Kader Abdolah
Kader Abdolah | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 12, 1954 Arak, Iran |
| Occupation(s) | Author, poet, columnist |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Writing in Dutch with themes from Persian literature; novel "Het huis van de moskee" |
Hossein Sadjadi Ghaemmaghami Farahani (), better recognized by his literary pseudonym Kader Abdolah () (born 12 November 1954 in Arak), is an Iranian-Dutch author, poet, and columnist. Although he mainly composes his works in Dutch, his writing frequently draws upon themes from Persian literature. He is also regularly featured on Dutch television programs.
Life
Abdolah is a descendant of Mirza Abu'l-Qasem Qa'em-Maqam, a notable Iranian statesman from the Qajar period who was closely connected to the arts and literary circles.
His desire to pursue writing was closely linked to his political activism after the 1979 Islamic revolution, during which he contributed to leftist publications. In the 1980s, he produced two novels—What are the Kurds saying? and Kurdistan after the resistance party—which were circulated underground due to political censorship.
Following his relocation to the Netherlands, Abdolah moved away from direct political involvement and embraced literature as his primary medium. He regarded acquiring proficiency in Dutch and writing in that language as a deliberate approach to communicate and exert influence. This shift marked a significant turning point in his career, utilizing literary expression as a form of advocacy.
Career
Kader Abdolah pursued physics studies at Arak College of Science (present-day Arak University) in Arak, Iran, completing his degree in 1977. Subsequently, he served in the Iranian Navy stationed at Bandar Pahlavi (now Bandar-e Anzali). During the revolutionary period, he aligned with leftist factions opposing both the Shah and later Khomeini’s government. In 1988, he sought asylum in the Netherlands as a political refugee. In 2006, he held the position of writer-in-residence at Leiden University. Currently residing in Delft, he writes under a pen name inspired by two friends who were executed.
His novel Het huis van de moskee (The House of the Mosque) established him as a bestselling author in the Dutch literary scene. In 2007, it was ranked as the second greatest Dutch novel ever in an online poll conducted by NRC Handelsblad and NPS. The English translation became available internationally in January 2010.
Works/Publications
- 1993 – De adelaars
- 1995 – De meisjes en de partizanen
- 1997 – De reis van de lege flessen
- 1998 – Is dit mijn recht, mijn lief?
- 1998 – Buitenspiegels: verhalen over Nederland
- 1998 – Mirza
- 1998 – Short Shorties
- 1999 – Les jeunes filles et les partisans
- 2000 – My Father's Notebook: A Novel of Iran
- 2001 – De koffer
- 2001 – Een tuin in zee
- 2001 – Andere ogen: Een frisse blik op
- 2002 – Kélilé en Demné
- 2002 – Sophia's droë vrugte
- 2003 – Portretten en een oude droom
- 2003 – Karavaan
- 2005 – Het huis van de moskee (The House of the Mosque)
- 2006 – II viaggio delle bottiglie vuote
- 2007 – Voetstappen
- 2008 – Two-volume publication: De boodschapper: een vertelling, narrating the life of prophet Muhammad, alongside Abdolah’s Dutch rendition of the Qur'an, titled de Koran: een vertaling
- 2010 – Mohammad, der Prophet
- 2011 – De koning and De kraai
- 2012 – IL re and How Europe is changing
- 2014 – Papegaai vloog over de IJssel
- 2016 – Messenger, The: A Tale Retold and Salam Europa!
- 2018 – Het pad van de gele slippers
- 2020 – English edition of The House of the Mosque
- 2022 – Il faraone d'Olanda (Narrativa)
Honours and awards
- Achieved the highest selling debut in 1993 with his book De adelaars (Eagles).
- Awarded the Dutch Media Prize in 1997 for the publication Mirza.
- Recipient of the E. du Perronprijs in 2000, recognizing the novel Spijkerschrift.
- Bestowed the title of Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2000.
- Conferred the rank of Knight (Chevalier) within the French Order of Arts and Literature (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) in 2008.
- Granted an honorary doctorate by the University of Groningen in 2009.
- Selected to author the 2011 Boekenweekgeschenk, a special publication titled De Kraai distributed as a promotional gift during Boekenweek to Dutch readers.
References
- Weisman, Sarah Conrad (2006). "My Father's Notebook". Library Journal. 131 (1): 1.
- Dynarowicz, Ewa (2022). "Handicap als narratieve prothese in het werk van Kader Abdolah". Nederlandse Letterkunde. 27 (2): 214–238. doi:10.5117/NEDLET2022.2.004.DYNA.
External links
- Kader Abdolah at UC Berkeley: Literature as Resistance
- Profile of Kader Abdolah on World Editions.org
- Contributor page for Kader Abdolah at Words Without Borders
- Biography of Kader Abdolah, Nederlands Literair Productie- en Vertalingenfonds
- Kader Abdolah in Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren
- Kader Abdolah, Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren
- Publications and Reviews by Kader Abdolah at Publishers Weekly
- Kader Abdolah's profile on IMDb
Further reading
- "READINGS AND TALKS: KADER ABDOLAH". New Yorker. 1979-02-05.
- Shirazi, Said (2006-02-20). "Losing Persian, Finding Iran: PW Talks with Kader Abdolah". Publishers Weekly.