The Writer’s Block: A Video Q & A with Hamdy El-Gazzar

In this segment of The Writer’s Block, Hamdy El-Gazzar discusses writing poetry, incorporating sex as a theme in his work, and the importance of letting the spirit of a text live in translation.

In October Hamdy El-Gazzar, acclaimed Egyptian author and journalist, came to Pittsburgh as a visiting writer. During his stay, he was a featured author at the Prague Writers’ Festival where he participated in a discussion entitled, “Freedom of Literature.” He also read several of his short pieces on Sampsonia Way in partnership with City of Asylum/Pittsburgh. El-Gazzar has published two novels, Sihr Aswad (Black Magic) which earned the acclaimed Sawaris Award and was translated by Humphrey Davies, and Ladhdhat Sirriyya (Private Pleasures). He is currently a Sampsonia Way Fearless, Ink. columnist and is working on his third novel.