Struggling with language, quirky book gifts, and more

News, Reviews, and Interviews

Hala Salah, the woman behind the only literature review to translate English works into Arabic, is embarking on a brand new venture: audiobooks for the blind.

At some point, all of us have struggled to learn a new language. But this creative piece at the New York Times shows that sometimes, the struggle to learn a new skill, like a new language, is truly beneficial for your brain, even in older adults.

In the first comprehensive study in English, East Asian languages and cultures Professor Ronald Egan argues that the poetry of 12th-century writer Li Qingzhao has been consistently misrepresented due to centuries of gender bias.

Banipal is celebrating its 50th issue with a fantastic feature on Arabic prison writing.

The age-old question: does poetry matter? Responding to a New York Times piece that ran this week, the Academy of American Poets provides a list of all the ways that it does, indeed, matter.

With reports coming in daily about violence and death on the Gaza Strip, Palestinian writers respond the only way they know how: by writing about their experiences.

Fun Finds and Inspiration

Did you know? Some of the most common food and drink words in English actually originated from the Arabic.

Meet the man responsible for some of the world’s most beautiful book sculptures and carvings in this recent interview.

Looking for the perfect bookish gift? Here’s a quirky list of literary items you can find on Etsy.