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Fadhil Al-Azzawi (born in Kirkuk of north of Iraq) is one of the leading poets and writers in the Arab world. He published thirteen volumes of poetry, seven novels, one volume of short stories, two books of criticism and memoir, and several translations of German and English literary works into Arabic. He edited several newspapers and magazines and founded the poetry magazine Shi’r 69. Al-Azzawi’s early work was critiqued and lauded with great enthusiasm. His writing blends the Arabic literary tradition with western modernism and postmodernism.

Al-Azzawi studied English literature at Baghdad University. In 1977 he left Iraq to earn a PhD in the cultural journalism from Leipzig University and settled in Germany. His works had been translated into more than 20 languages. Four of his books are translated into English and published in the USA and England:

• In Every Well a Joseph is Weeping (poetry), translated by K. Mattawa, QRL - New Jersey (USA) 1996
• Miracle Maker: Collected Poems, translated by K. Mattawa, BOA Edition – New York (USA) 2003
• The Last of the Angels (novel), translated by William Hutchens, AUCP, Cairo – New York 2007/ Simon and Schuster, New York 2008
• Cell Block Five (novel), translated by William Hutchens, American University Press, Cairo – New York 2008/ Arabia Books, London 2008.
• He published in German “Auf einem magischen Fest” (At a Magical Feast) – Selected Poems) and his novel “The Last of the Angels” is translated into German and to be published soon by Ammann Verlag in Zurich.