Tayeb Salih

The distinguished Arabist, novelist and historian Robert Irwin selects five classics of Arabic literature, from the Life and Work of Jahiz (aka ‘goggle eyes’) to a strange and complex Sudanese masterpiece

Study of the ‘Orient’ and Orientalism has evolved considerably since Edward Said’s seminal study of 1978; here, the multi-award winning French novelist Mathias Enard, whose own novel Compass, draws on this rich history, discusses five books that capture key aspects of this ever-shifting terrain

The Egyptian author and journalist discusses Egypt’s past and present and the main issues facing the post-revolutionary Arab world

Books are like men, you can be surprised by the ones you find cute, says the former deputy editor of Granta magazine. She recommends the best books from the Diaspora.