About

About the blogger:

Ali Znaidi [علي زنيدي] (b.1977) lives in Redeyef, Tunisia. He graduated with a BA in Anglo-American Studies in 2002. A former secondary school English teacher, Znaidi writes poetry and has an interest in literature, languages, and literary translations. His work has appeared here and there and is always scheduled to appear elsewhere. At moments of revelation, he used to smoke and drink green tea with mint, while pondering. A heavy smoker, he has quitted smoking since 2013.

He also wrote flash fiction for the old defunct Six Sentence Social Network:

http://sixsentences.ning.com/profile/AliZnaidi.

He also keeps a blog of his writings and poetry at

http://aliznaidi.blogspot.com/

Znaidi is (dis)abled with FSHD (Facio-scapulo-humeral muscular dystrophy).

Contact him at: aznaidi1(at)gmail(dot)com

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Introducing the blog:

Writers, scholars, critics and especially orientalists all over the world (and especially in the West) were preoccupied with Arabic literature centuries ago. Many classical Arabic masterpieces– be they prose or poetry were translated into Latin and in a later stage into the many European languages. But this interest is always characterised with such fluctuations and ups and downs.

It is also worth mentioning that from the angle of a post-colonial theory, translation of Arabic literature can be understood within a framework of containment or domination and resistance.

Since September 11th there has been an increasing demand and hunger for Arabic literature in all its forms and genres to understand the Arab mentality and to discover what is latent in society because literature (and without delving into the different approaches and schools of criticism) is a medium of paramount importance that combines psychological, social, economic, cultural, and political factors in such an artistic fabric and gives the reader the opportunity to grasp the afore-mentioned factors.

Translation is very important when it comes to quell the hunger for such nuances and specific details of the Arab culture(s). Moreover, the latest events and uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East have increased the desire for more translated works into English and into other European languages.

Nowadays thanks to the proliferation of digital media, the task of translation in general, and the issue of cultures contact become in a way easier than before. Hence, the variety and the proliferation of blogs, sites, and forums, etc that deal with Arabic literature, or a literature of a specific Arab country, or just an author or a trend or a genre.

But to my humble knowledge, there is no such blog in English language about Tunisian literature. So Tunisian Literature (in English) which was founded in May 2012 can be considered the first to deal with Tunisian literature in English with the aim to fill in such a gap in the blogsphere and to promote the translation and circulation of the Tunisian literature all over the globe, if time, health and life permit.

This blog does not claim to be comprehensive . But I will do my best to provide its readers with information, news briefings, book reviews, etc, either translated by me or cited or reblogged from other sources.

All comments, constructive criticism, and feedback are welcomed and highly appreciated.

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N.B.

Materials translated or written by the blog owner are fully reserved by him. No part of them may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means– graphic, electronic,or mechanical , including photocopying, recording, taping, web distribution or information storage and retrieval systems, without mentioning and giving full and clear credit to the source: Ali Znaidi: https://tunisianlit.wordpress.com/.