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Political Fictions: Contemporary Novels by Libyan Women

March 2025

Ras Al Hallab Lighthouse

Photo by Moayad Zaghdani on Unsplash.

The traditional stereotypical narrative about the Arab world tends to exclude the participation of women in the progression of the nation’s politics. This collection presents excerpts from three novels by women writers grounded in Libyan political history.

William James Müller painting

William James Müller, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tripoli, 1911

By Aisha Ibrahim

As Italy invades Tripoli in 1911, a young girl witnesses the beginnings of war in this excerpt from Aisha Ibrahim’s Box of Sand, longlisted for the 2023 International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

Translated from Arabic by Nashwa Nasreldin

Soldier observing from an abandoned vehicle

Photo by AMORIE SAM on Pexels.

Colonel Ali at Wadi Doum

By Kawther Eljehmi

Set against the backdrop of Libya’s turbulent political landscape, this excerpt from The Colonel by Kawther Eljehmi explores the complexities of survival, loyalty, and identity.

Translated from Arabic by Ranya Abdelrahman

vintage classic television

Photo by Ross Co on Pexels.

1973–1978: The Green March

By Najwa Bin Shatwan

As Gaddafi’s radical policies take hold in Libya, a family grapples with fear, loss, and the threat of betrayal in this excerpt from Najwa Bin Shatwan’s novel Concerto, shortlisted for the IPAF in 2023.

Translated from Arabic by Sawad Hussain