Margaret Litvin
Professor of Arabic literature and translation and co-translator of Najati Sidqi's memoir; provides detailed commentary on the book, its translation, and related research projects.
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Jan 30, 2026 • 26min
Najati Sidqi, "Memoirs of a Palestinian Communist: The Secret Life of Najati Sidqi" (U Texas Press, 2025)
Margaret Litvin, Professor of Arabic literature and translator, co-translated Najati Sidqi’s memoir. She talks about bringing Sidqi’s secret life as a Palestinian communist into English. The conversation covers the collaborative class-to-book translation, choices about preserving silences and adding context, and the memoir’s political and pedagogical relevance today.
Jan 30, 2026 • 26min
Najati Sidqi, "Memoirs of a Palestinian Communist: The Secret Life of Najati Sidqi" (U Texas Press, 2025)
Margaret Litvin, professor of Arabic literature and co-translator of Najati Sidqi’s memoir, discusses the book, its collaborative translation, and related research. She traces Sidqi’s hidden life as a Palestinian communist across Moscow, Paris, Spain, and North Africa. The conversation covers translational choices, archival mysteries, classroom origins of the project, and why the translation matters today.
