Total media coverage Kutubna 2024-2025

Backing this perspective, Shatha Al-Mutawa, founder and director of the Kutubna Cultural Center in Dubai, credits the demand for this genre to people’s innate curiosity to learn more about the lives of noteworthy individuals, regardless of time or place.

“We want to find answers for questions in our own lives in the strength and wisdom of others, and we want to see how people navigate challenges like the ones we face,” she told Arab News.

“This is an exciting time because we are seeing more women talk frankly and openly about different aspects of their lives.”

Indeed, at a time of growing openness in the region, an increasing number of Khaleeji women are now sharing intimate details of their lived experiences through writing, she said.

For example, Palestinian Kuwaiti author Shahd Al-Shammari shares passages from her own journals in her memoir “Head above water” — a book that looks at the intersection of gender, disability and nationality. Amid the war in Gaza, Al-Mutawa of the Kutubna Cultural Center believes this summer will see many readers gravitate toward books written by Palestinian authors.

“Even though it is difficult to export books from Palestine, authors and publishers are succeeding in bringing us new Palestinian literature,” she told Arab News.

She referred to books such as “Alkabsula” by Kamil Abu Hneish, which looks at the ways Palestinian political prisoners share their writings with the world.

Another title she believes will garner strong interest among readers worldwide, particularly when it is translated into English, is “Kitaba khalf alkhutut” — written by several authors from Gaza about their experiences of the ongoing war.

Similarly, Adania Shibli’s novel “Minor detail,” which recounts the harrowing events of the Nakba — or catastrophe — in 1948 Palestine, and Rashid Khalidi’s classic “Hundred year’s war on Palestine” are likely to fly off the shelves this summer as more people seek to learn about Palestine’s history, says Al-Mutawa.

“I disagree strongly with the idea that there is a scarcity of authors from the Arab region,” she said, emphasizing that the real scarcity lies in the limited media attention and public acknowledgment of the contributions made by the region’s writers.

On the flip side, for readers seeking an escape into the realm of fiction this summer, Al-Mutawa suggests exploring books like “An unsettled home” by Kuwaiti author Mai Al-Nakib.

Al-Mutawa highlights the book’s distinctive portrayal of Khaleeji women, particularly in its depiction of the relationship between people from the Gulf and India.

Another book to look out for is Saudi writer Raja Al-Sanae’s sequel to her novel “Banat Al-Riyad” (Girls of Riyadh), says Al-Mutawa. Al-Sanae recently discussed her life and writing journey on the “Imshi maa” podcast, hinting at a sequel to the novel, which had previously garnered attention in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.

“Let’s not forget poetry, which combines fiction and nonfiction,” Al-Mutawa told Arab News.

As a passionate reader, she strongly recommends revisiting Dunya Mikhail’s “The war works hard,” while eagerly anticipating the release of the author’s newest collection, “Tablets: Secrets of the clay,” set to debut in September.

While some readers may opt to browse the shelves of bookstores for their summer reads, others may prefer the convenience of online shopping and ebooks.

Ultimately, various formats in which books are available cater to different preferences and needs, said Al-Mutawa.

For example, audiobooks are ideal for individuals with long commutes, while lightweight ebooks are convenient on the go. For Al-Mutawa and other book enthusiasts, however, holding a physical edition in hand and turning the pages provides a sensory satisfaction that ebooks just cannot match.