Mahfouz, Naguib, << MAH fooz, NAH geeb >> (1911-2006), an Egyptian writer, became the first author writing in Arabic to win the Nobel Prize for literature. His name is also spelled Najīb Mahfūz. Mahfouz won the prize in 1988. Many of his novels deal with the various social classes of Cairo, Egypt. The many vivid characters in his fiction and the artistry he used to put them into authentic Egyptian contexts place Mahfouz firmly in the tradition of the world novel.
Mahfouz’s major work is the “Cairo Trilogy” (1956-1957). The three volumes are all named for streets in old Cairo. The English titles are Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, and Sugar Street. The novels tell the story of three generations of a Cairo family from World War I (1914-1918) to 1944, near the end of World War II. The trilogy provides a psychological portrait of Egyptian social change during the 1900’s.
Many of Mahfouz’s novels deal with controversial social and political topics, such as changing family roles and the role of religion in a modern, post-revolutionary society. His major novels include Midaq Alley (1947), Children of Gebelawi (1959), Miramar (1967), The Harafish (1976), and Morning and Evening Talk (1987). In addition to writing about 40 novels, Mahfouz also wrote short stories, one-act plays, and screenplays.
Mahfouz was born on Dec. 11, 1911, in Cairo. He graduated from King Fuad I (now Cairo) University in 1934 with a degree in philosophy. From 1934 to 1972, he was a civil servant, working in various government departments related to the arts. Mahfouz died on Aug. 30, 2006.
