(born Dec. 11, 1911, Cairo, Egypt—died Aug. 30, 2006, Cairo) Egyptian writer. He worked in the cultural section of the Egyptian civil service from 1934 to 1971.
His major work, the Cairo Trilogy (1956–57)—including the novels Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, and Sugar Street—represents a penetrating overview of 20th-century Egyptian society. Subsequent works offer critical views of the Egyptian monarchy, colonialism, and contemporary Egypt. Other well-known novels include Midaq Alley (1947), Children of Gebelawi (1959), and Miramar (1967). He also wrote short-story collections, some 30 screenplays, and several stage plays. In 1988 he became the first Arabic writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
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