Five Stops in Khawagaland
Dear friends in America:
I’m writing from Siwa oasis, where everyone is bilingual in a language related to Tamazight and professional musicians insist on performing anonymously:
I’m writing to tell you that, exactly a week from today—on Monday, February 3—my US tour begins with Washington DC, where Eman Quotah grants me the honor of a conversation at Poetry and Prose Conn Ave (more information here).
A day later, on February 4, I will be with Zain Khalid, who wrote a fascinating afterword-cum-profile of me with this excerpt of the book, published under the noble title “The Shit” in Bidoun. Co-hosted by Bidoun, Zain and I will be talking and celebrating at Triple Canopy who should publish their own excerpt somewhere around here any minute now (RSVP for the event here).
On Thursday, February 6, I reemerge in the Midwest, at the venerable Magers & Quinn in Minneapolis alongside the one and only Prefessor Linda Mokdad, guests not only of Graywolf and the venue but also of Mizna, which believe it or not was the first place to publish creative work of mine in English ever, some thirty years ago (RSVP here).
And, finally, on Tuesday, February 11—thanks to the initiative and enthusiasm of my generous friend and host Seth Messinger—I get to read alongside none other than the truly incredible Gabrielle Bates at Phinney Books in Gabrielle and Seth’s city, Seattle (more information here).
All those events start at 7 pm except for the New York one, which starts at 6.30 pm.
In between Minneapolis and Seattle, thanks to the intrepid Arabist Samuel England, I will be in Madison the morning of Feb 10 for a somewhat broader conversation at the University of Wisonsin (more information here).
I feel blessed and excited but also slightly disoriented and intimidated—please come and grace those events with your reassuring presence if you can.
Y