Doha: The Cultural Village Foundation – Katara is set to launch the third edition of the Katara Book Fair from October 13 to 19, as a segment of the 11th Katara Festival for Arabic Novel. This year’s event will witness participation from 90 publishing houses representing Qatar and seven other Arab countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Tunisia, and Syria. The fair will put a spotlight on the latest publications, with a strong focus on literary works such as novels, short stories, poetry collections, and books of literary criticism.
According to Qatar News Agency, a notable feature of this year’s fair will be the official introduction of the winning publications from the 10th Katara Prize for Arabic Novel, spanning six award categories and available in both Arabic and English. Amira Ahmed Al Mohannadi, Director of Katara Publishing House, emphasized the increased participation from local and regional publishers this year, surpassing the second edition’s focus on Qatari and Gulf-based publishers. The fair will also host a variety of book launches and signing events.
Among the anticipated events is the release of the second edition of “Tuwairat Al Fala in Qatari Environment” by Sheikh Hassan bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Abdullah Al-Thani, following the rapid sell-out of the first edition. Sheikh Hassan will also present a new children’s book, “Birds of Qatar.” Young Qatari author Moza Al Ahbabi, at just 15 years old, will debut her novel “A Melody the Winds Did Not Compose.”
Additional book signings are scheduled for works such as “Moral Values in the Biography of the Prophet of Humanity (PBUH)” by Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Asiri Al Maadheed and “Financial Oversight During Crises: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic” by Dr. Salwa Hamed Al Mulla.
Katara Publishing House is set to display its recent releases at its pavilion, including three new books from its “Introductions to the Novel” series: “Heritage in the Novel” by Mohammed Tahriche, “The Novel and Drama: Confident Steps Toward Hybrid Criticism” by Khaled Hassan, and “Identity and Belonging in Arab Thought and Fiction” by critic Hussein Hameed.
The fair will also introduce a new series titled “Biography in a Poem,” which includes critical studies on the poems that secured the Katara Prize for Arabic Poetry. This series focuses on the Mothers of the Believers, featuring studies on Khadija (RA) in “As the Seas Meet” by Alaa Ahmed Abdulrahim, Aisha bint Abi Bakr (RA) in “A Flame from the Procession of Light” by Abdullah Ali Al Anzi, and Hafsa bint Umar (RA) in “A Sun in the Orbit of Prophethood” by Taimur Saeed Ahmad Al Ezzani, all authored by Dr. Maryam Abdulrahman Al Nuaimi.
Additionally, the fair will feature critically edited manuscripts that won the inaugural Katara Prize for Manuscripts, including “Masterpiece of Literature from the Journey from Damietta to the Levant and Aleppo” by Dr. Noha Abdul Razzaq Al Hefnawi and “The Reminder: What Remains of It” by Prof. Dr. Walid Mohammed Al Sarraqbi, published in five volumes.