Sheikh Zayed Book Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 18 (2024) Winner
Reem Bassiouney
リーム・バッシウニー
Reem Bassiouney
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1973-03-06 （Alexandria, Egypt）
- Nationality
- Egypt
- Languages
- Arabic, English
Career
- Occupations
- Professor, Author, Sociolinguist
- Active Years
- 1998-
- Affiliations
- University of Utah (brief appointment), Georgetown University (past appointment), The American University in Cairo (faculty; Chair, Department of Applied Linguistics)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria University | Faculty of Arts | English Literature | 学士 | — | Egypt |
| University of Oxford (Somerville College) | Linguistics | Linguistics | MA | 1996–1998 | United Kingdom |
| University of Oxford (Somerville College) | Linguistics | Linguistics | PhD | 1998–2002 | United Kingdom |
Alexandria University
Faculty of Arts
/ English Literature
Degree:
学士
Country:
Egypt
Studied English literature; after graduation was appointed at the university before pursuing graduate studies abroad.
University of Oxford (Somerville College)
Linguistics
/ Linguistics
Degree:
MA
Period:
1996–1998
Year of Graduation:
1998
Country:
United Kingdom
Master's degree in Linguistics
University of Oxford (Somerville College)
Linguistics
/ Linguistics
Degree:
PhD
Period:
1998–2002
Year of Graduation:
2002
Country:
United Kingdom
Doctorate in Linguistics
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Sawiris Foundation Literary Prize (Young Writers) | Dr. Hanaa | 若手作家部門 | Sawiris Foundation | winner |
| 2009 | King Fahd Center Translation of Arabic Literature Award | The Pistachio Seller | 翻訳賞 | King Fahd Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies | winner |
| 2020 | Naguib Mahfouz Award (Best Egyptian Novel) | Sons of the People: The Mamluk Trilogy | 最優秀エジプト小説 | Egypt's Supreme Council for Culture | winner |
| 2022 | National Prize for Excellence in Literature | — | — | Egyptian Ministry of Culture | winner |
| 2024 | Sheikh Zayed Literature Award | Al Halwani: The Fatimid Trilogy | — | Sheikh Zayed Book Award | winner |
Sawiris Foundation Literary Prize (Young Writers)
2009
Work:
Dr. Hanaa
Category:
若手作家部門
Organization:
Sawiris Foundation
Result:
winner
King Fahd Center Translation of Arabic Literature Award
2009
Work:
The Pistachio Seller
Category:
翻訳賞
Organization:
King Fahd Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies
Result:
winner
Naguib Mahfouz Award (Best Egyptian Novel)
2020
Work:
Sons of the People: The Mamluk Trilogy
Category:
最優秀エジプト小説
Organization:
Egypt's Supreme Council for Culture
Result:
winner
National Prize for Excellence in Literature
2022
Organization:
Egyptian Ministry of Culture
Result:
winner
Sheikh Zayed Literature Award
2024
Work:
Al Halwani: The Fatimid Trilogy
Organization:
Sheikh Zayed Book Award
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Pistachio Seller
2007 Contemporary fictionA multi-voiced novel set in Cairo exploring memory, family histories, mobility and social change. An English translation was published in 2009.
urban lifememoryfamily
Translations
- English translation (2009)
Dr. Hanaa
2008 Contemporary fictionFollows the life of Hanaa and her relationships, interweaving personal and social issues. Winner of the Sawiris Foundation Literary Prize (Young Writers).
female experiencework and identity
Translations
- English translation (2011)
- Spanish translation (available)
- Greek translation (available)
Sons of the People: The Mamluk Trilogy
2018 Historical fictionA three-volume historical series set in the Mamluk period, focusing on common people and the intersections with power. Became a bestseller in Egypt and won the Naguib Mahfouz Award.
history and common peoplepower
Translations
- English translation (2022)
Fountain of the Drowning / Al-Qata'i: Ibn Tulun's City Without Walls
2020 Historical fictionA historical novel based on events around ninth-century Cairo, depicting the city and its people. An English translation has been published.
medieval Islamic worldurban history
Translations
- English translation (Georgetown University Press, 2023)
Bibliography
- The Smell of the Sea, 2005
- The Pistachio Seller, 2007
- Dr. Hanaa, 2008
- Love, Arab Style, 2009
- Mortal Designs, 2010
- The Tour Guide, 2010
- The Mamluk Trilogy, 2018
- Fountain of the Drowning, 2020
- Ibn Tulun Trilogy, 2021
- The Fatimid Trilogy, 2022
- Mario and Abu Al-Abbas, 2023
- The Diver: Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali, 2024
- Functions of Code-Switching in Egypt, 2006 (academic)
- Arabic Sociolinguistics, 2009 (academic)
- Language and Identity in Modern Egypt, 2014 (academic)
- The Pursuit of Happiness, 2023 (academic/essay)
Translations of Works
- The Pistachio Seller — English translation (2009)
- Dr. Hanaa — English translation (2011)
- Sons of the People (The Mamluk Trilogy) — English translation (2022)
- Fountain of the Drowning — English translation (2023)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- blend of historical fact and fictionmulti-perspective ensemble narrativeslanguage-conscious prose reflecting sociolinguistic concerns
- Recurring Motifs
- city and memorypower and the populacelanguage and identityfemale experience
Legacy
Reem Bassiouney is known both for her contributions to sociolinguistics as an academic and for her literary work depicting historical and social themes. She has significant influence in contemporary Arabic literature and language studies and is widely recognized through multiple major awards.
Trivia
- Noted as one of the first Egyptian women to earn an MA (1998) and PhD (2002) in linguistics from the University of Oxford (sources vary in phrasing).
- Editor of the Routledge Series 'Language and Identity'.
- Won the Sawiris Foundation Literary Prize (2009) for Dr. Hanaa and received a translation award for the English translation of The Pistachio Seller (2009).