Ramy Habeeb, Director and co-founder of Kotobarabia.com, graduated from McGill University with a double major in Literature and Religious Studies, after which he lived in Okinawa, Japan for three years.
Returning to Egypt in 2004, Ramy, 29, saw that Egyptian Literature was not reaching an international audience and realised this was because of two disadvantages that the local publishing industry had yet to overcome: distribution and censorship. Seeking to bypass these problems he established Kotobarabia.com in September 2004, becoming the first Arabic language e-book publishing house in the Middle East.
Through the internet, Kotobarabia’s books can reach Arabic readers anywhere in the world at the click of a button. And, due to the lack of Internet regulations, Kotobarabia is able to publish book that have previously been banned by local governments, so that books from all religions and political opinions can now appear side by side.
To date, Kotobarabia has acquired the e-rights to over 1,000 Arab authors and has digitised over 3,500 titles.
Ramy’s aim is to build a Library of Alexandria that cannot be burned down; preserving and distributing Arabic literature for people today and generations to come.
by various authors (Kotobarabia)
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A compilation of top ten short stories written by Egyptian High School students for the 2006 Creative Writing Youth Contest. A smile, a one-armed bandit, a funeral and a shepherd; although seemingly simple themes, the collection is symbolic of what Egyptian youth sees and thinks. Deep, thought-provoking and inspiring, Tarh El Shageerat is a powerful anthology of what Egypt’s future generation is capable of. |
The three other books Ramy is presenting from Egypt are:
by Safaa Abdul Mana (Sanable Publishing House)
Set during 1967 to 1970 (the period of Egypt’s great defeat and the death of Nasr), the book brings to life a marginalized Egyptian family. Written in colloquial Arabic, Safaa breaks from classical literary tradition in order to emphasize that despite pain and hardship, those we love matter most.
by Saad El Qirsh (The Egyptian Lebanese Publishing House)
Spanning generations born before the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt, Awal El Nihar is a story about the descendants of Hag Amran. Following the strife and battles against the Pashas, the Mamlokes, and the French, this is a compassionate novel dealing with a neverending battle for existence.
by Hany Labib (El Shorouk Publishing House)
Hany Labib argues that both during Ancient and Modern times, Egypt has always been a land of diversity, embracing all faiths, Coptic and Muslims alike. This work is monumental in closing the divide between two strong religious traditions.
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