Naguib Mahfouz passed away at the age of 94. He was the first Arab writer awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988.
A few years ago, when I was fresh out of college and working for the New Jersey Law Journal as assistant editor, a co-worker passed along a copy of Palace Walk--part of the series of novels that afforded Mahfouz his Nobel. I struggled to read through it while still working, but put it down in favor of other works even though I was enjoying his work. I just didn't have the patience or desire to read anything of any importance at the time.
I came across his obit today online. And I thought about the books I brought with me to China. One among the few I carried aboard the cross-hemisphere flight was the very same copy of Palace Walk. I suppose as I finish reading a passed along copy of Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje I should pick up Mahfouz.
|
|
|
More by 外国人 (Waiguoren) the Great |
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 3
I would like to add that he was a moderate voice in the Arab world , calling for peace between the arabs adn israel. in 1994 he was stabbed by an extremist who was angry at his writing without even having read any of his books, since then he has not been able to write..
i have not read his books but plan to..
thanks .