A Stranger in Baghdad by Elizabeth Loudon (Hoopoe/the American University in Cairo Press) has won the 2024 International Fiction Book Award at the Sharjah International Book Fair. The press describes the novel as "an intergenerational drama rendered in beautiful prose featuring the struggles of a mother and daughter to navigate as outsiders in Baghdad and London."
Loudon said in part, "The characters in this novel mean so much to me. I'm grateful to the judges for helping to share this story of Baghdad as it used to be before the recent invasions and wars, and of the complicated--and often troubled--relationship between Britain and Iraq."
AUC Press executive director Thomas Willshire said, "We are thrilled that our literature imprint, Hoopoe, has another prize-winning title. Elizabeth Loudon's A Stranger in Baghdad tells a compelling story from the Middle East, and particularly from the heart of Iraq, perfectly aligning with Hoopoe's mission to publish significant narratives and cross-border voices while showcasing distinguished literary works. The novel has been warmly embraced by readers and book clubs, reflecting a strong interest in stories from the Middle East."