Cairo Modern

Naguib Mahfouz (1911–2006) was born in the crowded Cairo district of Gamaliya. He graduated in philosophy from King Fuad University in 1934, and went on to write nearly forty novel-length works, plus hundreds of short stories and numerous screenplays. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988.WILLIAM M. HUTCHINS is the principal translator of Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy, and has most recently translated Mohammed Khudayyir’s Basrayatha (AUC Press, 2007) and Fadhil al-Azzawi’s The Last of the Angels (AUC Press, 2007) and Cell Block Five (AUC Press, 2008). He was awarded the 2013 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation for his translation of A Land without Jasmine by Wajdi al-Ahdal.

"A fascinating example of human pain, degradation, and the tyranny of social relations." The Huffington Post "Mahfouz writes like an ancient Orient Express still chugging along in perfect condition, old-fashioned in almost every way, with a big Dickensian heart that seems to forgive and understand just about everyone. Crafty and unhurried, Mahfouz steers the narrative with a compassionate, frequently ironic hand, so subtle you're halfway to your destination before you realize where he's taking you. Midway through the novel, this cagey old master reveals a well-prepared shocker, which launches the story toward disaster." - Shelf Awareness: Daily Enlightenment for the Book Trade "Politics and religion dance lightly upon the pages while Mahfouz focuses on the humanity of his characters and the inevitable consequences of a corrupt system. Cairo Modern rises above its theme by drawing the reader into a world where choosing the right path is impossible and forces each of us to consider carefully whether we would have acted differently in the same set of circumstances." - Curledup.com "The novel is a gem, the perfect introduction to Mahfouz's work if you have never read any of his other novels." - CounterPunch