Huda Kathem waits anxiously for feedback on her first novel, scrutinised by a book club in Iraqi Kurdistan's Arbil, where young authors are breathing new life into a centuries-old oral culture. Novelist Goran Sabah led the way by launching his book club in January in a cafe in Arbil. Novelist Goran Sabah led the way by launching his book club in January in a cafe in Arbil. Heroine of ArbilSabah chalked limited translation and promotion of Kurdish literature up to a "lack of political will". Set in the year 2100, it tells the story of a young Kurdish woman from Arbil who ends a wave of suicides after religion, technology and science fail to stem the tide.

Source: The Star April 25, 2021 06:30 UTC