Mariam Rahmani: Writing Between Worlds — Translation, Identity, and Storytelling

In this episode, Mariam Rahmani — author, translator, and scholar — reflects on her journey across fiction, translation, and academia. She shares the moment she realised she wanted to work on both sides of literature, and what translating books like In Case of Emergency taught her about language, culture, and the ethics of storytelling. Rahmani discusses how her lived experience shaped Liquid: A Love Story, a novel that blends romance, ambition, and cultural critique through the voice of a Muslim protagonist navigating overlapping worlds. She unpacks the ethical decisions behind multilingual translation, the impact of her academic background, and the opportunities and challenges facing global publishing in the Middle East and North Africa. With her first major translation recognized as a Best Book of 2022 by The New Yorker, she reflects on how acclaim reshaped her path and offers practical advice to writers who want to balance translation with their own creative work. Listen to #Pulse95Radio in the UAE by tuning in on 95.00 FM or online at www.pulse95radio.net Follow us on social media: @Pulse95Radio #SharjahInternationalBookFair #SIBF2025 #MariamRahmani #LiquidALoveStory #LiteraryTranslation #ComparativeLiterature #GlobalPublishing #Pulse95Radio