Transcending Traditions. Thurayya Al-Baqsami. A Creative Compilation - Poetry, Prose and Paint is an attempt to systemise Thurayya AI-Baqsami's literary creativity as well as examining the significance of her artistic work. Barbara Michalak-Pikulska is the Head of the Arabic Department of the Institute of Oriental Philology of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. She obtained her Ph.D. in Arabic Literature from the Jagiellonian University in 1994. and now she is professor of modern Arabic Literature. She has spent many years in Kuwait and other countries of the Gulf and the fruits of her studies include: The Contemporary Kuwaiti Short Story in Peace Time and War (Krakow 1998), An Outline of Contemporary Short Story Writings of the Arabian Penisula (Krakow 2000), Modern Poetry and Prose of Oman (Krakow 2002). Modern Poetry and Prose of Bahrain (Krakow 2006) as well as many papers on various aspects of contemporary Arabic Literature.