Bernard MacLaverty & Atef Abu Saif

We are very sad to report that Atef Abu Saif has not been granted a visa to leave Gaza, but we are delighted that he will now be represented at this event by his translator Alice Guthrie.

These two fascinating writers have both drawn on their experience of growing up in divided communities. Bernard MacLaverty was born in Belfast but now lives in Glasgow. He has published five collections of short stories and four novels – Lamb, Cal, Grace Notes (shortlisted for the Booker Prize) and The Anatomy School. He has also written versions of his fiction for radio, TV, screen and libretti. Atef Abu Saif was born in Jabaia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip in 1973. He is the author of four novels: Shadows in the Memory, The Tale of the Harvest Night, Snowball and The Salty Grape of Paradise, and the short story collection Everything is Normal. Atef Abu Saif appears courtesy of Literature Across Frontiers.

* We realise that you are going to be spoilt for choice over the Short Weekend, so, to make things a little easier on your pockets we are offering a fantastic joint ticket offer on the following four events: When It Changed: Science-into-Fiction Anthology launch, Hassan Blasim & David Constantine and Chris Beckett & James Lasdun. All 4 events can be booked for the total price of £10 / £6 by phoning 0843 208 0500 and quoting “MLF Short Weekend Offer”.