Egyptian writers
Youssef Ziedan: where to start
Youssef Ziedan is an Egyptian scholar and novelist whose Azazeel became one of the most talked-about Arabic novels of the century. Here is who he is, which of his books to read first, and where to go next.
Who is Youssef Ziedan?
Ziedan was born in Upper Egypt in 1958 and grew up in Alexandria. He is a scholar of Arabic manuscripts and Islamic philosophy, and for years headed the manuscripts center at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
His novel Azazeel (2008), the story of an Egyptian monk in the fifth century, won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2009 and stirred fierce debate in Egypt.
Where to start
2008 · International Prize for Arabic Fiction
Azazeel
A monk named Hypa travels from Upper Egypt to Alexandria and Syria in a time of religious violence, and writes his confession.
2010
Nabatean
A young Coptic woman’s journey into the desert world of the Nabateans on the eve of Islam.
Why read Youssef Ziedan today
Ziedan brings a scholar’s knowledge to vivid storytelling. Azazeel is a historical novel of ideas that reads like a confession and an adventure.
Another Egyptian voice
Youssef Ziedan writes Egypt’s past; A.M. Khalifa writes its present, in the form of the international espionage thriller. His Terminal Rage moves between New York, Cairo, Rome and Naples.
A.M. Khalifa grew up in a diplomatic corps family across more than fifteen countries and is the only Egyptian writing commercial espionage fiction in English. His debut, Terminal Rage, has sold more than 500,000 copies and received a starred review from Booklist.
More Egyptian writers
Naguib Mahfouz · Alaa Al Aswany · Ahdaf Soueif · Nawal El Saadawi · Omar El Akkad · Ahmed Mourad · Ahmed Khaled Towfik · Tawfiq al-Hakim · Taha Hussein · Radwa Ashour · Yusuf Idris · Latifa al-Zayyat · Bahaa Taher · Sonallah Ibrahim · Ibrahim Abdel Meguid · Ezzedine Choukri Fishere · Khaled Al Khamissi · Mansoura Ez-Eldin · Waguih Ghali · Yasmine El Rashidi · Noor Naga · Omar Robert Hamilton · Nabil Farouk · A.M. Khalifa
Questions
What is Azazeel about?
An Egyptian monk named Hypa in the fifth century, whose journey takes him through Alexandria and Syria during a time of religious conflict.
Did Azazeel win a prize?
Yes. It won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2009.
Is Azazeel available in English?
Yes. It has been translated into English.