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TIFA’s World in Other Words event series is back. Changing language or regional focus every few years, this is the second Festival spotlighting Arabic writers.

Enjoy this fascinating conversation about a stylistically experimental novel that touch on themes of identity, memory and cultural collision. Sinan Antoon’s The Book of Collateral Damage, translated from Arabic by Jonathan Wright, offers a poignant examination of the wreckage of war and the power of memory. This novel follows Nameer, an Iraqi scholar documenting the aftermath of the 2003 invasion, as he navigates the remnants of his homeland’s past. The novel intertwines personal trauma with historical reflection, and offers a powerful commentary on memory, loss, and the quest to reclaim a nation’s shattered history.

Moderator: Samia Badih

This event has undergone a participant change. Please be advised that Noor Naga, originally scheduled to appear at this event is no longer available. The event will proceed as a solo conversation between Sinan Antoon and Samia Badih. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this change.

The Book of Collateral Damage

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Sinan Antoon

Sinan Antoon is an Iraqi poet, novelist, translator and scholar. He has published five novels and two collections of poetry, the most recent is Postcards from the Underworld (Seagull Books, 2023).

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