Egyptian writer and academic born in Cairo, Egypt in 1946. She studied at Cairo University and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst
She has published 7 novels, 2 collections of short stories, a memoir and 4 criticism books
Part I of her Granada Trilogy won the Cairo International Book Fair 1994 Book of the Year Award; the Trilogy won the First Prize of the First Arab Woman Book Fair (Cairo, Nov. 1995)
Part I of the Trilogy was translated into English (Syracuse University Press) and Spanish (Editiones del Oriente y del Mediterraneo)
Ashour has co-edited the 4-volume Encyclopedia of Arab Women Writers: 1873-1999, (2005)
She has also supervised and edited the Arabic translation of Vol. 9 of The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism (2006)
A number of Ashour’s novels and short stories were translated into English, Spanish, and Italian
Ashour is currently professor of English and Comparative Literature, Ain Shams University Cairo
Works:
1- The Search for a Black Poetics: A Study of Afro-American Critical Writings, unpublished PhD Dissertation, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, 1975
2- Al-Tariq ila al-Khaimat el Ukhra (A Study of the Works of the Palestinian novelist and short story writer Ghassan Kanafani), Beirut, 1977
3- Gibran and Blake: A Comparative Study, Cairo 1978
4- Al-Tabi’ Yanhad: al-Riwaya fi Gharb Ifriqiya (The Novel in West Africa), Beirut, 1980
5- Al-Rihla (The Journey: American Memoirs of an Egyptian Student), an autobiograhical work, Beirut, 1983
6- Hajar Daffe’ (Warm Stone), a novel, Cairo, 1985
7- Khadija wa Sawsan (Khadija and Sawsan), a novel, Cairo, 1989
8- Raaytul Nakhl (I Saw the Date-Palms), a collection of short stories, Cairo, 1989
9- Siraaj (Siraaj), a novella, Cairo, 1992
10- Ghernata (Granada), a novel, part one of a trilogy, Cairo, 1994
Ghernata was awarded the Best Book of the Year Award by the General Egyptian Book Organization, January 1995
11- Mariama Wal Rahil (Mariama and Exodus) parts 2 & 3 of The Granada Trilogy, Cairo, 1995
The Trilogy was awarded the first prize of The First Arab Woman Writers Book Fair, Cairo, November 1995
12- Atyaf (Ghosts) a novel, Cairo, 1999. Atyaf won the Cairo International Book Fair Award for the year 2003
13- Fil-Naqd al-Tatbiqi: Sayadul Zhakira (Critical Essays), Beirut, 2001
14- Taqareer al-Sayeda Ra’(Reports from Mrs.R), a collection of short stories, Dar ash-Shourouq, Cairo, 2001
15- Qet’ah men Europa (A Slice of Europe), a novel, al-Marqaz as-Thaqafil-Araby, Beirut & Casablanca, 2003; and Dar ash-Shourouq, Cairo, 2003
16- Ashour et al, ed. Mawsu’at al Katiba al ‘Arabeya, (Encyclopedia of Arab Women Writers), Dar Nour and al Majlis al A’la lel Thaqafa), Cairo, 2005, 4 volumes
17- Mawsu’et Cambridge le-Tarikh al Naqd al-Adabi: Al Qarn al 3eshrun: al Madakhel al Tarikhiya wal Falsafiya wal Nafsiya, ed
(Arabic translation of vol. 9 of The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism), Cairo, 2006
4 volumes,
18- A Forth coming book on the al Shidiaq and the beginning of the Arabic novel.
19- Mourid Barghouti, Midnight and Other Poems, trans. Radwa Ashour, Arc Publications, Lanc., 2008. 20- Numerous critical essays and lectures in Arabic and English.