31:
163:"The fact is that my people are drifting away from their own culture, and many of them no longer have a clue about what I'm writing about. So I find myself looking for new ways to communicate, for other languages, and English was the first one that came to hand...'Coming out' in another language is a way of shedding inhibitions. All the things that made me feel ashamed lost their morbid grip on me and became acceptable. I’ve never read any of my books published in Arabic; it makes me feel completely naked. Reading them in another language, though, I feel alive in a poetic way."
135:. She is an active writer of prose and her style, a blend of modern style with traditional themes, is unique among Saudi authors. Alem has published several plays, three novels, and a collection of short stories, Nahr al-Hayawan (The Animal River, 1994). She is the recipient of several prestigious international prizes.
154:
I belong to a stream of thinking rather than a piece of land, to a current that runs everywhere. My country is all over the globe...Now, in Mecca, I felt I belonged, not to the ceremonies performed by thousands of bodies but to a spirit that was reaching out to me alone. I somehow felt that I was
30:
155:
seeing beyond things, past the glare of the full moon, feeling the elation you experience when you reach the power behind things. Or maybe it was about the way the moonlight mingled with the longings of the pilgrims.
869:
1029:
862:
150:
and her family background is highly influential to her work and outlook. She has reflected on her relationship with the now overhauled and renovated city of Mecca, saying:
1024:
855:
493:
194:
1019:
418:
451:
1009:
879:
180:
84:
697:
291:
486:
999:
1014:
385:
642:
479:
775:
270:
at the Venice
Biennale. This was the first time that Saudi Arabia had entered the festival. Their work was entitled
159:
Some of her works in Arabic have been banned. Writing in
English was a significant decision for Alem. She has said:
847:
994:
702:
185:
647:
652:
682:
677:
599:
1004:
966:
948:
692:
667:
604:
672:
584:
556:
637:
594:
127:
in
English Literature and works as a tutor for the Center for Training Kindergarten Teachers in
954:
826:
803:
707:
566:
502:
426:
393:
251:
241:
231:
221:
211:
942:
908:
737:
732:
722:
687:
528:
523:
295:
198:
139:
124:
35:
936:
821:
780:
712:
609:
546:
96:
924:
896:
831:
742:
727:
717:
662:
657:
551:
309:
988:
930:
785:
632:
627:
589:
561:
518:
471:
338:
972:
960:
757:
619:
190:
132:
918:
890:
836:
267:
334:
138:
Her short story "One
Thousand Braids and a Governess" has been translated into
230:الرقص على سن الشوكة (Al-raqs ala sinn al-shouka) Beyrouth: Dar al Adab, 2006.
430:
397:
360:
902:
752:
255:
245:
235:
225:
215:
274:
and referenced travel narratives, Hajj and the representation of women.
538:
576:
128:
266:
In 2011, Alem represented Saudi Arabia with her sister, the artist
795:
147:
120:
108:
104:
210:ثقوب في الظهر (Thouqoub fi el-dahr) Beyrouth: Dar al Adab, 2006.
171:
and other novels. She divides her time between Jeddah and Paris.
767:
510:
240:طريق الحرير (Tariq al-harir) Beyrouth : Dar al Adab, 2006.
851:
475:
169:
Khatam, Sayidi
Wehadana, Masra Ya Rageeb, Hubba, The Silk Road,
813:
144:
Voices of Change: short stories by Saudi
Arabian women writers
419:"Contemporary Artists Rock the Boat Gently in Saudi Arabia"
38:
with Raja'a Alem at the 2011 London
Literature Festival
452:"Venice Biennale 2011: Saudi Arabia's The Black Arch"
361:"Raja Alem | International Prize for Arabic Fiction"
812:
794:
766:
618:
575:
537:
509:
79:
71:
63:
53:
43:
21:
250:خاتم (Khatim) Beyrouth : Dar al-bayda, 2006.
195:Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi (DCT)
103:) (born in 1970) is a Saudi Arabian novelist from
197:. She shared the prize with the Moroccan writer
310:"9th International Literature Festival, Berlin"
152:
1030:International Prize for Arabic Fiction winners
220:ستر (Sitr) Beyrouth : Dar al Adab, 2006.
863:
487:
189:. This renowned prize is administered by the
8:
328:
326:
175:2011 International Prize for Arabic Fiction
870:
856:
848:
494:
480:
472:
167:Among her significant works are the books
29:
18:
1025:21st-century Saudi Arabian women writers
283:
193:Foundation in London, and is funded by
880:International Prize for Arabic Fiction
181:International Prize for Arabic Fiction
85:International Prize for Arabic Fiction
7:
386:"The 54th Venice biennale – review"
100:
1020:21st-century Saudi Arabian writers
503:Arab States of the Gulf literature
179:Alem was joint winner of the 2011
16:Saudi Arabian novelist (born 1970)
14:
776:Abdulaziz Mohammed Majid Al-Farsi
417:Bharadwaj, Vinita (2012-01-18).
1:
1010:Saudi Arabian women novelists
384:Cumming, Laura (2011-06-04).
47:
1046:
886:
28:
1000:Saudi Arabian novelists
292:"Writing Arabian Style"
1015:21st-century novelists
165:
157:
653:Mohammad Hassan Alwan
365:www.arabicfiction.org
161:
967:Abdelouahab Aissaoui
949:Mohammed Hasan Alwan
693:Youssef al-Mohaimeed
450:Dazed (2011-06-08).
298:on January 25, 2007.
673:Fawziyya Abu Khalid
668:Abdullah al-Bakheet
648:Abdulaziz al-Mishri
585:Fatma Yousif al-Ali
557:Ebrahim Al-Arrayedh
186:The Doves' Necklace
123:. She received her
878:Recipients of the
698:Ibn Aqil al-Zahiri
638:Abdul Rahman Munif
595:Ismail Fahd Ismail
423:The New York Times
982:
981:
955:Ibrahim Nasrallah
845:
844:
827:Nasser al-Dhaheri
804:Mohammed al-Ajami
708:Laila al-Ouhaydib
678:Taher Zamakhshari
600:Ebrahim al-Khaldi
567:Fawziyya al-Sindi
142:and published in
119:Alem was born in
90:
89:
1037:
943:Rabai al-Madhoun
909:Mohammed Achaari
872:
865:
858:
849:
738:Badryah El-Bishr
723:Samira Khashoggi
688:Umaima al-Khamis
643:Ghazi Al Gosaibi
529:Salah Al-Hamdani
524:Fadhil Al-Azzawi
496:
489:
482:
473:
466:
465:
463:
462:
447:
441:
440:
438:
437:
414:
408:
407:
405:
404:
381:
375:
374:
372:
371:
357:
351:
350:
348:
346:
333:McDonough, Tom.
330:
321:
320:
318:
317:
306:
300:
299:
294:. Archived from
288:
199:Mohammed Achaari
102:
36:Mohammed Achaari
33:
19:
1045:
1044:
1040:
1039:
1038:
1036:
1035:
1034:
985:
984:
983:
978:
937:Shukri Mabkhout
882:
876:
846:
841:
822:Khalid Albudoor
808:
790:
781:Jokha Al-Harthi
762:
713:Abdullah Thabit
683:Mundhir Qabbānī
614:
610:Laila al-Othman
605:Salah el-Moncef
571:
547:Ali Al Shargawi
533:
505:
500:
470:
469:
460:
458:
449:
448:
444:
435:
433:
416:
415:
411:
402:
400:
383:
382:
378:
369:
367:
359:
358:
354:
344:
342:
332:
331:
324:
315:
313:
308:
307:
303:
290:
289:
285:
280:
264:
262:Venice Biennale
207:
177:
146:. Her birth in
117:
58:
49:
39:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1043:
1041:
1033:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
987:
986:
980:
979:
977:
976:
970:
964:
958:
952:
946:
940:
934:
928:
925:Saud Alsanousi
922:
916:
906:
900:
897:Youssef Ziedan
894:
887:
884:
883:
877:
875:
874:
867:
860:
852:
843:
842:
840:
839:
834:
832:Sara al-Jarwan
829:
824:
818:
816:
810:
809:
807:
806:
800:
798:
792:
791:
789:
788:
783:
778:
772:
770:
764:
763:
761:
760:
755:
750:
745:
743:Lucien Soulban
740:
735:
730:
728:Yahya Amqassim
725:
720:
718:Rajaa al-Sanea
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
675:
670:
665:
663:Laila al-Juhni
660:
658:Turki al-Hamad
655:
650:
645:
640:
635:
630:
624:
622:
616:
615:
613:
612:
607:
602:
597:
592:
587:
581:
579:
573:
572:
570:
569:
564:
559:
554:
552:Ali Al Jallawi
549:
543:
541:
535:
534:
532:
531:
526:
521:
515:
513:
507:
506:
501:
499:
498:
491:
484:
476:
468:
467:
442:
409:
376:
352:
322:
301:
282:
281:
279:
276:
272:The Black Arch
263:
260:
259:
258:
248:
238:
228:
218:
206:
203:
183:for her novel
176:
173:
116:
113:
88:
87:
81:
80:Notable awards
77:
76:
73:
69:
68:
65:
61:
60:
55:
51:
50:
45:
41:
40:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1042:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
995:Living people
993:
992:
990:
974:
971:
968:
965:
962:
959:
956:
953:
950:
947:
944:
941:
938:
935:
932:
931:Ahmed Saadawi
929:
926:
923:
920:
917:
914:
910:
907:
904:
901:
898:
895:
892:
889:
888:
885:
881:
873:
868:
866:
861:
859:
854:
853:
850:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
819:
817:
815:
811:
805:
802:
801:
799:
797:
793:
787:
786:Saif al-Rahbi
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
773:
771:
769:
765:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
733:Siba'i Uthman
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
686:
684:
681:
679:
676:
674:
671:
669:
666:
664:
661:
659:
656:
654:
651:
649:
646:
644:
641:
639:
636:
634:
633:Husain Sirhan
631:
629:
628:Hamza Shehata
626:
625:
623:
621:
617:
611:
608:
606:
603:
601:
598:
596:
593:
591:
590:Taleb Alrefai
588:
586:
583:
582:
580:
578:
574:
568:
565:
563:
562:Qassim Haddad
560:
558:
555:
553:
550:
548:
545:
544:
542:
540:
536:
530:
527:
525:
522:
520:
519:Saadi Youssef
517:
516:
514:
512:
508:
504:
497:
492:
490:
485:
483:
478:
477:
474:
457:
453:
446:
443:
432:
428:
424:
420:
413:
410:
399:
395:
391:
387:
380:
377:
366:
362:
356:
353:
340:
339:BOMB Magazine
336:
329:
327:
323:
311:
305:
302:
297:
293:
287:
284:
277:
275:
273:
269:
261:
257:
253:
249:
247:
243:
239:
237:
233:
229:
227:
223:
219:
217:
213:
209:
208:
204:
202:
200:
196:
192:
188:
187:
182:
174:
172:
170:
164:
160:
156:
151:
149:
145:
141:
136:
134:
130:
126:
122:
114:
112:
110:
106:
98:
94:
86:
82:
78:
74:
70:
67:Saudi Arabian
66:
62:
56:
52:
46:
42:
37:
32:
27:
20:
973:Jalal Barjas
961:Hoda Barakat
912:
758:Sameera Aziz
747:
703:Maqbul Alawi
620:Saudi Arabia
459:. Retrieved
455:
445:
434:. Retrieved
422:
412:
401:. Retrieved
390:The Observer
389:
379:
368:. Retrieved
364:
355:
343:. Retrieved
314:. Retrieved
304:
296:the original
286:
271:
265:
191:Booker Prize
184:
178:
168:
166:
162:
158:
153:
143:
137:
133:Saudi Arabia
118:
92:
91:
1005:1970 births
919:Rabee Jaber
913:Raja'a Alem
891:Bahaa Taher
837:Adel Khozam
748:Raja'a Alem
341:Spring 2008
335:"Raja Alem"
268:Shadia Alem
93:Raja'a Alem
64:Nationality
44:Native name
23:Raja'a Alem
989:Categories
461:2020-03-26
436:2020-03-26
403:2020-03-26
370:2024-08-30
345:August 10,
316:2009-11-30
278:References
903:Abdo Khal
753:Abdo Khal
431:0362-4331
398:0029-7712
256:822666506
246:822666564
236:822652972
226:822666398
216:822666376
101:رجاء عالم
48:رجاء عالم
539:Bahrain
140:English
975:(2021)
969:(2020)
963:(2019)
957:(2018)
951:(2017)
945:(2016)
939:(2015)
933:(2014)
927:(2013)
921:(2012)
915:(2011)
905:(2010)
899:(2009)
893:(2008)
577:Kuwait
429:
396:
312:. 2009
254:
244:
234:
224:
214:
129:Jeddah
97:Arabic
796:Qatar
456:Dazed
205:Works
148:Mecca
121:Mecca
109:Hejaz
105:Mecca
83:2011
75:novel
72:Genre
59:Mecca
768:Oman
511:Iraq
427:ISSN
394:ISSN
347:2011
252:OCLC
242:OCLC
232:OCLC
222:OCLC
212:OCLC
115:Life
57:1970
54:Born
814:UAE
991::
911:/
454:.
425:.
421:.
392:.
388:.
363:.
337:.
325:^
201:.
131:,
125:BA
111:.
99::
871:e
864:t
857:v
495:e
488:t
481:v
464:.
439:.
406:.
373:.
349:.
319:.
107:/
95:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.