Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 20 (2013) Winner
Khaled Khalifa
ハレド・ハリーファ
Khaled Khalifa
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1964-01-01 （Urum al-Sughra, Aleppo Governorate, Syria）
- Died
- 2023-09-30 （Damascus, Syria） age 59
- Nationality
- Syrian
- Languages
- Arabic
- Residence History
- Aleppo → Damascus
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Screenwriter, Poet
- Active Years
- 1993-2023
- Nominations
- International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) - In Praise of Hatred (finalist, 2008), International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) - No Knives in the Kitchens of This City (shortlisted, 2014), International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) - longlisted: No One Prayed Over Their Graves (2020), National Book Award for Translated Literature - longlisted (English translation): No One Prayed Over Their Graves (2023)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Aleppo | Faculty of Law | — | — | — | Syria |
University of Aleppo
Faculty of Law
Year of Graduation:
1988
Country:
Syria
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature | No Knives in the Kitchens of This City | — | American University in Cairo (Naguib Mahfouz Medal) | winner |
| 2019 | National Book Award for Translated Literature | Death Is Hard Work (English translation) | — | National Book Foundation | finalist |
Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature
2013
Work:
No Knives in the Kitchens of This City
Organization:
American University in Cairo (Naguib Mahfouz Medal)
Result:
winner
National Book Award for Translated Literature
2019
Work:
Death Is Hard Work (English translation)
Organization:
National Book Foundation
Result:
finalist
Awards & Nominations
National Book Award for Translated Literature
2 appearances
-
Edition 2 (2019) Nominee
-
Edition 6 (2023) LonglistedWork: No One Prayed Over Their Graves
A Syrian novel haunted by war, dictatorship, and the dead, where grief, memory, and disappearance remain inseparable.
The absence of the unprayed-for dead keeps sounding beneath the story.
345 pagesSyriawarlossmemorythe dead
Works
Major Works
The Guard of Deception
1993 NovelAn early novel that shows Khalifa's formative themes, rooted in his hometown and personal conflicts.
familynostalgiapersonal conflict
The Gypsies' Notebooks
2000 NovelOne of his works that faced suppression after publication; deals with social and cultural issues.
censorshipsocial issues
In Praise of Hatred
2006 Historical/social fictionSet against the conflict in Hama, it follows a family's fate to depict political and religious strife and civilian suffering. It was banned in Syria after publication.
violencepolitical repressioncivilian suffering
Translations
- English
- German
- French
- Spanish
No Knives in the Kitchens of This City
2013 Social novelDepicts the suffering of Syrians under Baath party rule, highlighting the banality of power and repression.
authoritarianismeveryday repressionsocial suffering
Translations
- English
Death Is Hard Work
2016 Road novel / Contemporary fictionFollows three family members transporting a body to its hometown, portraying fragments of Syrian society under war. The English translation received international recognition.
death and lossfamilyeffects of war
Translations
- English
No One Prayed Over Their Graves
2019 Contemporary fictionExplores loss, memory and societal collapse amid war. The English translation was considered for international awards.
memorywarloss
Translations
- English
Bibliography
- Haris al-Khadi'a (1993)
- Dafatir al-Qurbat (2000)
- Madih al-karahiya / In Praise of Hatred (2006)
- La sakakin fi matabikh hadhihi al-madina / No Knives in the Kitchens of This City (2013)
- Al-mawt 'amal shaq / Death Is Hard Work (2016)
- Lam yusil 'alayhum ahad / No One Prayed Over Their Graves (2019)
- Nisr 'ala al-Tawelah al-Mojawerah / An Eagle at the Next Table (2022)
- Samak mayet yatanaf qoshour al-Laymoun (2024)
Adaptations
- TV drama 'Rainbow (Kaws Kozah)' and others
- TV series 'Memoirs of Al-Jalali'
- Feature film 'The Shrine Door' (screenplay)
Translations of Works
- Multiple English translations (including by Leri Price)
- German, French, Spanish translations among others
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Socially critical contemporary Arabic fictionRealismRestrained narration and suggestive imagery
- Recurring Motifs
- oppression and powerfamily and memoryintergenerational effects of violence
Legacy
Khaled Khalifa was one of the leading contemporary Syrian writers, internationally recognized for works that depict repression under the Baath regime and the scars of war. Although his books faced censorship and bans at home, translations brought his voice to a global audience.
Quotes
-
Above all, I wrote this novel in defense of the Syrian people and in order to protest against the suffering they have endured as a result of the religious and political dogmas that have tried to negate their ten-thousand-year civilization.
Source: Interview / Al-Ahram (quoted) (2008)
Trivia
- Began publishing poetry at age 15.
- Several of his books were banned in Syria by government censors.
- Born to an olive-farming family near Aleppo; family involved in olive oil and agricultural machinery trade.
- Official website: http://khaledkhalifa.com/ (may be subject to change)