Remembering Naguib Mahfouz on His 111th Birth Anniversary

Today marks the 111th birth anniversary of the iconic Arab novelist of his century, Naguib Mahfouz.

Mahfouz's seminal work has inspired generations of writers. The subtle genius of his series and movies has left a distinctive mark on the Arab world.

Born in Cairo, on December 11, 1911, Mahfouz was an Egyptian novelist, journalist, and author of several short stories, who penned over a dozen novels, hundreds of short stories, and numerous essays.

He was well-known for his critical, realistic, and centrist approach to controversial topics like social equality and global political changes.

Moreover, his stories encompassed many relevant issues including poverty, injustice, and crime, almost always with a twist of humor.

Not someone who was afraid to speak his mind, he gave some of the most captivating nostalgic stories still regarded as masterpieces.

Author of popular short stories and novels such as, Khan al-Khalili (1945), Midaq Alley (1947), The Mirage (1948), The Beginning and the End (1950), Palace Walk (1956), (Cairo Trilogy, Part 1), Palace of Desire (1957), (Cairo Trilogy, Part 2), Sugar Street (1957), (Cairo Trilogy, Part 3), Children of Gebelawi (1959), The Thief and the Dogs.

Mahfouz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988, becoming the first Arabic-language writer to receive the prize.

In Egypt, each new publication is regarded as a major cultural event and his name is inevitably among the first mentioned in any literary discussion from the Mediterrane Sea to the Indian Ocean.

Half of his remarkable novels have been made into movies circulated throughout the Arabic-speaking world.

Among his notable works was “The Palace of Desire,” the screen adaptation of his seminal works during the 1950s era.

The late writer passed away in 2006. He is survived by his two daughters, Fatima and Umm Kalthum.

He was the people's writer, and that's how he will stay, how he will remain in their hearts and in their memories forever.