The 134th anniversary of the legendary Egypt's novelist, and author Abbas El-Akkad is observed on Wednesday.
El-Akkad was best known for his novel The Genius of Omar, which was one of the best Arab novels ever written.
He is considered one of the finest Egyptian authors, and some Literature experts rank him second only to Taha Hussain in the field of Egypt's literature.
El-Akkad, who was born in Aswan Governorate in 1889, produced more than a dozen major novels, many short stories, including (freedom of thought-themed stories and romantic stories like "Saraha"), several plays, several non-fiction books, and inpidual essays and articles. His work has been translated into every major language and his plays are also performed around the world.
Throughout his career, Akkad featured in many government jobs, but he hated government work and viewed it as a prison for his literature, so he did not last long in any job he joined.
Then, Akkad turned to journalistic work and joined Al-Dustour newspaper, published Al-Diyaa newspaper, and wrote in the most famous newspapers and magazines at the time.
His education was limited to elementary school, yet he was a bookworm and read just about anything he could put his hands on. His self-education journey is what truly shaped his culture and nourished his great talent.
Furthermore, Akkad devoted his life to literature. He did not marry, but lived through numerous love stories, two of which were immortalized in his novel "Sarah".
Unfortunately, he breathed his last on March 13, 1964, leaving behind a huge legacy.
Follow the latest news on Google News
