Opening of Shj Intl Book Fair 2011 (tweets & fotos)

Nov 16 2011 : Tweets by @mujeebjaihoon

Everyone’s ready to witness the #shjbf inauguration.

His Highness Dr #SheikhSultan arrives for the #shjibf

#SheikhSultan is welcomed by dignitaries.

Came across Aparijita Ninan, graphic artist from Delhi.

My books are available at Stand J5, Broadway.

Crowd waiting to meet Dr Sheikh Sultan at Hall 3.

Dr #SheikhSultan at the #KSA pavilion

Android version of #iJaihoon, app on my writings can be installed from https://market.android.com/details?id=com.ijaihoon

I’m invited to attend the Indo Arab seminar on the 22nd at #shjibf. Organized by Siraj Daily.

Mom and wife accompanied me to #shjibf for the first time.

Media swarm for a snap.

It was a pleasure to meet with @anitasethi

Travel and writing inspire each other. And @anitasethi seemed to have combined them in a remarkable manner.

Saints and sages have traveled far and wide in search of truth. Writers do the same, perhaps to a lesser degree.

The Prophet of Islam likened life to a #travel and this world to be a temporary place of halt. Humanity is on a big tour of worlds

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SHJIBF: Talking translating | Emerging Writers' Festival

A few more thoughts on translating, from Monday’s translation seminar:

Translator and academic Adam Talib, from Britain, spoke about the ‘renaissance in Arabic literature (in translation)’ over the past decade, the current energy in this field and the increasing diversity of titles available, such as writing by women. In addition, Arabic literature itself is improving by moving away from saga and allegory, and creating works that are ‘international, communicative and explanatory’; world literature, but still within their own contexts.

On the importance of translations, saying that ‘Arabic translations are like eavesdropping on national conversations’ – a lovely thought, but also, to me, a call to arms for everyone to be thinking more widely about reading more broadly.

Adam also spoke about the problems that translators face in their work, saying that the three things they need most are editorial support, money and time.

In particular publishers do not offer great editorial support to translators, often leaving them to do all the work. The panel in general agreed that publishers need to hire or train editors who understand the challenges and opportunities of translation, and who can offer proper support to their translators (rather than just letting them do it and not offering feedback or help, which seems to be the trend now).

Personally I am in awe of translators. A good translation needs to be thoughtful, sensitive and deeply aware of the text; it is almost more like rewriting than an act of translating.