Laila Abdullah
Laila Abdullah | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1982 Oman |
| Occupation(s) | Author, poet, literary critic |
| Known for | Farho's Notebooks |
Laila Abdullah (Arabic: ليلة عبدالله), born in 1982, is an Omani author, poet, and literary critic currently residing in the UAE. She gained prominence through her novel focusing on children's perspectives during wartime, titled Farho's Notebooks.
Career
Abdullah maintained the blog Breathing Slowly and regularly penned weekly articles for newspapers in both the UAE and Oman, including AlRoeya, as well as contributing to London's Al-Arab.
Her body of work encompasses poetry, children's books, literary criticism, and short fiction. Her poems have been rendered into several languages such as Polish and Spanish. Initially, she focused on free verse poetry before transitioning her creative efforts more toward narrative writing.
List of Publications
| Absurd Silence | Her Ninth Heart |
| Farho's Notebooks | Sofa, a Book, a Cup of Coffee |
| Children's Literature in the UAE | Presumed Love Letters between Henry Miller and Annaise Nin |
| The Qualms of the World Chamber | My Storytelling Creatures |
Awards
- The Qualms of the Room of the Worlds (هواجس غرفة العالم - 2014) – Awarded Best Essay Edition in Muscat in 2015
- My Storytelling Creatures (كائناتي السردية - 2015) – Received Best Short Story Book Award in Muscat in 2016
- Farho's Notebooks (2018 - دفاتر فارهو) – Finalist for the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in 2019
Reviews
Talib Al-Rafai praised Laila Abdullah for her skillful portrayal of narrative depth and fictional elements, effectively representing both Arab and Western figures within richly drawn settings.
A critique published by Independent Arabia remarks that Farho's Notebooks utilizes diverse narrative techniques, moving from an intense depiction of conflict to a more straightforward account reflecting daily life experiences.