The Death of Syrian Writer Colette Khoury at the Age of 90: The Departure of a Prominent Literary Voice in Modern Arabic Literature

Syrian writer and novelist Colette Khoury passed away on April 10, 2026, at the age of 90, after a battle with illness, thus closing a chapter on one of the most prominent female names in Syrian and modern Arabic literature.

Colette Khoury was born in the Syrian capital, Damascus, in 1931, and comes from a well-known political family, being the granddaughter of prominent Syrian politician Faris Khoury, one of the key figures in modern Syrian history.
This family legacy was reflected in her writings, which combined literary sensibility with political and social awareness.

Her famous novel “Days with Him” (1959) is considered one of her most significant and influential works, achieving wide popularity in the Arab world and sparking considerable controversy upon its release due to its bold treatment of women's issues, emotions, and freedom.

Khoury presented a range of works that varied between novels, poetry, and memoirs, including:

The novel “One Night” (1961)

The book “Faris Khoury's Papers,” in which she documented her grandfather's biography

Poetry collections in French such as “Twenty Years” and “Tremor”

She was known for her ability to write in two languages, which gave her works a distinctive cultural dimension.

Colette Khoury held the position of advisor in the Syrian Arab Republic's presidency for literary affairs, which strengthened her presence in the official cultural scene, alongside her role as an influential writer in Arab literary life.

With her passing, Arabic literature loses a pioneering female voice that contributed to breaking many social and literary taboos, paving the way for generations of Arab female writers to write with greater boldness and clarity.