UK WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE SUHAYL SAADI TO HOLD PUBLIC READINGS WHILE IN WASHINGTON FOR A MONTH

Washington, DC (October 2) – Scottish novelist, short story writer and dramatist Suhayl Saadi arrives for a month of teaching and public readings at George Washington University as part of the British Council’s UK Writer-in-Residence Program.

Saadi’s first novel and Scottish best-seller Psychoraag, winner of a PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award, explores the life of a Glasgow radio DJ through a blend of Scots dialect, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi references as well as allusions to Celtic and contemporary music. In a nod to the novel’s multicultural and multilingual narrative, Scotland’s Sunday Herald described this innovative debut as “Midnight’s Children-meets-Trainspotting.”

On Monday, October 6, Saadi will hold a public reading at 8:00 p.m. in the City View Room on the seventh floor of 1957 E Street, NW at George Washington University. As Psychoraag incorporates phonetic spellings of the Scottish dialect, the public reading will be a unique chance to hear the work as originally imagined by the author. In addition, on Monday, October 13, Saadi will discuss the influence of his background as a Scottish writer of Pakistani heritage and the role that memory, time, place and multiple voices play in “destabilizing” literature, bringing fiction closer to the truth of everyday life. The second event will take place at 8:15 p.m. in room B07 in the Media and Public Affairs Building at George Washington University. Copies of Psychoraag will be available for purchase at the George Washington University bookstore throughout the fall semester.

Known throughout the UK as the preeminent Scottish-Pakistani writer, Saadi was raised by Afghan-Pakistani parents in Glasgow and formally trained as a doctor. He has produced a wide variety of literature, including The Burning Mirror, a collection of short stories that was shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish First Book of the Year Award; radio and stage plays; lyrics for classical and folk-rock musical ensembles; and essays for several national newspapers, including The Times, The Independent and The Herald, on subjects ranging from Sufism to British Pantomime. He is also the co-director of an arts production company, Heer Productions Ltd., which established the Pakistani Film, Media and Arts Festival in the UK. To learn more about Saadi, visit: http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-arts-literature-uk-writer-in-residence-suhayl-saadi.htm.

The UK Writer-in-Residence Program is an ongoing cultural initiative by the British Council, the UK’s nonprofit organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities, to bring rising literary stars in Britain to the US twice a year. Authors spend a month on American college campuses, engaging with students and professors as well as the larger community of the host city. Past participants include critically-acclaimed British authors and poets Bernardine Evaristo, Lemn Sissay and Diran Adebayo. Returning to the UK with an international readership, many of the writers have launched new phases in their careers; Rommi Smith currently serves as the first-ever Poet-in-Residence in the UK’s Parliament, while Anthony Joseph signed three book contracts with the prestigious international poetry publisher Salt.

The British Council

The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international non-profit organization for cultural relations and education opportunities. In the US, we increase recognition of the wide range of learning opportunities available in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and facilitate educational cooperation between the US and UK. Through transatlantic artistic partnerships, we introduce the American public to high-quality, groundbreaking creative achievements from the UK, and our science programs build networks that draw upon the UK's innovation in climate change and other disciplines. We also develop initiatives that give a voice to the next generation of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic, encouraging them to work together to explore solutions to current and future global issues. For more information, please visit www.britishcouncil.org/usa.