Iraqi novelist wins Arab Fiction International Prize

Iraqi novelist Ahmad Saadawi won Tuesday the 7th International Prize for Arabic Fiction 2014 for his "Frankenstein in Baghdad" Novel. The Prize is supported by the Booker Prize Foundation in London and funded by the Tourism and Culture Authority Abu Dhabi. Saadawi won USD 50,000 and his novel will be translated into English, placed on shelves and win international recognition. Set in the spring of 2005, Frankenstein in Baghdad tells the story of Hadi Al-Attag, a rag-and-bone man who lives in a populous district of Baghdad. He takes the body parts of those killed in explosions and sews them together to create a new body. The body is penetrated by a displaced soul, bringing it to life. The new creature, many call him Frankestein, take revenge against those who killed him, or killed those whose parts make up his body. Frankenstein in Baghdad has been selected as the best fiction published within the last 12 months, selected from 156 entries from 18 countries across the Arab World. "We chose Frankenstein in Baghdad for several reasons. Firstly for the originality of its narrative structure, as represented in the 'what's-its-name' character, who embodies the violence currently experienced in Iraq, other Arab countries and the wider world. The story is expertly told on several levels and from multiple viewpoints, said Saad Al-Bazei on behalf of the judging panel