Margaret Obank
Encyclopedia
Margaret Obank is a British publisher. She is noted for her contribution to the dissemination of contemporary Arabic literature
in English translation.
Obank was born in Leeds
. She studied philosophy and literature at Leeds University and linguistics at Birkbeck College. She worked in teaching and in printing and publishing for many years. Along with her husband, the Iraqi
author Samuel Shimon
, Obank was the driving force behind the creation of Banipal
magazine, a journal exclusively devoted to publishing English translations of modern Arabic literature. The first issue of Banipal was published in February 1998, and as of 2011, there have been 42 issues.
Obank has also established:
Obank is a trustee of the Arabic Booker Prize, and she is also involved with CASAW.
Many eminent writers from the Arab world have praised Obank's contributions to Arabic literature. The Iraqi poet Saadi Youssef
has asked: "How did it come that a young English lady, i.e. Margaret Obank, shoulders virtually the ultimate responsibility of saving and promoting a doomed culture: Arab modern writing in general?" Fadhil al-Azzawi, another noted Iraqi writer, has said: "What Banipal has achieved for Arab literature and culture in its 21 issues is more important than all the work of all the Arab ministries of culture, which have almost completely failed to do anything for Arab culture. Banipal has enabled the English reader not only to read the works of Arab writers, but also to discover the real craft of modern Arab literature. We have only one real minister for Arab culture: Margaret Obank."
Arabic literature
Arabic literature is the writing produced, both prose and poetry, by writers in the Arabic language. The Arabic word used for literature is adab which is derived from a meaning of etiquette, and implies politeness, culture and enrichment....
in English translation.
Obank was born in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. She studied philosophy and literature at Leeds University and linguistics at Birkbeck College. She worked in teaching and in printing and publishing for many years. Along with her husband, the Iraqi
Iraqi
Iraqi may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to the country of Iraq* Iraqi people, persons from Iraq, or of Iraqi descent. For information about the Iraqi people, see Demographics of Iraq and Culture of Iraq. For specific persons, see List of Iraqis....
author Samuel Shimon
Samuel Shimon
Samuel Shimon is an Iraqi writer and journalist of Assyrian descent. He left Iraq in 1979 with dreams of becoming a director in Hollywood, and has since then lived in Damascus, Amman, Beirut, Nicosia, Aden, Cairo, Tunis and Paris, before finally settling in London...
, Obank was the driving force behind the creation of Banipal
Banipal
Banipal is an independent literary magazine dedicated to the promotion of contemporary Arab literature through translations in English. It was founded in London in 1998 by Margaret Obank and Samuel Shimon. The magazine is published three times a year...
magazine, a journal exclusively devoted to publishing English translations of modern Arabic literature. The first issue of Banipal was published in February 1998, and as of 2011, there have been 42 issues.
Obank has also established:
- the Banipal Trust for Arab Literature (which administers the Banipal Prize for literary translation),
- the Banipal-Arab British Centre Library of Modern Arab Literature, and
- Banipal Books.
Obank is a trustee of the Arabic Booker Prize, and she is also involved with CASAW.
Many eminent writers from the Arab world have praised Obank's contributions to Arabic literature. The Iraqi poet Saadi Youssef
Saadi Youssef
Saadi Yousef is an Iraqi author, poet, journalist, publisher, and political activist. He has published thirty volumes of poetry and seven books of prose.-Life:Saadi Yousef studied Arabic literature in Baghdad...
has asked: "How did it come that a young English lady, i.e. Margaret Obank, shoulders virtually the ultimate responsibility of saving and promoting a doomed culture: Arab modern writing in general?" Fadhil al-Azzawi, another noted Iraqi writer, has said: "What Banipal has achieved for Arab literature and culture in its 21 issues is more important than all the work of all the Arab ministries of culture, which have almost completely failed to do anything for Arab culture. Banipal has enabled the English reader not only to read the works of Arab writers, but also to discover the real craft of modern Arab literature. We have only one real minister for Arab culture: Margaret Obank."