PVPF 2024

CEO of Penguin Random House Says, “Arab World Has a Lot to Offer in the Publishing Area”

CEO of Penguin Random House Markus Dohle commented on the development and uplifting energy of the book festival while attending the book fair for the first time
on Nov 14, 2022

There is no doubting the great diversity of Arab culture, which has a strong heritage of storytelling and history. However, it appears that neither audience within the area nor outside of it is being reached by Arab storytelling.

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre organized several panel discussions at the Frankfurt Book Fair last month to examine ways to overcome obstacles affecting Arabic literature and the Arabic publishing industry.

The increase of digital piracy, protecting authors' intellectual property, reading instruction, and distribution issues were at the center of talks earlier in May during the International Congress of Publishing and Creative Industries in Abu Dhabi.

Any reader of Arabic literature will acknowledge that there are issues with the Arab publishing industry's infrastructure. Simply said, not all Arabic-language books are easily accessible to readers, and not all Arabic-language authors feel that their work is given the platforms and support that it merits.

However, judging from the sessions, award ceremonies, and conversations on the ground, there is a sense of urgency and the regional publishing industry is taking matters into its own hands by moving in the right direction, as seen by the impressive turnout at this year's Sharjah International Book Fair, which runs until Sunday.

CEO of Penguin Random House Markus Dohle commented on the development and uplifting energy of the book festival while attending the book fair for the first time.

Dohle tells The National, "We see the rise, both here in foreign distribution, but also a local publication."

Every year, the book expo expands and develops into a significant worldwide hub for publishing, publishing executives, foreign bookstores, and consumers alike.

Dohle's visit is a hint that prestigious companies are interested in the area, including Penguin Random House. On the one hand, some of the company's books, like Prince Harry's much-anticipated memoir Spare, undoubtedly resonate with readers in several areas due to our common global culture.

Dohle describes him as one of the most intriguing and well-known public characters in recent memory. It is an honor for us as publishers to help share his experiences with the public, both at home and abroad, with his family, and beyond.

Penguin Random House, on the other hand, also wants to support regional voices and cultures, whether through publishing opportunities or by examining the local literary scene and writing talent.

One book at a time and one story at a time are always the mantras in publishing, according to Dohle.

"We have experience bringing foreign voices to the area, but we are still developing our understanding of the local way of life, the local writers, and the literary scene. And it will take some time for us to choose the greatest voices, which we will ideally introduce to the public.

Using stories to overcome obstacles, make connections, and comprehend our surroundings is a part of the human experience. However, if the books aren't being published, this can't happen, and here in the Arab world, a lack of diversity in the sector internationally is a significant obstacle.

There simply aren't enough books in translation or written by authors from the Arab diaspora in the context of Arab writing, particularly Arab fiction.

The Return by Hisham Matar won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography in 2017, Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi from Oman won the International Man Booker Prize in 2019, and Zeina Hashem Beck from Lebanon became the first Arab poet to have her poetry collection O published as part of the Penguin Poets series this year.

These, together with several newly published graphic novels and works of young adult literature, are simply the beginning of what ought to be a more extensive and varied body of creative work by Arab authors.

According to Dohle, the change must begin internally, within publishing houses themselves, to see real, organic diversity.

He explains, "We have publishing firms on six continents in more than 25 nations.

"Our community must eventually reflect the demographics of the society, the country, and the culture. Once we've done that, we'll be able to draw in a wider range of publishing and writing ability, which will lead to a wider range of tales. We will be able to publish more varied tales and reach a wider audience if we have it. However, it begins with us.

Social media has been crucial in bringing diversity-related concerns, particularly in fiction, to the forefront of the conversation about books and reading during the past several years.

The hashtag #OwnVoices, now commonplace in the industry, was created by author Corinne Duyvis to draw attention to novels whose authors or leading figures are members of underrepresented or marginalized populations.

In 2020, authors posted book advances online as part of the social media campaign #PublishingPaidMe on Twitter. The viral campaign made clear that white writers and writers of color receive significantly different pay and opportunities for advancement.

Also in 2020, The New York Times published an article titled Just How White Is the Book Industry? that revealed that out of 7,124 books that were published by significant publishing houses between 1950 and 2018, 95% of the authors were white.

Although there has been an improvement in the diversity of authors and stories at major publishing firms in recent years, there is still no easy solution to this glaring disparity.

Dohle claims that "progress" has been made. "This is not a race. It's a long race. However, I believe that we have now made it concrete and quantifiable, which is a significant step that the industry has never taken.

One of the few industries where creativity and business coexist is publishing. And while it could appear like streaming services are in direct competition with reading, in reality, they have helped offer a voice to a variety of viewpoints and encouraged a return to reading.

We may have had 10 or 15 articles that were turned into video content ten or fifteen years ago, according to Dohle.

“Today? Due to the expansion of streaming video, many more people now own and read the book because they return to the original novel after watching these series.

To mention a few, critically and financially successful novel adaptations, such as Crazy Rich Asians, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and Bridgerton, are encouraging viewers to read the original work.

The emergence of various voices from around the globe and their ability to engage an audience makes it seem only logical that stories from and about the Arab world, written by Arabs, will soon follow suit.

Money, according to Dohle, "gets envious and follows the finest stories."

"We need to identify the most interesting authors, assist them in refining their works and the presentation, and then release it to the public.

And because of the region's rich history and culture, I believe it has a lot to offer, both in fiction and nonfiction.