Omani writer Jokha al-Harthi granted Man Booker Award

CAIRO - 27 May 2019: Omani writer Jokha al-Harthi, the first Arab writer to win the Man Booker World Prize for the novel “Sayedat el-Qamar” (Women of the Moon), returned home after attending the ceremony of announcing the winning novel in the British capital, London.

The Omani writer was greeted by a number of her compatriots who hosted a special reception in honor of her winning the Man Booker World Prize. The novel tells the story of three sisters. The novel depicts the development of Omani society from a society that adopts slavery, reaching a crossroad that leads to the present society with its social complexities.

Harthi wrote three novels, two stories and two children's stories. Her novel "Naranga" won the Sultan Qaboos Prize for Culture, Arts and Literature in 2016.

The Man Booker World Prize is an international award officially established in the United Kingdom in 2005. The award is granted every two years to a novel translated into English.


It is noteworthy that the jury of the Man Booker World Prize 2019 is formed of a committee of five judges led by Bettany Hughes, an award-winning historian, author and broadcaster.