Author Description

The SONG-themed issue of ArabLit Quarterly takes readers on a musical journey from the 9th century through the 21st, featuring songbooks, short stories, poetry, essays, reflections, art, a playlist, a recipe, and a graphic novel by Zahra Marwan that goes on a song-filled trip between New Mexico, Mecca, and Kuwait. As always, work ranges over eras, and includes 10th-century poetry by the polymath Kushajim; a look at music and the Divine from Esme L.K. Partridge; a journey through Palestinian resistance folk music with Shaimaa Abulebda; a look at songbooks from Andalusia and Egypt with Nicholas Mangialardi; and contemporary short stories and poetry by authors from Sudan, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. A journey for the ears, eyes, and spirit.