Introduction
Ahlam Mosteghanemi is an Algerian writer who has been called “The world’s best known Arabophone woman novelist”. She was identified by Forbes Magazine in 2006 as the most successful Arabic writer and leading women in literature.
Birth and Life
In 1953, Ahlam was born in Tunis, where her father was exiled during the liberation war. After the independence, her family moved to Algeria where the father occupied high positions but during the assassination attempt of the Algerian President, her father was targeted and seriously injured which forced Ahlam to take up the task to provide her family as a radio host.
In 1970s , Ahlam has moved to Paris and got married to Lebanese Journalist. They met in Algeria, where her husband was preparing a thesis about “Arabization and Cultural Conflicts in Independent Algeria”. She has obtained Ph.D in Sociolog from Sorbonne University 1985.
Career
Ahlam published her first compilation of poems (To the Days’ Haven) during her work as a radio host. Also, (The Writing in a Moment of Nudity) was published as a second compilation. After settleing down in 1993 in Lebanon, she published her first novel (Memory of the Flesh) which has a lot of emotional and national sensations. It had beed sold over a million copies. It was succeeded by three more great novels (Chaos of The Senses), (Bed Hopper) and (Black Suits You So Well).
Ahlam lectured in several prestigious universities as a visiting professor. Her novels have been taught in many universities and translated into many foreign languages.
Special qualities , important attributes and legacy
She was part of the first generation to acquire the right to study in Arabic after more than a century of prohibition by the French colonization.
She was able to get out of the linguistic exile in which French colonization had relegated the Algerian intellectuals.The Arabic language provided her with a sense of liberation but at the same time, the Algerian society was not prepared to see a girl expresses herself freely on subjects such as love and women’s rights.
Her writings contributed into enriching the Arabic literary scene with her highly acclaimed sentimental and poetic work.
For over 35 years, Ahlam has written four novels and five anthologies. Through her writing, she has led the fight agianst corruption, injustice, totalitarian regimes, fundamentalism, new forms of colonization and the denigration of women’s rights.
“Memory of the Flesh “ novel was one of the best hundred Arabic novels and she had got Najeeb Mahfooz award for it in 1998. Currently, she lives in Beirut.
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