Abu Dhabi: The Shaikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) announced on Wednesday its long list in Literature, consisting of 12 titles out of 274 nominations received by the award since last May.

The 274 nominations came from 29 countries — most of which were from Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, UAE, and Tunisia, in addition to Holland, Canada, Norway, UK, Eritrea, Sweden, Australia and Belgium.

Out of the 12 contending titles, the long list includes three works published by Dar Al Saqi, Beirut; ‘Khareef al Bara’a’ (The Autumn of Innocence) by Lebanese author Abbas Beydoun, published in 2016; ‘Muntaja’ al Saherat’ (The Witches’ Resort) by Sudanese writer Amir Tag Elsir, published in 2015; ‘Alwah’ (Tablets) by Lebanese author Rashid Al Daif, published in 2016.

In addition, the list features two more titles published by Al Dar Al Masriah Al Lubnaniah, Cairo; which are ’an Tuhibbaka Jihan’ (To be Loved by Jihan) by novelist Mekkawy Said – Egypt (2015) and ‘Fi Fami Lu’lu’a’ (A Pearl in My Mouth) by Emirati author Maisoon Saqer, published in 2016.

Two more titles on the list are published by the Arab Cultural Centre Publications in Casablanca; which are ‘Khayt Al Rooh’ (The Soul’s Thread) by Moroccan scholar Mbarek Rabi, published in 2015; and ‘Lu’bat Al Mighzal’ (The Spinning Wheel Game) by the Eritrean novelist Haji Jabir, published in 2015.

The remaining titles are as follows — Al Suriyoon’ (The Syrians) by the Tunisian author Moncef Ouhaïbi published by Dar Afeq Perspectives, Tunisia (2016); Ja’izat al Taw’am’ (The Twin Prize) by Iraqi Maysaloon Hadi published by the Arab Institute for Research and Publishing, Beirut (2016); Yusra al Britaniya’ (British Yousra) by Bahraini Ahmad Juma published by Dar Al Farabi, Beirut (2015); Al duhoor al thani l’ibn la’boon’ (The Second Appearance of Ibn Laboun) by Kuwaiti Esmail Fahed Esmail published by Nova Plus for Publishing and Distribution, Kuwait (2016); and Matar Sirri (Secret Rain) by the Jordanian/Palestinian Zuhair Abu Shayeb published by Al Ahlia Publishing & Distribution, Amman (2016).

In the previous weeks, the Shaikh Zayed Book Award announced its long lists for the following categories: Contribution to Development of Nations, Arts and Literary Criticism, Children’s Literature, Young Author and Translation.

Further announcements on long-listed titles in the category of Arabic Culture in Other Languages will be made within the coming few weeks.