Tradition, Modernity, and Postmodernity in Arabic Literature: Essays in Honor of Professor Issa J. Boullata

Most of the contributors are Middle Eastern by name, but many now hold academic posts in Europe or North America. The 22 essays are arranged chronologically to reflect the evolution of Arabic literature through the three eras. After a profile of Palestinian-born Canadian scholar Boullata, the topics include the atlal in modern Arabic fiction, the poem The December Flower by Fadwa Tuqan translated from the Arabic, going beyond socialist realism and getting nowhere in Luwis `Awad's cross-cultural encounter with the other, erotic empowering in the poetry of Nizar Qabbani, vision and reality in modern Arabic poetry, and Gibran and the American literary canon. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)