12 Most Influential Lebanese Writers
Lebanese are known for their ability to excel in multiple fields ranging from entrepreneurship to architecture .
Literature is certainly no exception. Lebanon has produced a great number of world-famous, immensely talented, and distinctive voices in writing, poetry, and journalism.
Below are 12 examples among many of the Lebanese prodigies who have helped influence the course of literature in the Middle East and beyond.
#1 Gibran Khalil Gibran
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Revered worldwide, Gibran Khalil Gibran is a renowned Lebanese poet, writer, and philosopher. His quotes are among the most referred to and shared virally in the world.
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His most famous book, The Prophet , has been in print for almost a century and has been translated into at least 50 languages.
Other famous works include Broken Wings , The Madman , and Sand and Foam .
#2 May Ziade
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Credited as one of (if not the first) feminist voices to appear in the Middle East’s literary scene, May Ziade was a famed Lebanese writer and poet.
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A pioneer in her own right, Ziade broke many glass ceilings in gaining recognition for her work in an 18th-century literary scene almost completely dominated by men.
Famous works of hers include Humiliation and Rumors , Equality , and Platters of Crumbs .
#3 Mikhael Naimy
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Mikhael Naimy was an esteemed philosopher, writer, and poet from Baskinta , Lebanon.
Best known for his work concerning spiritual matters, Naimy is widely recognized as one of the most influential Lebanese writers of contemporary literature.
Naimy lived in the United States for a significant amount of his life, where he started his literary career. Along with his friend Khalil Gibran, he helped to reform the New York Pen League in the 1920s. he retired back to Beirut before his passing away.
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Famous works include The Book of Mirdad , Memories of a Vagrant Soul , and the biography Khalil Gibran .
#4 Emily Nasrallah
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Emily Nasrallah was an acclaimed Lebanese writer and women’s rights activist.
Her debut novel Birds of September is considered by many a modern instant classic and is taught in many schools.
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Prior to her passing away, Emily received the prestigious Goethe Medal in 2017.
Other famous works of hers include A House Not Her Own: Stories from Beirut and Flight Against Time .
#5 Said Akl