Syrian novelist and poet Colette Khoury shocked the Arab world with a novel in 1959 in which wrote openly on love; this breakthrough novel (The Days with Him) was the first time a woman had come out so boldly on a subject considered taboo in conservative Syrian society.
Colette graduated from Damascus University with a bachelor’s degree in French literature and she received a diploma from the school of literature in Beirut.
Khoury’s career began in 1957 and has spanned more than 6 decades. She was a pioneer of Arab feminism, and wrote stories in the 1950s about men and their selfishness.
Khoury’s notability stirs from her work in politics and literature. Her work as a writer focuses on love, a subject that was previously taboo in Syrian culture.
Colette was born into a notable family, as her grandfather, was former Prime Minister Faris al-Khoury who is known as a hero for his resistance to the French.
Colette’s grandfather encouraged her pursuit of an independent life as a writer and an artist. From 199
0 to 1995 she served as an independent member of the Syrian parliament, doing honor to her grandfather’s judicious political leadership.
In 2008, Khoury was appointed literary advisor to the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency