Weekly Dispatches From the Frontlines of World Literature

This week, our Editors-at-Large bring us news from around the globe on the latest in world literature. From Hong Kong’s vibrant multicultural literary festival, to the release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah in Egypt and a collection of award-winning Indian authors, read on to learn more.

Charlie Ng, Editor-at-Large, Reporting from Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s literary scene welcomed a vibrant celebration of European writing with the return of the European Literature Night (ELN) this September. Organized by Czech Centers and the European Union National Institutes for Culture, the event originated in Prague in 2006 with the aim of introducing contemporary European literature through public readings in non-traditional venues. Following a successful debut in Hong Kong last year, the 2025 edition featured a strengthened line-up of thirteen European countries. Over four and a half hours, well-known local guests read excerpts from European writers for approximately ten minutes each. Readings occurred simultaneously at fourteen different locations across Central and Sheung Wan at thirty-minute intervals, allowing audiences to plan their own personalized literature route.

In other news, the Hong Kong International Literary Festival is organising an online workshop, “Intro to Creative Writing with Author Xu Xi,” on September 29 from 7pm to 8pm, Hong Kong time. Xu Xi is an Indonesian-Chinese-American author and one of Hong Kong’s foremost English-language writers, with an extensive body of work including novels, short fiction, and essays. Her fiction collection, Horizon Hong Kong: Selected Stories, is forthcoming from Gaudy Boy Press. Moreover, a new translation of Hong Kong writer Wong Yi’s short story, “Stand a Little Bit Closer” by Jennifer Feeley is now available on Zolima CityMag. The story was originally published in Fleurs des L**ettres journal. The story depicts modern love’s heartache in the metropolitan setting of Hong Kong.

Ibrahim Fawzy, Editor-at-Large, Reporting from Egypt

On September 22, 2025, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi issued a presidential pardon for six prisoners of conscience, with Alaa Abd El-Fattah being the most prominent. Alaa has spent nearly eleven of the last fourteen years behind bars, but today, he is back on the streets, finally able to walk on the ground that had previously been only a distant dream.

Since January 25, 2011, Alaa has emerged as one of Egypt’s most dedicated voices for change. During the remarkable uprising in 2011 that successfully ended Hosni Mubarak’s nearly thirty-year rule, Alaa was one of the first to face arrest and was repeatedly detained as imprisonment became an unfortunate chapter of his life. During his incarceration in Wadi Natroun prison, Alaa encountered a grim reality of isolation, bullying, and restricted access to books. Yet, his voice transcended those barriers. He managed to send out smuggled letters and essays that became lifelines to the outside world, subsequently gathered in his inspiring book,You Have Not Yet Been Defeated. In these powerful writings, Alaa presented a narrative of resilience from inside the prison walls.

In 2022, his remarkable 227-day hunger strike caught global attention, transforming his fragile body into a powerful statement. Coinciding with the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Alaa’s name echoed in the global discourse on climate justice.

While his release feels like a much-anticipated break, it also stirs deeper reflection. It is a respite, as his voice now escapes the confines of prison; yet, it serves as a poignant reminder of the tens of thousands who remain imprisoned, their stories untold and their names forgotten. Alaa has been released, but it is crucial to recognize that freedom is often fleeting; it remains contingent and conditional. Writing about him is not merely a recounting of events; it serves as a vital reminder of the fragility of life for all those trapped in the poignant space between the dreams of 2011 and the realities of its aftermath. There is hope on the horizon, and we must continue to advocate for lasting change.

Sayani Sarkar, Editor-at-Large, Reporting from India

This month, it was announced that Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh has been awarded the 2025 Park Kyongni Prize, an annual international literary award based in Korea that honors the literary legacy of novelist Pak Kyong-ni (1926-2008), renowned for her epic saga Toji (translated in part in Agnita Tennant’s Land). According to the Toji Cultural Foundation, the literary award aims to recognize novelists worldwide who have significantly influenced the course of literature while preserving its intrinsic value. Nominated alongside Egyptian writer Salwa Bakr and Irish author John Banville, Ghosh was awarded for “expanding the frontiers of postcolonial and ecological literature and for giving voice to subaltern subjects, including nature itself.” He will be awarded a prize of $73,060 on October 23 in Wonju, South Korea.

Closer to home, the not-for-profit, volunteer-driven literary initiative Valley of Words based in Dehradun, India has revealed the winners of its annual Book Awards. Through its Book Awards, Valley of Words celebrates books across a wide spectrum of categories including fiction and nonfiction, and spotlighting both Hindi and English translations from Indian languages. This year, Kusum Khemani’s Lavanyadevi, translated by Banibrata Mahanta, triumphed in the English Translation category. This sweeping generational saga, told through the voices of women from colonial India to the present, weaves together Bengali and Marwari traditions. In the Hindi translation category, the winning title was Bahattar Meel by Ashok Vatkar, translated from Marathi by Sulabha Kore. The Valley of Words awards shine a light on hidden literary gems including translated books, revealing how stories often journey through regional languages in India before reaching a wider audience in English.

Meanwhile, I was thrilled to discover two books about Indian cinema published by Seagull Books recently and now available globally. Inspired by the Indian director Shyam Benegal’s 1985 documentary on Satyajit Ray, the book Satyajit Ray: A Film compiles the script of the documentary, extended interview excerpts, and a trove of visual material that brings Ray’s creative world to life. Ray was a true polymath, excelling as a filmmaker, writer, illustrator, composer, and designer. With Benegal’s own storied career, this book becomes a rare window into the meeting of two cinematic auteurs, offering readers a front-row seat to their artistic dialogue. The second new release is The Absence Trilogy by Indian director Mrinal Sen. It contains shot-by-shot reconstructions (post-production filmscripts) of Ekdin Pratidin, Kharij, and Ekdin Achanak, three movies directed by Sen depicting the complex psychodrama of the Indian middle class. An introductory essay by Somnath Zutshi discusses themes in Mrinal Sen’s cinema and his legacy along with black-and-white reproductions of scenes from the films, providing an in-depth exploration of Sen’s work for an international audience.

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