ACC hosts Anisa Aboud for a night with inspiration and insights

Anisa Aboud, a Syrian doctor of agricultural engineering, is also a poet, novelist, and journalist. Her texts are steeped in human experience, Syrian memory, and the constant search for women's identity in a volatile society. In her works, she navigates the harshness of war, the nostalgia of childhood, and the obsessions of love, creating a world brimming with small details that illuminate larger questions.

Dr Amani added that Anisa Aboud, a member of the Arab Writers Union, has worked in Syrian and Arab journalism since the beginning of her literary career. She won the Arabic Novel Award from the Supreme Council of Culture in Egypt for her novel “Alnana Albiri”. She has written eight novels, four short story collections, and four poetry collections. Her novels include “Bab Alhayra”, “Rukam Alzaman Rukam Emra’a”, “Harir Asuad”. Her short stories include “Heen Tunza Alaqniea”, “Ghsaq Alakasya”, and in poetry “Mshakat Alkalam”, “Qamis Alasyila”.

Writer Anisa Aboud began talking about her literary career from the beginning, saying that she was the youngest of eleven siblings. The older brother had a small library, where she read several novels and stories. During school celebrations, he would ask us to prepare a speech to read at the celebration with the help of our parents, so Anisa would write the speech without help. When she moved to university in the city, her vision expanded and she felt that there were things she had to say, so she wrote and published under pseudonyms. Anisa married early to an enlightened doctor who facilitated her path to writing. The first story she published was “Hob Taht Alshurfa,” for which she won a literary award.

Anisa Aboud added that her specialisation in agricultural engineering and her dedication to scientific research had a profound impact on her writings, as it brought her closer to the land and to the reality of the countryside. My interest focused on people, society, and human suffering in all its aspects. An example of this is the novel “Alnana Albiri,” in which I relied on my scientific knowledge of that plant (wild mint). It only grows in specific places, has a pleasant scent, and has deep roots in the ground. Whenever it is cut, it grows again and returns green and fresh. It is like a symbol of the authentic human being rooted in society, who does not struggle for life, and no matter what obstacles or disasters befall him/her, he/she returns again, proud and strong.

In discussing her work, she explained, “I don’t see a difference between men and women in my writing, and I don’t identify as a feminist writer even though women are prominently featured in my stories. Their presence reflects their important roles in society, their fight for freedom, and their determination to make their mark. I see myself as a writer focused on humanity, examining all the complicated issues we face, from economic struggles to social and psychological challenges. The places where my stories unfold—like Damascus, Aleppo, the countryside, and even New York—are significant. They help illustrate the conflicts within society and highlight the social conditions at play.”