- Title: QATAR-SUDANESE AUTHOR Sudanese author celebrates recent literary success
- Date: 10th June 2015
- Summary: DOHA, QATAR (JUNE 9, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SUDANESE NOVELIST, AMIR TAJ AL-SIR, TYPING/COMPUTER SCREEN
- Embargoed: 25th June 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Qatar
- Country: Qatar
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA9GAFAVXRZUPPDO7227EW9DWYN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Recognition came later in life for the Sudanese novelist, Amir Taj al-Sir.
Last month the 55-year-old author based in the Qatari capital Doha received the newly launched literature award, Katara.
Al -Sir started writing as a student, mostly poetry in Sudanese dialect.
He moved from Sudan to Egypt to study medicine, where he continued writing alongside his studies.
But he says that when he moved to Doha, at the age of 35, to work as a physician, he had no connection to the local literary circles.
"I came to Qatar in 1995 and I had nothing to do with literature. In 1995, I wrote my second novel called "The Hunter of the Chrysalises" that I published in Jordan. Since then, I started writing again up until now," said al-Sir.
In 2011, he was shortlisted for the Arabic Booker award. But this is the first time for the author to be recognised by Qatar.
"With regards to the prize, it was a big moment for me. This is the first real prize I receive and the first from Qatar; the country that gave me time to write. It gave me the opportunity to work, write, and establish a family at the same time," al-Sir added.
Al Sir received the award for his novel, '366' which is written in the form of letters from a lover to his beloved. The 366 letters document the lover's daily trips in search for his lost love.
The author says that the award differs from any other literary awards in the Arab world as it provides long-term support and promotion for writers.
"This is a big prize in all aspects. It doesn't give the author money and that's it. Rather it nurtures the writer. It translates the winning novel to five languages, transforms the novel into drama work and provides the writer with an annual salary. It has many benefits that are not available in other prizes," al-Sir said.
Several of al-Sir's previous works have been translated into Italian, Spanish, French, and Polish.
Writing is in the Sudanese author's blood, he is the nephew of Tayeb Saleh, one of the most well-known Arabic-language writers and the author of the novel, "Season of Migration to the North".
The Katara Prize was set up in 2014. But this is the first year for the prize to be awarded. Due to the large sums of prize money, it is also one of the most lucrative literary awards.
The award also features two categories, published and unpublished work.
Al-Sir is among five authors to receive a 60 thousand U.S dollar prize.
The remaining winners in this year's published category are, Bahrain's Muneera Sawar from Bahrain, Egypt's Ibrahim Abdelmeguid, Nasira Al Sadoun from Iraq, and Waciny Laredj from Algeria. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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