Arab poets, from Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt are reading translations of their work at venues across the UK this week, including Manchester Central library (17th), Derby (16th), Chesterfield (16th), South Shields (18th), Edinburgh (20th); see gig guide for details. More info on http://www.banipal.co.uk/.

And, on the above website you will find:
Samuel Shimon’s first book is a riveting tale of innocence and dreams, misery and humour.
A young Iraqi leaves home to become a Hollywood film-maker, but finds himself jailed, tortured, and thrown out of the first three countries he gets to – Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Seeking refuge eventually, with the Palestinians in West Beirut, he finds his way to Hollywood barred.
Later, living on the streets of Paris as a homeless refugee and writer, he dreams of making a film about his father, the deaf-mute baker who loves the young Queen of England, and of Robert de Niro playing the role, and writes “The Street Boy and the Cinema”, the story of his childhood.

Read more on http://www.banipal.co.uk/