About me:

Betool Khedairi

Betool Khedairi was born in Baghdad in 1965 to an Iraqi father and a Scottish mother. After receiving her B.A. in French literature from the University of Mustansirya, she divided her time between Iraq, Jordan and the United Kingdom while working in her family’s business. She currently lives in Amman.

Her first novel, A Sky So Close, is translated from Arabic into English, Italian, French, Dutch and Persian.
It is the subject of literary critique studies in international universities.

Absent  is her second novel, it is translated from Arabic into English, Italian and Dutch.

Name: Betool Khedairi
Date of Birth: 27/11/1965
Place of Birth: Baghdad
Education: B.Sc. In French literature from the University of Mustansirya, Baghdad, 1988.

Publications:

First novel: A Sky So Close

• Arabic edition: Kam Badat Al Sama Qareeba, by The Arab Institute for Research and Publishing - Lebanon 1999 - first edition. Second edition published in 1999. Third edition published in 2003.
• American edition (hard cover): A Sky So Close, by Pantheon, New York, 2001.
• American edition (paper back): A Sky So Close, by Anchor, New York, 2002.
• Italian edition: Un Cielo Cosi Vicino, by Baldini Castoldi Dalai editore, Milan, 2004.
• Dutch edition: De Hemel Leek Nabij,  by De Geus / Breda - Holland, 2005.
• French edition: Un Ciel Si Proche, by Gallimard, Paris May 2006.
• Persian Edition: by Merzboom Publishing House, Tehran, 2025.

Second novel: Absent

• Arabic edition: Ghayeb, by The Arab Institute for Research and Publishing- Lebanon- July 2004.
• American edition (hard cover): Absent, by The American University In Cairo Press - Cairo - Nov. 2005.
• American edition (paperback): Absent, by Random House - New York, 2007.
• Italian edition: Assente, by Barbera, BE, 2006.
• Dutch edition: Afwezig, by De Geus - Breda - Holland, 2009. 

About the translator:

Dr. Muhayman Jamil is a Medical Doctor.  He has lived and worked for the National Health Service  (NHS) in the UK for the past 35 years. In addition to his medical career, he has translated a biography and several novels from Arabic into English, including 'A Sky so Close' and 'Absent' by Betool Khedairi.

Cultural events:

• The Arabic edition was taught in the department of Arabic literature at the Université Cadi Ayyad/ Faculté des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines/ Beni Mellal- Morocco-2000-2001.
• Reading at the British Council (Amman, Jordan- 22,23/10/2002).
• Reading at Mu’uta University (Karak, Jordan – 3/11/2002).
• Reading at Al Ruwaq Gallery (Mananma, Bahrain – 3,4/2/2003).
• Reading at the House of World Cultures (Berlin 1/4/2003).
• Reading at The University of Houston (USA  23/4/2003).
• Reading at Rice University sponsored by The Arab – American Educational Foundation (USA 24/4/2003).
• Reading at UCLA (Los Angeles 28-29/4/2003); the novel was taught at UCLA 2003.
• The Frankfurt Book Fair/ Participating in panel discussion: The future of  Publishing in Iraq: 9-10/10/2003.
• Book Tour (USA October-November 2003):
  • Reading at the Women's Institute – Houston: 13/10/2003.
  • Reading at Houston University – Texas: 14/10/2003.
  • Reading at Rice University – Houston: 16/10/2003 (sponsored by NEST- U.S.A, INC.).
  • Reading at Houston University – Creative Writing Department: 17/10/2003.
  • Reading at Book Woman - Austin: 19/10/2003.
  • Reading at George Town University - Washington: 28/10/2003 (The novel was taught at the university 2003).
  • Reading at The Palestine Centre – Washington: 30/10/2003.
  • Reading at Bentley University – Boston: 03-04/11/2003.
  • Reading at Tufts University – Boston: 05/11/2003 (The novel was taught at the university 2003).
  • Opening the Conference: ( The Theatrics of War: Media, the US and Iraq) at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill/ organized by the University Center for International Studies: 7-9/ 11/2003.
  • Reading at North Carolina University - Chapel Hill: 10/11/2003.
  • Reading at Princeton University - New Jersey: 12/11/2003.
  • Reading at Florida State University - Talahasee: 18/11/2003 (The novel was taught at the university 2003).

Other writings by the author:

Published articles in English, Arabic, French:

• The Guardain - London.
• Al Quds Al Arabi- London.
• Le Jourdain – Amman.
• Libération - France.

Screenplay editing:

Consultant on authenticity of the T.V. series American Family regarding the episodes on the war on Iraq 2003.

Scenario writing:

Co-wrote feature film script based on the novel A Sky So Close with Iraqi director Tariq Hashim.

2004 Activities:

June 2004 – Attended the 7th Festival for Arabic Cinema in Paris (26 June – 4 July ).

July 2004 Co-organiser of Jerash Shorts-Discover Independents (31 July – 2 August 2004), a film festival held under the auspices of the  Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts, Amman, Jordan.

21 August 2004 Al Anda Gallery-Amman - Jordan: Press Conference for Ghayeb, including the author’s writing journey.

30 August 2004 Al Anda Gallery-Amman: Book signing for Ghayeb / received Creativity Medal from Dar Al Qissa Al Iraqiya.

4-11 October 2004 Reading from Absent at The Frankfurt Book Fair. The Book Fair host country for 2004 is The Middle East.

2005 Activities:

2/2/2005 Reading from “Ghayeb” at the International Women’s Association – The Four Walls Gallery – Sheraton – Amman.

25/2 – 2/3/2005 Attended the Arab Novelists Conference – Cairo – organized by the Council of Culture – Egypt.

Nov. 2005 Signing ceremony for Absent - the American University of Cairo Press - Café Riche.

Dec. 2005 Attended the Naguib Mahfouz novel award ceremony.

2006 Activities:

April. 2006 Signing ceremony for Absent - the American University of Cairo Press - Orfali Gallery Amman.

May. 2006 Publication ceremony for Un Ciel Si Proche, by Gallimard, Paris. 

2023 Activities:

8-12/11-2023 Attended Sharja International Book Fair / Participating in panel discussion: Writing in Exile.

 

2025 Activities:

April 2025 Reading from “Absent”. Book Club. Organized by Tamara Mehyar. Amman, Jordan.

July 2025 Reading from “A Sky So Close”. Book Club hosted by Mrs. Mary Shawareb. Amman, Jordan.