Jabbour Douaihy 1949 - 2021

IPAF is deeply saddened to hear of the death of the Lebanese writer Jabbour Douaihy and sends sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. Jabbour Douaihy was once longlisted and three times shortlisted for the Prize, a rare achievement. The first shortlisting, for June Rain, was in 2008, the Prize’s inaugural year, and the last was in 2020. His second shortlisted book, The Vagrant, richly deserved to be awarded the Institut du Monde Arabe’s 2013 award for the best Arabic novel translated into French for that year.

Jabbour Douaihy was not only a talented writer whose work never disappoints the reader, but a gentleman who encouraged younger authors to develop their creative gifts. Emerging writers who participated in the Prize’s annual nadwa, twice mentored by Douaihy, have testified to this. His kindness, wisdom and sense of humour will be greatly missed.