External links
- The Book of Ramallah, Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, March 3, 2021, at YouTube
- "Reading the City: The Book of Ramallah," March 16, 2021, at YouTube
Maya Al-Hayat | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980 (age 44–45) Beirut, Lebanon |
| Nationality | Palestine |
| Education | Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering |
| Alma mater | An-Najah National University |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, novelist, poet, storyteller, translator, screenwriter, actress |
Maya Abu Al-Hayat (1980) is a Palestinian novelist, poet, storyteller, and translator, born in Beirut. She has published three novels and three collections of poetry. Her books have gained worldwide recognition, and some of her stories have been translated into different languages. Abu Al-Hayat also worked as an actress and ran the Palestine Writing Workshop. [1] [2] Abu Al-Hayat played a prominent role in children's literature, writing and presenting television programs for children, including "Iftah Ya Simsim," and was distinguished by her writing of children's stories.
Abu Al-Hayat was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1980, but grew up in Jordan. Her mother is Lebanese and her father Palestinian. [3] She was raised by her aunt. [4] At some point, she joined her father in Tunis. [5] In 2003, she received a degree in civil engineering from An-Najah National University in Nablus. [6] [7]
Abu Al-Hayat moved between Amman, Jordan, and Tunis, Tunisia before settling in Jerusalem with her family. [7] She moved to Jerusalem in 2008. [8] She lives in Jerusalem with her husband and three children. [9] [10]
Abu Al-Hayat's professional life began as a civil engineer. [4] Following this, she worked as a storyteller and actress; she played a role in the movie "Love, Theft and Other Problems" directed by Muayad Alyan. [1] [11] She also headed the Palestine Writing Association, which specializes in encouraging reading by organizing programs to teach creative writing and also produces stories for children and young adults. In addition, she managed the Palestine Writing Workshop. [1]
Abu Al-Hayat published her first novel, "The Sugar Beans," in 2004, followed by her first collection of poetry, "What She Said About It," in 2007. [12] In 2013, she became the director of the Palestine Writing Workshop. [4]
Abu Al-Hayat has written novels, collections of poetry, and children’s books, including the award-winning book The Blue Pool of Questions. [13] [14] [15] Further, she has been writing for television programs for children, including Sesame Street (Arabic version, iftah ya simsim), and produced a set of stories, including "Masouda," "The Turtle" and "Kiki and Coco in the Clinic." She presented children's programs such as "Farhan and Friends" for many years on Palestine TV.
Some of Abu Al-Hayat's stories and poems have been published in other languages, including "The Bedtime Story" in Swedish and "The Pool of Blue Questions" in English. [16] Abu Al-Hayat herself has also translated several international novels into Arabic, including "Kolka" by Bengt Olson, "The Old Man Who Broke All Barriers" by Catherine Engelman, and "The Red Bird" by Astrid Lindgren.
Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Cordite Poetry Review, The Guardian, and Literary Hub . [17] Further, she is the editor of The Book of Ramallah, a book of short stories published by Comma Press in its "Reading the City" Series. [18]
Abu Al-Hayat received the “Horizons” grant from the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) for her novel Nobody Knows His Blood Type in 2011. [19]
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