Time Square Press, New York, issued in December 2019 the fourth edition of the World’s Best of the Best and Most Illustrious – Men, Women, Place, Awards, and Accomplishments.
The book honors personalities from all over the world and in all fields under the international list of most admired men and women in the world.
The Lebanese writers Jean-Marc Aractingi, Kamal Dib and Karim Koussa were ranked on a list of eight writers in the Middle East Region, including Elif Shafak (Turkey), Colette Khoury (Syria), Fatima Mernissi (Morocco), Natalie Handal (Palestine), and Nawal El-Saadawi (Egypt).
In honoring Karim El Koussa, the book mentions El-Koussa’s novel “The Phoenician Code” which will be transformed into a US TV series later this year.
“The Phoenician Code”, 2011, was first published in America by Sunbury Press.
As the book was met with a high sales turnover, it was translated into Arabic by Dar Saer Al-Mashqaq in Beirut (Al-Shifra Al-Phinicia), 2016, and into French by Éditions Dervy in Paris (Le Code Phénicien), 2018. The book was ranked in the US publisher’s top best sellers.
The TV series is a theological thriller and will be screened for three to five seasons, with eight episodes in each season. The Lebanese-American Actor Nick Tabaray will star in the role of Paul Khoury, the book’s main character.
The Phoenician Code is a story of a “Lebanese-American historian whose life was turned upside down when he becomes the target of assassins. He is forced to flee into the shadows and dig deep into ancient history to expose the secret society determined to kill him.”
His book’s second edition 2018 novel won the Sunbury Press 2019 SUNNY Award, in literary categories: Fiction / Action and Adventure – and Fiction / Teaser / Christian. El-Koussa also holds many awards including the Saeed Akl Award in 2001, for his book “Pythagoras the Mathemagician.”
As for the second honored author, Dr. Kamal Dib, the recognition describes him as “a brilliant scholar with extraordinary books.” Dr. Kamal Dib is “the Author and Socio-Political Historian of the Year.”
The World’s Best of the Best and Most Illustrious Book insists that no library on the history of Lebanon and the Middle/Near East is complete without Dr. Dib’s two books:
“The Demise of Christian Lebanon” (Haza Al-Jisr Al-Atiq) and “Warlords and Merchants – The Lebanese Business and Political Establishment”.
It added: “Two must-read books for all those interested in the history of Lebanon from the dawn of its independence to the present day.”
As for the third featured Lebanese author, Dr. Jean-Marc Aractingi is an advisor to numerous heads of state and political figures.
The honoring statement describes him as “a prolific author with depth and astonishing knowledge of world affairs and comparative politico-social thoughts.”
The World’s Best of the Best Book went on concluding that “Dr. Jean-Marc Aractingi is de facto one of the most fascinating personalities you will ever meet.”
A number of prominent Lebanese personalities were also honored in various fields, respectively:
- Media: Karen Boustani, Tony Khalifa, Mona Abu Hamza, and journalist Nidal Al-Ahmadia.
- On public affairs: Deputy Paula Yacoubian, Princess Hayat Faisal Arslan, and Lebanon’s Ambassador to Jordan Tracy Shamoun.
- In Beauty, Fashion, and Glamour: Fashion designer Reem Akra and Dominique Hourani.
- Actors: Carmen Labbes, Adel Karam, Anju Rehan, Darina El-Gendy, and comedian Abbass Chahine, Rola Shamia, Fadi Raidi, and Camille Asmar.
- In singing: Fayrouz, Majida El-Roumi, Julia Boutros, Najwa Karam, and Moeen Sharif.
- In Arts: Visual Artist Lamia Joreige and painter Zeina Assi.
