Khalil Alrez (}) is a Syrian novelist and translator. He was born in 1956. He has published nine novels and one play and was shortlisted for the Arabic Booker Prize in April 2020 for his novel The Russian Quarter.
Khalil Alrez was born in 1956 in Raqqa, Syria. He later moved to Aleppo toàcontinue his university studies. In 1980, Alrez earned his Bachelor's degree in Arabic language and literature from the University of Aleppo. Then, he moved to Russia and lived in Saint Petersburg and Moscow from 1984 to 1993 to study theater; he also learned the Russian language while there. He worked in Russia as a translator and radio host. Years later, Khalil returned to Syria and worked as a writer and translator for the Ministry of Culture of Syria. Alrez has published nine novels, including âÂÂAl BadalâÂÂ, âÂÂSulawesiâÂÂ, âÂÂBl TasawiâÂÂ, âÂÂYoum Akharâ and others. He has also translated various works from Russian into Arabic, including: âÂÂTale about the lost time by Evgeny SchwartzâÂÂ, âÂÂSelected Russian Short Storiesâ and âÂÂSelected Stories of Anton ChekhovâÂÂ. Recently, AlrezâÂÂs novel âÂÂThe Russian Quarterâ was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. Alrez left Syria to escape the civil war and now lives in Belgium.