Abeer Soliman
(Egypt, 1977) made her debut in 2010 with Diary of an Old Spinster, which was such a success that it was sold out very soon. In the book – based on the blog of the same name that she wrote – Soliman tells how it is to live as a single woman in Egypt. ‘It is the diary of a liberated woman, seen from the perspective of my generation,’ she says in the introduction. Her aim is primarily to open the eyes of her countrymen, who often condemn single women in word and deed. Elderly single women without children often face problems in Egyptian society. According to official figures, in 2009 2,700 Egyptian women committed suicide because they couldn’t cope any longer. In addition to being a writer Abeer Soliman is a columnist with the newspaper Baladna and a business development manager. Moreover, she is working as a literary agent for Noon Organisation.
Past events
Old Ideals
Adriaan Van Dis, Maaza Mengiste and Abeer Soliman wrote books about ideals. About old anti-apartheid activists and about old revolutionaries from Egypt and Ethiopia. Joris Luyendijk talks to them on the loss, rebirth and clash of old and new ideals. In English.
Wintercafe 2: VPRO De Avonden Live
VPRO's De Avonden looks for literary means of becoming a better and happier ‘Mensch’ With Rodaan al Galidi, Thomas Möhlmann, Iman Humaydan and Abeer Soliman. Singer songwriter Lotte van Dijck, together with Peter Akkerman, takes the audience right through performances to her musical Utopia. Hosts: Jeroen van Kan and Catherine van Campen. In Dutch and English.
How Literature Changes the World
Paul van der Gaag talks to Lily Yulianti Farid (Indonesia) and Abeer Soliman (Egypt) on the question whether literature and art can change society and how high our hopes may be. In English.
