Mahmoud al-Rahbi

Mahmoud al-Rahbi (Arabic: محمود الرحبي) is an Omani novelist and storyteller who was born in 1969. He is the author of over seven story collections including ‘A Swing Over Two Periods of Time’ which ranked in the top position in ‘The Cultural Dubai Award’ in 2009, and ‘Noon Hour’ which won ‘Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts, and Literature’ in 2012. He, as well, has published four novels including ‘The Stranger’s Leaves’.

Biography Mohmoud al-Rahbi is an Omani novelist and storyteller, who was born in 1969 in Suroor village, Oman. He moved to Morocco to pursue higher education and studied Ijazh in Arabic Literature there. He holds an M.A. in Arabic Literature from Mohammed V University of Rabat and an M.A. in Mass Communication from Tunisia.

During his stay in Rabat, Al-Rahbi had the opportunity to attend several programs and lectures delivered by Mahmoud Darwish, Nizar Qabbani, Roger Garaudy, Jacques Berque, and others.

Al-Rahbi writs both stories and novels. Up to date, he has published more than seven story collections and some of them were translated into other languages. He has, also, published four novels including ‘The Stranger’s Leaves’ and ‘The Dreamer’s Map’. Al-Rahbi's writings are greatly inspired by the Omani environment. He, additionally, connects reality with Fantasia and Surrealism, using simple language facilitate comprehension.

He Has won several literary awards including ‘Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts, and Literature’ for his story collection ‘The Noon Hour’ in 2012. Moreover, in 2009, ‘A Swing Over Two Periods of Time’ won The Cultural Dubai Award and ranked on the top position. Al-rahbi was, also, nominated for Al Multaqa Prize For Arabic Short Story shortlist twice, for ‘It Wasn't Just A Laughter’ in 2017 and for ‘The Scream Of Munch’ in 2019.

Works

Story Collections Some of Al-Rahbi's story collections are:

The Brown Colour (Original title: Al-Lawn Al-Bonny), 1998 Oblivion Lake (Original title: Birkkat Al-Nissyan), 2006 A Swing Over Two Periods of Time (Original title: Aurjoha Fawqa Zamanain), 2011 The Scream of Munch (Original title: Sarkhat Munch), 2017 Three Mountain Stories (Original title: Thalathu Qissasin Jabalia), 2020

Novel

Al-Rahbi's has four novels including: The Dreamer's Map (Original title: Kharitat Al-Halim), 2010 The Stranger's Leaves (Original title: Awraq Al-Ghareeb), 2017

Awards Al-Rahbi has won several literary awards including:

‘Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts, and Literature’ for his story collection ‘The Noon Hour’ in 2012. 'Best Story' in Muscat International Book Fair for 'Why Don't You Joke with Me?' in 2008. The Cultural Dubai Award (Top 1) for his story collection ‘A Swing Over Two Periods of Time’, in 2009.

Nominations Al Multaqa Prize For Arabic Short Story shortlist for ‘It Was Not Just A Laughter’, in 2017. Al Multaqa Prize For Arabic Short Story shortlist for ‘The Scream Of Munch’ in 2019.