ELF Publishing proudly announces the release of House to House, the highly anticipated debut poetry collection by Emirati writer Shamma Faisal Al Bastaki.
The book was launched on 25 October 2025, at a private event held at the Etihad Museum in collaboration with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, as part of the Library Talks series organised by Dubai Public Libraries. The evening featured a fireside conversation moderated by Laila Binbrek, Director of the UAE National Pavilion, followed by an engaging Q&A session and a full-house book signing.
The event was attended by Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, CEO of the Arts, Design & Literature Sector at Dubai Culture; Ahlam Bolooki, Managing Director of ELF Publishing; and several prominent figures from the UAE’s literary community.
House to House is a powerful and evocative collection that explores the oral histories of those who grew up in the historic neighbourhoods along Dubai Creek. Written in a multilingual, multi-voiced form, the collection transforms memory into rhythm and history into art, offering readers a vivid portrait of cultural identity, memory, and belonging.
Shaima Al Suwaidi said: “At Dubai Culture, we are deeply committed to nurturing the UAE’s literary landscape and empowering Emirati voices that reflect the richness of our heritage and the creativity of our people. Shamma Faisal Al Bastaki’s ‘House to House’ is a remarkable contribution to our nation’s cultural narrative, standing as a work that preserves memory, celebrates identity, and gives voice to the spirit of Dubai’s historic neighbourhoods. Supporting talents like Shamma reaffirms our mission to cultivate a thriving creative environment where writers and artists can continue to share their stories with the world.”
Ahlam Bolooki said: “We are honoured to publish House to House, a collection that captures the spirit of Dubai’s oral traditions and transforms them into a resonant, contemporary work of literature. From the first time I heard Shamma, I knew she was special; her voice has the rare power to capture the heart of Dubai’s neighbourhoods and share their stories with the world. Her poetry preserves the voices and memories that shape the soul of our city, and we are delighted to help bring this extraordinary book to readers across the region and beyond.”
Writer, critic, and educator Jill Magi remarked: “It is exciting to read Shamma Al Bastaki’s long poem of lyric history and incorporated memory. With a love for the UAE and a deep sense of belonging, Shamma has brought the ‘infra-ordinary’ to bear on a future. A future, she hopes, with room enough for multiplicity and specificity.”
Shamma Faisal Al Bastaki is an award-winning poet from Dubai, celebrated for her powerful explorations of culture, memory, and identity. She holds an MA from Harvard University, where her poetry collection Al-Majaz: A Crossing received the CMES Best Thesis Prize, and a BA in Literature and Sociology from NYU Abu Dhabi. Excerpts from poems featured in House to House have appeared in Asymptote Journal and the Harvard Graduate Review.
In addition to her literary achievements, Shamma holds a PhD in Diplomacy and has served as an ambassador for the Louvre Abu Dhabi. She is also the co-founder of the JARA Collective and currently leads the UAE Pavilion’s strategic narrative for Expo 2025 in Osaka.
Even before its official release, House to House received international recognition following a preview performance by Shamma at an event co-organised by Dubai Culture and the Emirates Literature Foundation at the Poetry Library of Scotland, during Edinburgh’s festival season. She performed alongside esteemed Emirati poets Dr Afra Atiq and Ali Al Shaali, as well as prominent Scottish creatives including Peter Mackay, Makar (Poet Laureate) of Scotland; Michael Pedersen, Edinburgh Makar; and Janette Ayachi, the Scottish-Algerian poet.
House to House is available for purchase in the UAE in-store at Magrudy’s and Kinokuniya or directly from the publisher’s website and worldwide on Amazon. For more information or to invite Shamma Faisal Al Bastaki for speaking engagements, please contact ELF Publishing by email: info@elfpublishing.me
