Yumna Kassab Explained

Yumna Kassab
Occupation:	Novelist
Awards:	Parramatta Laureate in Literature, 2024

Yumna Kassab is an Australian novelist. She was appointed the inaugural Parramatta Laureate in Literature for 2024.

Career

Yumna Kassab was born and grew up at Parramatta.^[1] She spent two years of her childhood in Lebanon with her family.^[2] After studying at Macquarie University she worked as a high school teacher.

Her first book, The House of Youssef, published in 2019, contains short stories of Lebanese migrants living in Western Sydney.^[3] Reviewing the book for ArtsHub, Georgia Brough described it as a "stunning, succinct collection of short fiction".^[4]

In December 2023 Kassab was announced as the inaugural Parramatta Laureate in Literature.

Awards

• The House of Youssef
  • Stella Prize, longlisted 2020^[5]
  • Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, shortlisted 2020^[6]
  • Steele Rudd Award, Queensland Literary Awards, shortlisted 2020^[7]
  • Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction, shortlisted 2020^[8]
  • Victorian Premier's Prize for Fiction, shortlisted 2020^[9]
• Australiana
  • Fiction Book Award, Queensland Literary Awards, shortlisted 2022^[10]
• The Lovers
  • Victorian Premier's Prize for Fiction, shortlisted 2023^[11]
  • Miles Franklin Literary Award, shortlisted 2023^[12]
  • Fiction, Prime Minister's Literary Awards, shortlisted 2023^[13]

Publications

• Book: Kassab, Yumna . The House of Youssef . Giramondo . 2019 . 9781925818192 .
• Book: Kassab, Yumna . Australiana . Ultimo Press . 2022 . 9781761150609 . 2.
• Book: Kassab, Yumna . The Lovers . Ultimo Press . 2022 . 9781761150623 . 2.
• Book: Kassab, Yumna . Politica . Giramondo . 2024 . 9781761152009 . Artarmon . 2.

Notes and References

1. News: 2023-12-09 . Football, ice-cream and the best cafes for writing in to feature in author Yumna Kassab's 'dictionary of Parramatta' . 2024-04-15 . ABC News . en-AU.
2. Web site: Yumna Kassab . 2024-04-15 . AustLit: Discover Australian Stories . The University of Queensland.
3. Web site: The House of Youssef . 2024-04-15 . AustLit: Discover Australian Stories . The University of Queensland.
4. Web site: Brough . Georgia . 2019-09-09 . The House of Youssef by Yumna Kassab . 2024-04-15 . ArtsHub . en-AU.
5. Web site: 2020-02-07 . Stella Prize 2020 longlist announced . 2024-04-16 . Books+Publishing.
6. Web site: 2020-03-20 . NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2020 shortlists announced . 2024-04-16 . Books+Publishing.
7. Web site: 2020-08-05 . Queensland Literary Awards 2020 shortlists announced . 2024-04-16 . Books+Publishing.
8. Web site: 2020-08-25 . Readings announces 2020 New Australian Fiction Prize shortlist . 2024-04-16 . Books+Publishing.
9. Web site: 2019-12-02 . 2020 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards shortlists announced . 2024-04-16 . Books+Publishing.
10. Web site: 2022-08-04 . Qld Literary Awards 2022 shortlists . 2024-04-16 . Books+Publishing.
11. Web site: 2023-01-09 . VPLAs 2023 shortlists announced . 2024-04-16 . Books+Publishing.
12. Web site: 2023-06-20 . Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023 shortlist announced . 2024-04-16 . Books+Publishing.
13. Web site: 2023-10-26 . Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2023 shortlists announced . 2024-04-16 . Books+Publishing.