EDWARD GAUVIN

The Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies at North Carolina State University has awarded Charif Majdalani the Khayrallah Prize for his novel Moving the Palace from New Vessel Press. In its third year, the Khayrallah Prize identifies, awards and publicly honors those whose original artistic productions and projects capture the experiences of Lebanese immigrants, their relationship to Lebanon and their new homes, their communities and peregrinations.

“The Khayrallah Prize has a special resonance because it is conferred by an esteemed research center at the heart of a great university,” Majdalani said of the award.

Khayrallah Center Director Akram Khater says Moving the Palace stands out “because of its rich details and eloquence in exploring an unusual and unexplored part of the Lebanese diasporic experience. Its richness is leavened with humor, with self-deprecating asides and post-modern reminders that this is an imagined history.”