Career talks: Meet Rana Asfour, TMR's Managing Editor who has a Passion for Supporting Authors and Literature

In this episode of Career Talks, I’m thrilled to welcome Rana Asfour , a remarkable woman whose journey from nutrition to literature is both inspiring and enlightening. Rana's career transitions—from a clinical nutritionist to a health editor, morning show host, and now the Managing Editor of The Markaz Review—demonstrate not only her versatility but also her unwavering passion for books and reading.

Rana has dedicated herself to championing Arabic literature, supporting writers and thinkers across the Arab world, and creating platforms that amplify their voices. Her blog, BookFabulous, has become a beloved space for book lovers, showcasing her insightful reviews and recommendations. I'm especially grateful to Rana for translating my short story, "Jaha in the Metaverse," which reflects her deep commitment to bridging cultures through literature.

During our conversation, Rana shares key moments from her career, the importance of translating Arabic works for a global audience, and her vision for the future of Arabic literature. Join us as we explore her journey, her protective instincts for the authors she works with, and her hopes for a thriving literary community that celebrates, rather than censors, its writers.

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I am the sort of person who listens to their gut feeling. Even as I moved between career paths, I believed that wherever I was headed, books had to be a big part of it somehow.

Fadi: Rana, welcome to this episode of my career talks. I am excited to learn more about you and your career. You've had a fascinating career journey—from studying nutrition and becoming a dietitian to transitioning into media, becoming a health editor, a morning TV show host, editor-in-chief of Living Well Magazine, a literature blogger and eventually the Managing Editor of The Markaz Review. WOW! Can you walk us through key moments in your career that led to each of these transitions, and tell us how they shaped your career?

Rana: Hi Fadi. Thank you for having me as part of your career talks segment. As you mentioned, my career has taken many turns, but they all seem to have led to writing and literature at every turn. As I’m sure you know, sometimes getting to the career you are passionate about doesn’t usually take a straightforward path. Often, figuring out what you want to do with your life comes with maturity, experience, and being in the right place at the right time. It also requires a sense of adventure and saying ‘yes’ even if what you agree to makes you feel out of your depth. I am the sort of person who listens to their gut feeling. Even as I moved between career paths, I believed that wherever I was headed, books had to be a big part of it somehow. So, I trusted that instinct and went with it. 

Even when I completed a degree in nutrition at AUB, and worked for a while as a clinical nutritionist, I also accepted a five-minute segment on a morning TV show in which I provided nutritional advice. Unknown to me at this time that it would lead me on a career path in media where not only would I have my own health show (Your Health with Rana) that I had to write the script for, it also provided me with the skills to move on and accept a position as a morning show host, health editor in a daily newspaper (the Arab Daily), editor-in-chief of a lifestyle magazine (Living Well magazine), and then as Health editor of the then-emerging online news platform (Albawaba). During all these career shifts, I met many fascinating people, including writers and authors. I’d always been a huge reader, and meeting some of my favorite writers on the job was a bonus, so it felt natural for BookFabulous to happen when it did. Despite all my work commitments, I always made time for books, and literature remained a big part of my life and grew more significant thanks to the environment my jobs presented.

Reading was the only thing that kept me sane whilst moving from one country to another

Fadi: Your blog, BookFabulous, is a beloved platform for book lovers. I always loved your reviews for my books. Made me happy. Can you tell us how the idea for the blog came about, the story behind its name, and what motivated you to start it? What other book reviewers bloggers or Instagrammers do you recommend us to follow?

Rana: It makes me so happy to hear that you like BookFabulous and that it made you happy. BookFabulous started in 2010, when blogs were ‘the in thing’ on the scene. I had been married to my husband for three years and had had my son, and we’d just moved countries for the third time for my husband’s job in the media industry. I hadn’t worked for three years by then. So, there I was in a new country again (London this time), and all I could think of was: What was I going to do with myself? I was itching to return to work, but my visa didn’t allow it then. I knew I wanted it to be in publishing or to do with books, writers, and writing. And then it struck me. Reading was the only thing that kept me sane whilst moving from one country to another. And what better way to learn about a new place than through its literature? While visiting all the London bookshops, I discovered Arabic titles in English that I couldn’t wait to dig into. English has always been the language I work with professionally. So, I started a book club where we read diverse genres published by authors in the host country and others translated from several languages, including Arabic. I created a blog to write about all the books I read. It was meant to be nothing more than a reading log (I hadn’t discovered Goodreads yet), and I gave it a catchy name, which I have to admit my husband helped with.

I love the word ‘fabulous’ and use it all the time, so when my husband suggested “BookFabulous,” that was that. I loved it! Since then, we’ve moved countries several times, and BookFabulous has always proved a godsend. It’s allowed me to connect with readers and writers like you and widen my pool of books and knowledge. It also allowed me to connect with other book bloggers and, more recently, Instagrammers. Having a book blog forced me to enroll in extended learning classes on how to read like a writer, review books, and analyze literary texts. I also attended several translation and fiction writing workshops. 
Since then, it’s been a world I’ve never wanted to leave.

Through BookFabulous, I discovered Arablit, which holds a special place in my heart, and others followed. Thanks to TikTok and Instagram, there are so many great avenues to learn about your next read that we’re spoilt for choice. You just have to find the one that speaks to you. I’ll mention Dodet Kotob by Nada Elshabrawy on YouTube for Arabic speakers because I love her diverse content.

We just celebrated our fifth year, publish in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish, and boast a stellar, robust team dedicated to promoting and disseminating rigorous, incisive, and engaging writing on every aspect of literature, culture, and the arts.

Fadi: You are doing an amazing job at the Managing Editor of The Markaz Review, how did this opportunity come about, and what is the main mission of The Markaz Review? How are you contributing to its goals, and what makes this role particularly meaningful to you?

Rana: Again, BookFabulous was the lucky charm that led me to The Markaz Review, or more precisely, it delivered TMR to me. During the early days of the pandemic in 2020, when I was living in the US, Editor-in-chief of TMR, Jordan Elgrably , contacted me on X (formerly Twitter) and asked if I’d be interested in reviewing a book for their publication. The COVID crisis resulted in the closure of The Markaz Center based in L.A. and the establishment of The Markaz Review online. It’s so bizarre, but I felt good about TMR from the first contact with Jordan. Again, it was a gut feeling. One review led to another, and I was later invited to join the weekly editorial meeting. Everyone at that point was doing this pro bono, and I was hooked. When Jordan offered the paid job as managing editor of TMR, it was a quick yes, and here we are. In 2021, a new chapter began when TMR created a non-profit association in Montpellier, where TMR currently operates. We just celebrated our fifth year, publish in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish, and boast a stellar, robust team dedicated to promoting and disseminating rigorous, incisive, and engaging writing on every aspect of literature, culture, and the arts. In addition, editors of The Markaz Review have curated anthologies, such as Woman Life Freedom: Voices and Art from the Women’s Protest in Iran, edited by Malu Halasa (Saqi Books 2023); Stories from the Center of the World: New Middle East Fiction, edited by Jordan Elgrably (City Lights 2024); and our upcoming Sumūd: A New Palestinian Reader, edited by TMR’s literary editor Malu Halasa and Jordan Elgrably (Seven Stories Press 2024) which is set to be released in January 2025. There are others we’re working on. And we have a book club, which I host once a month, which I am incredibly protective of. There is so much I’m proud of regarding TMR that there’s just not enough space to list everything.

With the silencing of Arab writers, particularly on the issue of Palestine, by some of the most ‘reputable’ Western institutions, it falls to the region’s Arab cultural bodies and institutions to step up.

Fadi: You've expressed a deep passion for literature and translation. How do you see the current state of Arabic literature, especially in translation? Why do you think it is important to translate Arabic literature to other languages? Are there particular challenges you face in bringing these works to a wider audience?

Rana: Demand for Arabic literature in translation is more important than ever, and more so, the region’s support for our writers, thinkers, and educators is at its most imperative stage. Or at least it should be. With the silencing of Arab writers, particularly on the issue of Palestine, by some of the most ‘reputable’ Western institutions, it falls to the region’s Arab cultural bodies and institutions to step up. Ironically, with the genocide in Gaza and Israel’s war on Lebanon at the moment, there have been reports of an increased interest in works from this region. We’ve seen this happen during 9/11. It’s sad and painful that a catastrophe has to occur before non-Arabs decide to show attention in our area, but that’s how it is. This doesn’t take away from the fact that Arabic literature in translation is vital in times of crisis and outside of it. There is more to the region than what Western mainstream media project. We own and continue to produce a rich history of literary works. I’m hoping, in time, Arab literature will no longer need to wait at the doors of the Western gatekeepers to be translated and published. Journals like TMR, ArabLit, and publishers like Interlink and Saqi, to name a few, are making sure these works get published, new writers are given a chance, and Arabic literature gets to travel far. Challenges will always be, but we can treat them as hurdles or opportunities. I, for one, would rather the latter.

I feel very protective of all authors, particularly the ones I work with and who trust me with their pieces.

Fadi: In your role as an editor, you've told me the other day about how you feel protective of the authors you work with. Can you share more about this protective instinct and how it influences your approach to editing and publishing?

Rana: I feel very protective of all authors, particularly the ones I work with and who trust me with their pieces. Any writer is protective of their work, so handing it over to editors is hard enough when they know certain concessions must be made at the editing stage. However, handing work to a translator is another ballgame altogether. Not only will there be concessions on some level during the translation, but they will have to trust the process and the translator to preserve as much of the narrative, voice, and intention of the work at hand. Literary translation, in particular, is a creative process that amalgamates the original text alongside a new one born from translation and, as such, is a delicate and intimate relationship between translator and text, and sometimes between translator and writer, that should be handled with utmost care and affection.

That said, when I work with a text in Arabic, bringing it into English has its challenges. With eyes on a global market, I am always aware that the translated text should be created in a way that allows people in different parts of the world to relate to it. As Arabic and English are of different and distant origins, any translation from one text to the other poses difficulties, such as vocabulary, grammar, sound, style, and usage. Because each region of the Middle East and North Africa has developed its unique dialects, a lot can get lost in translation if the translator isn’t aware of these distinctions. There comes the point when a translator accepts that some things cannot be translated, or at least when they are, they will translate a general meaning or feeling behind the original text. Still, it will not be the exact original text. The translator and author have to work together to iron out these issues.

Translation is an intimate process, and you have to feel something (happiness, anger, grief, etc.)

Fadi: I know you passionate about translation, and you've worked on translating various texts, including my short story "Jaha in the Metaverse." What has been your favorite text to translate so far, and what was your experience like working on my story? What do you hope to translate in the future?

Rana: I sincerely enjoyed working on your story “Jaha in the Metaverse.” When I first received it in Arabic, I was instantly drawn to its contemporary themes and unique perspective. Although it was set in the future, it played with current themes and traditions that people still practice today (the Jaha) and turned it on its head very convincingly. It was also a playful piece, and I was careful that I wanted to convey the humor and absurdity in the piece, which I hope I succeeded in doing.

In general terms, my decision to translate a text is based on one rather selfish criterion. If I don’t connect with it, I cannot translate it because I know I will not give it fair due. It can be the best-written story or an award-winning essay, but I am wary of attempting a translation if it doesn’t move me somehow. As I mentioned before, translation is an intimate process, and you have to feel something (happiness, anger, grief, etc.) so that by bringing it into another language, you can migrate that emotion, somehow, into the work. That is not to say that a translator has any input in the content of the translation. They don’t and shouldn’t. Their job is ultimately bringing the words of the original text, as written by the author, into another language. That’s it. But the process is much more enjoyable when you connect with what you’re working on.

I guess this also, in a roundabout way, answers your question on which texts I enjoyed translating the most. The simple answer would be all of them, for different reasons. Some because they made me laugh, others because they made me cry, and some because they proved incredibly challenging, and I’m always up for a challenge.

All I desire from reading is to escape into other people’s worlds —real or fictional— to be thrilled, challenged, fascinated, consumed, and emotionally spent.

Fadi: Who are some of your favorite Arab authors, and which genres do you find yourself drawn to the most? How have these preferences influenced your work as a critic and editor?

Rana: Ya Fadi, there are so many great Arab authors out there. And if I could choose my superpower, it would probably be along the lines of being able to translate them all. Lately, though, I’ve discovered Reem Bassiouney's books, and I’m hooked. However, I am so lucky that at The Markaz Review, I get to read the works of many established and emerging writers from Arabs in the region and the diaspora. I can honestly tell you that Arabic literature is thriving in their hands. I don’t have a preference for any genre, and when I receive a text, I always keep an open mind. It’s how I’ve discovered great writers and works that I enjoy going back to all the time.

On a more serious note, I am a reader first and foremost, and it’s a habit I owe a lot to. I am also a very varied reader, or what some would describe as a mood reader. I dabble in all genres, I always finish a book I start, and I always try to find something I can take away from what I’m reading, even if it’s how not to do something. I must admit that I’m not a big poetry reader, something I’m working on changing. A very dear friend of mine got me into the habit of memorizing a verse of poetry each day. This forces me to read a poem a day. I found that I can't learn the verse unless I’ve read and understood the entire poem. It’s a double whammy win: I get to read more poetry and train my memory.

A writer with a good command of the language can draw you into their story and keep you there. All I desire from reading is to escape into other people’s worlds —real or fictional— to be thrilled, challenged, fascinated, consumed, and emotionally spent. When a book turns your life upside down, tests your beliefs, and forces you to consider forging new ones, it has succeeded in its mission.

There is an influx of talented and capable Arab writers and an increased demand for Arabic content worldwide

Fadi: What are your thoughts on the current state of Arabic literature in general and the Jordanian literature in particular, both within the Arab world and in terms of its international reception? Are there trends you find particularly exciting or concerning?

Rana: First, let me start by saying that there is an influx of talented and capable Arab writers and an increased demand for Arabic content worldwide for the reasons I mentioned earlier. As an editor and translator, I would say that the biggest challenge facing Arab literature is crippling censorship that has worsened since the Arab Spring. Censorship by gatekeepers on the regional and international levels limits creativity and produces shallow literary input lacking substance. Writers who defy these measures, and there are many examples, end up incarcerated or are forced to live in exile out of fear for their lives. Writers, though, are finding ways around this. This is speculation on my part, mind you; there are no statistics to prove it. But, in the last few years, I’ve noticed an increase in genres like sci-fi, fantasy, and historical fiction. These genres appear to allow writers more freedom to navigate restrictions, create alternate universes to address political grievances, and break down social barriers and taboos.

Another problem facing Arabic literature is the decline in the number of readers in the region. Statistics prove this. Without readers, a book is nothing but words on paper. People's fixation on social media has reduced their attention spans, and they have less time and patience to sit down with a long text or a novel.

My biggest dream right now is for the genocide to end in Gaza, the Israeli aggression on Lebanon to cease, and for the region to celebrate, not censor, its writers and thinkers.

Fadi: You’ve accomplished so much in your career, from managing a successful blog to leading editorial teams. What are your current ambitions and dreams? Are there any new projects or goals you’re particularly excited about? What are your hobbies?

Rana: My ambitions and dreams constantly evolve, and I’m always open to venturing into new projects, whether as an editor, translator, or book critic. It’s just about keeping an open mind and seizing opportunities as they happen. I’ve just finished editing a children’s book series authored by HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza that I worked on with the incredible Emirati illustrator Maitha Al Khayat, published by Kiwi Stories Publishing House. Five of the books were released at this year’s Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, and a new one will be launched at next month’s Sharjah International Book Fair. It was an enriching experience working in partnership with these incredibly talented women, and hopefully, the children will enjoy the stories, too. This year, particularly, I feel blessed to have seen many of my translations appear in various anthologies such as Arabilious (Future Fiction) —which includes a translation of your piece Fadi, “A Jaha in the Metaverse” —and Stories from the Center of the World (City Lights Publishers) edited by Jordan Elgraby, the editor-in-chief of The Markaz Review and Egypt +100: stories from a century after Tahrir, edited by Ahmed Naji (Comma Press). There are more translations that I am currently working on for several Arab writers set to appear in The Markaz Review in the upcoming months. I’m working on creating a book podcast for The Markaz Review, which I’ll keep you posted on. Who knows what more the future holds? My biggest dream right now is for the genocide to end in Gaza, the Israeli aggression on Lebanon to cease, and for the region to celebrate, not censor, its writers and thinkers.

Fadi: Can you mention 3 people who have been a source of inspiration to you in a way or another?

Rana: This is a tough question. My answer would be anything that moves me positively or negatively, whether an individual, a circumstance, or even an off-handed comment from a child. With age, I’ve found that inspiration comes from being open-minded and open-hearted. I find myself drawing inspiration from ideas and perspectives I read in books or my family, who show up and support me every step of the way. Sometimes, I find it in a piece of music, a film, or a painting. And other times, from following someone else’s successes or observing how they overcome their challenges, big or small, and how they show up the next day regardless of yesterday’s setbacks. What I’m really trying to say is that there is so much inspiration around us as we all live our life experiences, so the possibilities to be inspired and motivated to act and achieve are endless, so why limit ourselves?

Fadi: Thank you Rana. I agree, the possibilities to be inspired and motivated are endless. Thank you for inspiring us today. I loved everything you said and I am always in awe for your efforts to support and champion Arabic literature, writers and thinkers. You are a STAR.

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