Adam al-Sirgany
Adam al-Sirgany | |
|---|---|
| Education | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (MA) University of Arizona (MFA) |
| Occupations | Writer, editor, educator |
| Writing career | |
| Genres | Fiction, poetry, literary criticism |
| Notable works | More Hell: Stories, Tilled and Driftless |
| Website | www |
Adam al-Sirgany is an Arab-American writer, editor, and educator. He is currently serving as the Poet Laureate for the City of Rockford, Illinois.[1] Known for his work in independent publishing and developmental editing, he is also an author of fiction.[2][3]
Education
Al-Sirgany holds holds degrees in creative writing from Knox College, the University of Arizona, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.[4]
Career
Editing and non-profit work
Al-Sirgany contributed to many projects as the Acquisitions and Developmental Editor[5] for the SFWP, an independent press based in New Mexico. He is also a core editor at the literary arts non-profit 1-Week Critique,[6] which provides editorial resources and workshops for writers.
He has held editorial and reading positions at several literary journals, including Sou'wester and Sonora Review..[7]
Teaching and academic work
He is an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers' Program[8] and has taught literature for the Rochester Institute of Technology's Global Studies program. In 2023, he contributed to the textbook Designing Context-Rich Learning by Extending Reality, published by IGI Global.[9]
Poet Laureate
In January 2026, the City of Rockford, the Rockford Public Library, and the Rockford Area Arts Council named al-Sirgany the city's Poet Laureate for a two-year term.[10]
Literary works
Al-Sirgany's fiction and prose often explore themes of Arab identity, rural landscapes of the Midwest,[11] and neurodivergence.
- More Hell: Stories, Tilled and Driftless (Whisk(e)y Tit, 2025) ISBN 978-1952600623[12]
References
- ↑ Tazen, Nina. "Rockford names new poet laureate, youth poet". RRStar.com. Rockford Register Star. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ "Meet Adam al-Sirgany". CanvasRebel. Raptive Partner. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ Fox, Wendy J. (2026-01-16). "15 Small Press Books You Don't Want to Miss This Winter". Electric Literature. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
- ↑ "Staff". The Fairy Tale Review. Fairy Tale Review. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ León, Rachel. "Interview with an Editor: Adam al-Sirgany from SFWP". Chicago Review of Books. Chicago Review of Books. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ Gzemski, Sarah. "A Conversation with Jon Riccio". 1508. The University of Arizona Poetry Center. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ "About". 1 Week Critique. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ "Instructor Biography". UCLA Extension. The Regents of the University of California. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ al-Sirgany, Adam (May 2023). The Pedagogy of Progress(ion): On Context-Rich Learning in the Arts (1 ed.). IGI Global. pp. 38–52. ISBN 9781668476444. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ Boose, Yvonne (2026-01-06). "Rockford has two new poet laureates". WNIJ / Northern Public Radio. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
- ↑ Taghon, Kara (2025-12-11). "Book Review: 'More Hell: Stories, Tilled and Driftless' by Adam Al-Sirgany". Little Village. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
- ↑ "More Hell from Whiskey Tit". Asterism Books. Retrieved 2026-04-23.