Elias Khoury

2.1. Early life and education

Elias Khoury was born in 1948 into a middle-class Greek Orthodox family in the predominantly Christian Ashrafiyye district of Beirut, Lebanon. His early literary awakening began at the age of eight when he started reading the works of Lebanese novelist Jurji Zaydan, which he later credited with teaching him extensively about Islam and his Arabic heritage. As he matured, Khoury's literary interests broadened to include classical Arabic literature, Russian novels by authors such such as Pushkin and Chekhov, and various forms of modernist literature.

In 1966, Khoury earned his high school diploma from al-Ra'i al-Saleh High School in Beirut. This period coincided with a growing polarization of Lebanese intellectual life, as opposition groups increasingly adopted pro-Palestinian and radical Arab nationalist stances. The following year, in 1967, at the age of 19, Khoury traveled to Jordan, where he visited a Palestinian refugee camp and subsequently enlisted in Fatah, which was then the largest resistance organization within the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. He later departed from Jordan following the events of Black September in Jordan, a period marked by an attempted coup against King Hussein that resulted in the killing or expulsion of thousands of Palestinians. Khoury pursued his higher education at the Lebanese University, graduating with a degree in history in 1970. He furthered his studies in Paris, France, where he received his PhD in social history from the University of Paris in 1973.

2.2. Political and social participation

Khoury's political engagement intensified with the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War. He became an active member of the Lebanese National Movement, a significant alliance of leftist and pan-Arab parties primarily supported by Muslim factions. During his involvement in the conflict, Khoury sustained injuries that temporarily left him blinded, a testament to his direct participation in the tumultuous period. His advocacy for the Palestinian cause remained a consistent thread throughout his political and literary life, deeply influencing his perspectives and creative output.

2.3. Personal life and death

Elias Khoury was married to Najla, and together they had two children. After a period of declining health, Khoury passed away at a hospital in Beirut on 15 September 2024, at the age of 76.

3.1. Literary career

Khoury embarked on his literary career with the publication of his first novel, 'an 'ilaqat al-da'irah (عن علاقات الدائرة^Arabic, On the Relations of the Circle), in 1975. This was followed in 1977 by al-Jabal al-saghir (الجبل الصغير^Arabic, The Little Mountain), a novel set against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War, a conflict that Khoury initially believed would serve as a catalyst for progressive social change. His other notable works include Rihlat Ghandi al-saghir (رحلة غاندي الصغير^Arabic, The Journey of Little Gandhi), which tells the story of a rural immigrant navigating the events of the civil war in Beirut.

One of his most acclaimed works is Bab al-Shams (باب الشمس^Arabic, Gate of the Sun), published in 2000. This epic novel powerfully re-tells the experiences of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon since the 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight, known as the Nakba. The book delves deeply into complex themes of memory, truth, and the very act of storytelling. Its profound impact led to its adaptation into a film of the same name in 2002 by the Egyptian director Yousry Nasrallah. In an interview with the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot following the publication of the Hebrew translation of Gate of the Sun, Khoury articulated his approach to character and perspective:
"When I was working on this book, I discovered that the 'other' is the mirror of the I. And given that I am writing about half a century of Palestinian experience, it is impossible to read this experience otherwise than in the mirror of the Israeli 'other.' Therefore, when I was writing this novel, I put a lot of effort into trying to take apart not only the Palestinian stereotype but also the Israeli stereotype as it appears in Arab literature and especially in the Palestinian literature of Ghassan Kanafani, for example, or even of Emil Habibi. The Israeli is not only the policeman or the occupier, he is the 'other,' who also has a human experience, and we need to read this experience. Our reading of their experience is a mirror to our reading of the Palestinian experience."

Khoury's 2002 novel, Yalu (يالو^Arabic), translated into English in 2008 by Peter Theroux, depicted a former militiaman accused of crimes during Lebanon's civil war. The novel also critically examined the use of torture within the Lebanese judicial system. The title itself refers to a Palestinian Arab village that was annexed by Israel during the 1967 war and subsequently destroyed, with all its inhabitants expelled, mostly to Jordan. Kirkus Reviews described Yalo as a "deceptively intricate" story and an "unsparing portrayal of a man without a country, a history or even an identity," highlighting Khoury's unflinching engagement with difficult realities.

Khoury's novels are distinguished by their complex exploration of political themes and fundamental questions of human behavior. His narrative technique frequently employs an interior monologue, at times approaching a stream of consciousness. In his more recent works, he incorporated a considerable element of colloquial Arabic, although the primary language of his novels remained Modern Standard Arabic. While the use of dialect in dialogue is relatively common in modern Arabic literature (as seen in the work of Yusuf Idris), Khoury's innovative use of it within the main narrative itself was unusual in contemporary literature. He explained this deliberate choice by stating, "As long as the official, written language is not opened to the spoken language it is a total repression because it means that the spoken, social experience is marginalised."

3.2. Editorial career

In addition to his prolific writing, Elias Khoury held several significant editorial positions, contributing to the intellectual and cultural landscape of the Arab world. His editorial career began in 1972 when he joined the editorial board of the journal Mawaqif. From 1975 to 1979, he served as the editor of the Palestinian Liberation Organization's magazine, Shu'un Filastiniyya (Palestinian Affairs Magazine), a role he undertook in collaboration with the renowned poet Mahmoud Darwish. Between 1980 and 1985, Khoury worked as an editor for the series Thakirat Al-Shu'ub, published by the Arab Research Foundation in Beirut. In the 1980s, he was the editorial director first of Al Karmel magazine, and subsequently of the cultural section of Al-Safir. Khoury also served as the technical director of Beirut Theater from 1992 to 1998 and was a co-director of the Ayloul Festival of Modern Arts.

From 1992 to 2009, Khoury notably edited Al-Mulhaq, the cultural supplement of the Lebanese daily newspaper Al-Nahar. Under his leadership, the magazine became a critical voice, particularly in its examination of controversial aspects of Lebanon's post-Civil War reconstruction, which was spearheaded by former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri. In a 2019 article, Khaled Saghieh noted that Al-Mulhaq was "foundational in launching the debate over memory that would occupy a wide portion of the Lebanese cultural scene in the 1990s," highlighting its profound influence on national discourse. Khoury's works have gained wide international readership, translated and published in languages including Catalan, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Norwegian, Spanish, and Swedish.

3.3. Academic career

Elias Khoury was a distinguished academic who taught at numerous universities across the globe, sharing his expertise in literary and cultural studies. In the United States, he held teaching positions at prestigious institutions such as New York University, University of Houston, Berkeley College, The University of Chicago, Columbia University, Georgetown University, the University of Minnesota, and Princeton University. His academic contributions extended to Europe, where he taught at the University of Poitiers in France, the University of London in the United Kingdom, the University of Berlin in Germany, and the University of Zurich in Switzerland. In his home country of Lebanon, he taught at the American University of Beirut, the Lebanese American University, and his alma mater, Lebanese University.

4.1. Novels

Khoury's novels are central to his literary legacy, often exploring themes of memory, identity, and political conflict.

4.2. Criticism and other works

Beyond his novels, Khoury contributed significantly to literary criticism, short stories, and dramatic arts.

Story collections

• 1984: Al-mubtada' wa'l-khabar, issued in Beirut.
• 1990: Al-lo'aba al-hakikiya (اللعبة الحقيقية); issued in Beirut.

Criticism

• 1979: Dirasat fi naqd al-shi'r (Studies in Poetry Criticism)
• 1982: Al-dhakira al-mafquda (The Lost Memory)
• 1984: Tajribat al-ba'th 'an ufq (The Experience of Searching for a Horizon)
• 1985: Zaman al-ihtilal (The Time of Occupation)
• 2023: النكبة المستمرة (The Continuous Nakba), a compilation of 12 essays and articles.

Plays

• 1993: Muthakarat Ayoub (Ayoub's Memoirs)
• 1995: Habs al-Ramel (Sand Prison) (in collaboration with Rabih Mrouè)
• 2000: Thalathat Mulsakat (Three Posters) (in collaboration with Rabih Mroué)

Screenplays

• 1992: Kharej al-Hayat (Out of Life) (in collaboration with Maroun Baghdadi)
• 2002: Bab al-Shams (Gate of the Sun) (in collaboration with Yousry Nasrallah and Mohamed Soueid)

7.1. Positive assessment

Khoury's work has consistently received critical acclaim for its literary innovation and its powerful engagement with challenging subject matter. His narrative techniques, characterized by interior monologues and stream of consciousness, along with his groundbreaking use of colloquial Arabic in the main narrative, have been praised for pushing the boundaries of modern Arabic literature. Critics have lauded his ability to craft "deceptively intricate" stories, as noted by Kirkus Reviews for Yalo, and to offer "unsparing portrayals" of individuals grappling with profound existential and political challenges.

His contributions to understanding the Palestinian narrative, especially through works like Gate of the Sun, are considered invaluable. Khoury's insistence on exploring the 'continuous Nakba' and deconstructing stereotypes has provided a crucial lens through which to comprehend the ongoing human experience of displacement and conflict. His numerous awards, including the Prize of Palestine and the Al Owais Award, further underscore his recognition as a leading voice in Arab and world literature, celebrated for his artistic merit and his profound moral and political insights.

7.2. Criticism and controversy

While Elias Khoury's work has been widely celebrated, the provided source materials do not detail specific criticisms or controversies surrounding his writings or public statements. His work, however, often delves into sensitive political and historical topics, such as the Lebanese Civil War and the Nakba, which are inherently subjects of ongoing debate and diverse interpretations within the region and internationally. His critical stance on the post-Civil War reconstruction in Lebanon, expressed through his editorial role at Al-Mulhaq, indicates his willingness to challenge established narratives and power structures, which may have drawn scrutiny.