British author banned from literature festival
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AP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 18, 2009 00:00
LUISEWATT - A British author said Monday she has been banned from a Dubai literary festival because her forthcoming novel contains references to homosexuality.
The first International Festival of Literature in Dubai, which runs from Feb. 26 to Mar. 1, has authors including Margaret Atwood, Louis de Bernieres and Jung Chang listed on the program.
Geraldine Bedell, a journalist for the Observer newspaper and the author of several previous novels, said organizers had been discussing launching her book, "The Gulf Between Us," which is set in the Gulf, at the festival.
But she claims festival director Isobel Abulhoul later wrote to her publishers, saying: "I don't want our festival remembered for the launch of a controversial book."
"The Gulf Between Us" is scheduled to be published by Penguin in April.
Bedell said Abulhoul wrote to Penguin toward the end of last year to say the book was not acceptable because one of her characters, Sheikh Rashid, is gay. The author also said festival organizers complained that "it talks about Islam and queries what is said."
Bedell, who lived in Bahrain for five years in the 1980s, said Sheikh Rashid "is only spoken about" and "assumed to be gay."
"Of course it does make reference to Islam because it's a Muslim country and part of it is set during Ramadan," she added. "But the narrator - a middle-aged Englishwoman - is incredibly respectful to Islam."
Another criticism from the organizers, according to Bedell, was that "it is set in the Gulf and focuses on the Iraq war."
The festival's Web site invites people to "Join 65 of the world's leading authors in workshops, discussion groups and book signings at the first event of its kind in the Middle East."
Geraldine Bedell, a journalist for the Observer newspaper and the author of several previous novels, said organizers had been discussing launching her book, "The Gulf Between Us," which is set in the Gulf, at the festival.
But she claims festival director Isobel Abulhoul later wrote to her publishers, saying: "I don't want our festival remembered for the launch of a controversial book."
"The Gulf Between Us" is scheduled to be published by Penguin in April.
Bedell said Abulhoul wrote to Penguin toward the end of last year to say the book was not acceptable because one of her characters, Sheikh Rashid, is gay. The author also said festival organizers complained that "it talks about Islam and queries what is said."
Bedell, who lived in Bahrain for five years in the 1980s, said Sheikh Rashid "is only spoken about" and "assumed to be gay."
"Of course it does make reference to Islam because it's a Muslim country and part of it is set during Ramadan," she added. "But the narrator - a middle-aged Englishwoman - is incredibly respectful to Islam."
Another criticism from the organizers, according to Bedell, was that "it is set in the Gulf and focuses on the Iraq war."
The festival's Web site invites people to "Join 65 of the world's leading authors in workshops, discussion groups and book signings at the first event of its kind in the Middle East."