival that celebrates literature, knowledge and culture are Syrian artist Gassan Masoud, Algerian novelist Waciny Laredj, Saudi writer Abdo Khal and Jordanian novelist Jamal Naji.
Indian journalist and author Rajdeep Sardesai, Turkish activist and writer Burhan Sonmez, Iraqi novelist Ali Ghadeer and Indian poet and filmmaker Gulzar will also be meeting and interacting with book lovers during the fair.
Arundhati Roy is scheduled to speak about her latest book The Ministry of Utmost Happiness at 9.30 am on Nov 2 at the Intellectual Hall.
If you are a lover of comics and illustrations, then the Comics Exhibition in the Main Hall is not to be missed. On show will be a display of comics from around the world. There will also be art workshops, a digital mural wall and life-size statues of popular superheroes. From November 5-9 from 9 am to 2pm.
Are you a fan of superheroes? Do you love to dress up as one? Then the Cosplay competition is for you. Cash prizes up to Dh3,000, collectibles from Comicave and movie tickets will be up for grabs. To participate, email nuha@sibf.com. The deadline is October 31.
On November 2 at 9.30am in the ballroom, Indian diplomat and writer Vikas Swarup will be speaking about writing and how his book Q&A was adapted into the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire.
On November 3 at 8.30pm, also in the ballroom, prominent Malayalam film personalities Aashiq Abu, Anoop Menon, Kamal and Rima Kallingal will be discussing the changes in Malayalam cinema.
There’s also a creative writing workshop: If you are a teacher or librarian and would like to try your hand at writing poetry or crafting a piece of fiction, then three top international authors – Victoria Murray, Peter Lerangis and Edgar Samar – are in town to help you. They will be conducting a free workshop with sessions on what is effective in plot, style, word choice, voice, use of time, dialogue and theme, among others. There will also be sessions on how to develop powers of expression, empathy and critical reading and thinking. It takes place at the Literature Forum on November 4; to join, email: marketing@dcbooks.ae.
The fair is free to enter; for more information on the events, visit sibf.com.