International Prize for Arabic Fiction
1 appearances
-
Edition 11 (2018) Winner
Ibrahim Nasrallah
イブラーヒーム ナスラッラー
Ibrahīm Nasrallāh
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1954-12-02 （Amman, Jordan）
- Nationality
- Palestinian
- Languages
- Arabic
- Residence History
- Refugee camp in Jordan (childhood) → Saudi Arabia (worked as teacher) → Amman (worked in media and cultural sectors)
Career
- Occupations
- poet, novelist, photographer, editor, teacher
- Active Years
- 1978-
- Nominations
- Shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, 2009, Shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, 2013, Shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, 2014
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amman Training Centre for Teacher Preparation | — | — | — | — | Jordan |
Amman Training Centre for Teacher Preparation
Country:
Jordan
Completed teacher preparation; worked as a teacher
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Neustadt International Prize for Literature | — | — | Neustadt Prizes | winner |
| 2018 | International Prize for Arabic Fiction | The Second Dog War | — | International Prize for Arabic Fiction | winner |
| 2016 | Katara Prize for Arabic Novels | The Spirits of Kilimanjaro | — | Katara Cultural Foundation | winner |
| 2020 | Katara Prize for Arabic Novels | A Tank Under the Christmas Tree | — | Katara Cultural Foundation | winner |
| 2012 | Jerusalem Award for Culture and Creativity (inaugural) | — | — | Jerusalem Award for Culture and Creativity | winner |
| 1997 | Sultan Owais Literary Award for Poetry | — | poetry | Sultan Owais Foundation | winner |
| — | Jordanian Writers Association Awards | — | — | Jordanian Writers Association | multiple awards |
Neustadt International Prize for Literature
2026
Organization:
Neustadt Prizes
Result:
winner
International Prize for Arabic Fiction
2018
Work:
The Second Dog War
Organization:
International Prize for Arabic Fiction
Result:
winner
Katara Prize for Arabic Novels
2016
Work:
The Spirits of Kilimanjaro
Organization:
Katara Cultural Foundation
Result:
winner
Katara Prize for Arabic Novels
2020
Work:
A Tank Under the Christmas Tree
Organization:
Katara Cultural Foundation
Result:
winner
Jerusalem Award for Culture and Creativity (inaugural)
2012
Organization:
Jerusalem Award for Culture and Creativity
Result:
winner
Sultan Owais Literary Award for Poetry
1997
Category:
poetry
Organization:
Sultan Owais Foundation
Result:
winner
Jordanian Writers Association Awards
Organization:
Jordanian Writers Association
Result:
multiple awards
Awards & Nominations
Katara Prize for Arabic Novel
1 appearances
-
Edition 6 (2020) Winner
Works
Major Works
Prairies of Fever
1985 NovelAn early novel exploring family and society, depicting Palestinian realities and personal struggles.
oppressionmemoryPalestinian reality
Translations
- English edition (1993)
- Italian edition (2001)
- Hebrew edition (2001)
- Danish edition (2006)
Time of White Horses
2007 Novel (part of the Palestinian Comedy series) 512 pagesA sweeping novel set against Palestinian history, depicting family, community, and historical change.
historyfamilyidentity
Translations
- English translation (Nancy Roberts, AUC Press)
The Spirits of Kilimanjaro
2015 NovelA novel inspired by the author's Kilimanjaro ascent with disabled youths, portraying courage and solidarity.
overcomingsolidarityhope
The Second Dog War
2016 Dystopian novelA dystopian work questioning state and individual, violence and fate. Winner of the 2018 International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
dystopiapowerhuman dignity
A Tank Under the Christmas Tree
2019 Novel (part of a trilogy)Part of the 'Bells' trilogy, exploring war, memory and individual lives. Won the Katara Prize in 2020 (his second Katara Prize).
warmemoryhome
Bibliography
- Prairies of Fever, 1985
- Time of White Horses, 2007
- The Spirits of Kilimanjaro, 2015
- The Second Dog War, 2016
- A Tank Under the Christmas Tree, 2019
- Poetry collections (multiple)
Translations of Works
- Prairies of Fever — translated into English, Italian, Hebrew and Danish
- Time of White Horses — English translation (AUC Press)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- epic, historically engaged proserealistic treatment of socio-political themes
- Recurring Motifs
- exile and refugeehoodmemory and intergenerational transmissionsearch for identity
Legacy
A widely influential writer in the Arabic-speaking world for his portrayals of Palestinian history and society. Recipient of numerous awards and internationally translated and recognized.
In Popular Culture
- Extensive coverage in newspapers and cultural magazines; popular among younger readers
Quotes
-
"I was completely shocked, I did not know how to respond. All I could think of at that moment was that I needed to finish the book I was working on before things got worse. But I was unable to continue writing. I was confused and angry and also afraid."
Source: The Guardian (interview) (2007)
Trivia
- Spent childhood in a refugee camp in Jordan.
- Has held solo photography exhibitions (e.g., "The Autobiography of an Eye").
- Summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2014 with disabled youths and wrote a novel based on the journey.
- One of the first Arabic writers to win the Katara Prize twice (2016, 2020).
- Prairies of Fever was listed by The Guardian among important novels about the Arab world.