Fadi Azzam

Passionate about literature and story telling since a very young age, Fadi spent his childhood years reading and listening to the fascinating stories in his village. Between myths and reality his imagination grew and writing became his passion. 

Fadi Azzam studied the Arabic language in the Damascus University and graduated in 1998. While progressing professionally in Dubai, Fadi’s heart stayed in Damascus, taking each opportunity to praise this enchanting city through his writings. 

Swallow Editions is a new not-for-profit publishing enterprise, founded and edited by Rafik Schami, that will publish the best emerging, young authors from the Arab world.

Sarmada is the debut novel by Fadi Azzam published by Swallow Editions.

Fadi read a passage of Sarmada in Arabic for the launch of the ebook at the bookHaus which can be viewed here. Following this there was a fascinating acting performance at the bookHaus with live music performed by Alia Al Zougbi and Louai Alhenawi 

which is available in full length here.

Three women struggle against the forces of society, family, and passion in a small Druze village in the south of Syria as the country itself struggles against the forces of the Ottoman Empire, the French Empire, and then the Baath.

The village of Sarmada is an enchanting place, but the people who live there don’t much notice it. To them, the transmigrating souls, potions, soothsayers,and animals in the rocky wasteland are all part of the landscape. They live in a world of possibility, but that openness only goes so far. Druze women are expected to marry a Druze man, settle down, and have children, and there’s no forgiving those who step out of line. And yet some brave souls still do. Some women risk their lives to follow their hearts and Sarmada is their story.

The following link provides a detailed description and online excerpt of Sarmada http://b2l.bz/N4jpgV

Fadi Azzam in conversation with Peter Clarke