KUWAIT, April 24 (KUNA) -- Author Saud Al-Sanousi said on Wednesday he was proud to represent Kuwait as a winner of the Booker International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
Al-Sanousi told KUNA that writing his winner novel "The Bamboo stalk" involved hard work for over a year, adding that he travelled to The Philippines in order to learn about life and society there and gather information necessary for his book.
He said his novel focused on the suffering of the son of a Kuwaiti father and a Filipina mother, and the loss of identity he feels when he tries to blend in with the Kuwaiti society and the difficulties he faces.
His book was chosen as the best novel out of 133 competing novels from different Arab countries published in the last 12 months, he said, adding that he was honored to compete with five other Kuwaiti authors.
The prize is sponsored by the Booker Prize Foundation in London and is funded by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.
Al-Sanousi is an author and journalist born in 1981, and his works include articles in different Kuwaiti newspapers and magazines, such as Al-Watan newspaper, Al-Arabi, Al-Kuwait, and Al-Abwab magazines, and he currently writes for Al-Qabas newspaper.(end) na.mt.afb.ysa.ag KUNA 241330 Apr 13NNNN