William Maynard Hutchins was born in Berea, Kentucky, and holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Chicago. He has taught at several institutions, including the University of Ghana and the American University in Cairo. Notable translations include “Return of the Spirit” by Tawfiq al-Hakim, “The Cairo Trilogy” by Naguib Mahfouz, and “New Waw” by Ibrahim al-Koni. His translation of “A Land Without Jasmine” by Wajdi al-Ahdal won the Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize in 2013, and “New Waw” won the ALTA National Prose Translation Award in 2015. A three-time National Endowment for the Arts Fellow, Hutchins is Professor Emeritus at Appalachian State University. Recent translations include “I’m in Seattle, Where are You?” by Mortada Gzar, “Ibn Arabi’s Small Death” by Mohammed Hasan Alwan, and “Land of Sweetheart Deals” by Wajdi al-Ahdal, published with DarArab in 2024.