Nihad Sirees was born in the ancient Syrian city of Aleppo
(Halab) in 1950 where he still resides. His
literary interests date from childhood when he wrote one-act
plays that were presented on the school stage. He has a
Masters in civil engineering from Bulgaria and a private
engineering office in Aleppo. His first novels were
published in the 1980’s when he gained a reputation as a
realist in his writings which reflect the environment in
Aleppo and the lives of the middle class.
He has written a number of novels, plays, TV drama series
and children’s dramas. His novel The
North Winds, which deals with the First World War has
been described by critics as one of the most important
historical novels in Syria. He is also recognized for his
original approach to television drama with the widely
screened series The
Silk Market, set
in the political turmoil of the 1950s and which presented
the environment, culture and dialect of Aleppo for the first
time in Syrian television drama. This highly successful
television series was praised for its realism,
courageousness and dramatic suspense. It is still being
telecast on some satellite channels and it has been
translated into English, Persian and German.
His novel
Biographical
Information