A shortlist has been released for the A$60,000 (about US$39,395) Stella Prize, which celebrates Australian women’s writing by choosing an "outstanding book deemed to be original, excellent, and engaging." The winner will be named May 2. Each of the finalists receives A$4,000 (about US$2,625). This year's finalists are:
The Swift Dark Tide by Katia Ariel
Body Friend by Katherine Brabon
Feast by Emily O'Grady
Hospital by Sanya Rushdi
Abandon Every Hope: Essays for the Dead by Hayley Singer
Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright
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Winners have been announced in seven categories for the 18th annual Sheikh Zayed Book Awards, organized by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre under the auspices of the Department of Culture and Tourism--Abu Dhabi, and recognizing the winners' achievements and supporting their ongoing literary work and academic endeavors. Winners will be celebrated on April 30 during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair; each receives a prize of 750,000 UAE dirhams (about $204,200).
The winners in seven categories, including the new "Editing of Arabic Manuscripts" category, are:
Literature: Al Halwani: The Fatimid Trilogy by Egyptian author and scholar Reem Bassiouney
Arab Culture in Other Languages: The Formation of Post-Classical Philosophy in Islam by German scholar Frank Griffel
Translation: Tunisian Italianist Dr. Ahmed Somai for his translation of the classic Italian philosophical text The New Science by Giambattista Vico
Editing of Arabic Manuscripts: Egyptian musician and musicologist Dr Mustafa Said for a study of the manuscript Safinat AlMulk waNafisat AlFulk (The King's Ship and the Psychology of Astronomy (Shehab al-Din)--Muwashah and Arabic-speaking Maqam Music between Theory and Practice), a mediaeval treatise on Arab music and poetry
Young Author: Tunisian academic Dr. Houssem Eddine Chachia, for his work, which examined how the history of the Morisco expulsion in 17th Century Spain has affected Spanish culture in the centuries since, particularly in the modern day
Development of Nations: the Emirati pioneer of National Spatial Data Infrastructure Dr. Khalifa Alromaithi for his study of historical place names in the Emirates
Publishing & Technology: Bayt Elhekma for Creative Industries--China for their work in building cultural bridges between China and the Arab world
Dr. Ali bin Tamim, secretary-general of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, said: "These authors have significantly contributed to enriching Arab cultural, literary, and social landscapes through their remarkable works. The global reach of this year's winners exemplifies the profound influence of Arabic literature on the world stage and reinforces the Sheikh Zayed Book Award's position at its centre, as a source of both recognition and ongoing support. I believe that through our efforts, and those of the authors and organisations whose work we recognise, we will continue to see a flourishing of Arab culture in the years to come."