Born in the rural Beni Walid, Libya, Aisha Ibrahim studied mathematics and statistics at university. She worked as a teacher, then as editor-in-chief for the websites of the Libyan Ministry of Culture and the High Commission for elections. Her first work, a play titled The Emerald Village received the State Prize for Students for Theatrical Writing in 1990 while she was still a student. Several years later, she published her first novel, Qasil, followed by two other novels and one collection of short stories. She regularly contributes to the press and cultural magazines. Her writing explores unknown features of Libyan culture and history. Her second novel, The War of the Gazelle, is set in prehistoric Libya and follows political plots around Queen Tandrus and a mysterious stolen gazelle. Her latest novel, The Box of Sand (2022) explores a more recent part of history, recounting Italy’s invasion of Libya and the deportation of civilians to a prison on an Italian island.

Aisha Ibrahim belongs to a new generation of women authors contributing to the renewal of Libyan literature. Her work is featured in several syllabi in Libyan universities and has been the subject of various academic studies. She offers a powerful insight into the strength and resilience of the Libyan people and more specifically of Libyan women, as they navigate a complex historical, sociological and political landscape.