Naguib Mahfouzs Egypt: Existential Themes in His Writings (Contributions to the Study of World Literature)
by Ḥayim Gordon
Category: Literary Criticism

In 1988 Naguib Mahfouz became the first Arab writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. While Mahfouz is first and foremost a storyteller, he gives the reader an extra "baksheesh" by telling stories of persons from all walks of life. By doing so, Mahfouz accurately depicts the existential problems facing contemporary Egyptians. Gordon questioned Mahfouz directly in a series of personal interviews conducted over the past ten years, probing the existential themes in the characters, plots, and issues raised in Mahfouz's stories. The result is an intimate and highly personal look at life in Egypt.