Samir Abdel Fattah is a Yemeni short story writer, novelist and playwright.Profile in Arablit website (translated from Italian) He is regarded as part of the avant-garde in modern Yemeni literature and is particularly known for his interest in European literature, especially Russian literature.
Early life and education Abdel Fattah was born in Jibla, Yemen, in 1971. He moved to Sanaa in 1982, where he studied economics and business at university.
Literary career Abdel Fattah began his literary career as a short story writer. His first short story collection, Ranin al-matar, was published in 2002. He subsequently published two further collections.
He has also written two novels: Riwayat al-Sayyid Mim, published in 2007, and Ibn al-nasr, published in 2008. In addition to fiction, he has written plays for the theatre.
Literary style and themes Abdel Fattah is a versatile writer whose work frequently explores existential themes. He has a particular interest in European literature, with Russian literature being a notable influence on his writing. His work has been described as part of the avant-garde of modern Yemeni literature.
In 2009, Abdel Fattah joined fellow Yemeni writers Nadia al-Kokabany, Wajdi al-Ahdal and Ali al-Moqri in establishing a literary group called Meeting Yesterday.
Translations and international recognition Abdel Fattah's work has been translated into Italian. His writing was included in Perle Dello Yemen, a 2009 anthology of contemporary Yemeni writers.
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