To mark the publication in Arabic language by Dar Al Adab of the novel “Near to the Wild Heart” by Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector (1920-1977), translated by Safa Jubran, the Embassy of Brazil in Beirut and Dar Al Adab are organizing a launch event of the novel on Thursday May 30, from 5:30 till 7:30 pm, at Guimarães Rosa Institute - Beirut, Mar Mitr Street., Ashrafieh. Clarice Lispector wrote "Near to the Wild Heart," in 1943 when she was only 20 years old. It is her first novel and is considered a masterpiece that brought her to international fame. With her unique style, Lispector enthralled the critics who compared her to literary giants such as Virginia Woolf and James Joyce.

Throughout the novel, Joanna, the protagonist, expresses her inner life, juxtaposing her experiences as a girl with those of an adult. The narrative seamlessly transitions between past and present, guided by the thread of memory. Joanna, as a girl, is more than just a maternal orphan; she navigates life with her father, later her aunt, and then in a boarding school. As a teenager, she grapples with her burgeoning femininity and struggles to connect with those around her. The adult Joanna defies patriarchal expectations, refusing to be confined to the roles of wife or mistress. Through streams of consciousness, this introspective and solitary novel delves into the complexities of the human psyche, illuminating the eternal quest to understand the wild heart that resides within every individual.

Clarice Lispector (1920-1977) is a Brazilian writer. Born in Ukraine, she moved to Brazil with her family during the first years of her life. Lispector is considered as one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. Her works include articles, novels, short stories, and children’s literature. Her first novel ‘Near to the Wild Heart’ (1940) gained tremendous acclaim. She wrote it using the stream-of-consciousness style, a feature present in almost all of her works. Her book ‘The Passion According to G.H.’ (1964) is recognized as one of the classics of Brazilian literature along with ‘The Hour of the Star’ (1977) her last novel, and ‘Living Water’ (1973). The translator, Safa Jubran, is a university professor and academic, born in Lebanon and living in Brazil. She has several academic papers and works. Jubran translated more than twenty literary works into Portuguese, including ‘The Gate of Sun’ (Elias, Khoury), and ‘Memory of Forgetfulness’ (Mahmoud Darwish). Among her translations into Arabic from Brazilian literature: ‘Two Brothers’ (Milton Hatoum), and ‘The Stream of Life’ and ‘Near to the Wild Heart’ (Clarice Lispector), as well as ‘From the Diaspora to the Homeland’ (Anthology of Brazilian Literature). Safa Jubran received the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation in 2019.

The book launch will feature a display of a number of watercolors by artist Najah Taher, designer of the covers of both Lispector's novels "Living Water" and "Near to the Wild Heart." The writer and the artist share a poetic kinship, as their works carry us to intimate worlds, with symbolic creatures and mysterious female characters, portrayed as being far and close at the same time, and with whom one can deeply relate. The launch event is open to all.