The Harafish - Hardcover

Mahfouz, Naguib

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385423241 ISBN 13: 9780385423243

Publisher: Doubleday, 1994

Synopsis

A multigenerational saga chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the al-Nagi family, from Ashur, a man of humble origins who becomes a great leader, through the decadence and decay of his descendants, to their final redemption. 20,000 first printing. $35,000 ad/promo.

About this title

About the Author:

Naguib Mahfouz was born in Cairo in 1911 and began writing when he was seventeen. His nearly forty novels and hundreds of short stories range from re-imaginings of ancient myths to subtle commentaries on contemporary Egyptian politics and culture. Of his many works, most famous is The Cairo Trilogy, consisting of Palace Walk (1956), Palace of Desire (1957), and Sugar Street (1957), which focuses on a Cairo family through three generations, from 1917 until 1952. In 1988, he was the first writer in Arabic to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He died in August 2006.

From the Inside Flap:

Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988, Naguib Mahfouz is perhaps the best-known living Arab writer. His books have had great success in this country, particularly "The Cairo Trilogy. Fans of the famed trilogy will be delighted with "The Harafish, an epic novel that chronicles the dramatic history of the al-Nagi family -- a family that moves, over many generations, from the height of power and glory to the depths of decadence and decay. "The Harafish begins with the tale of Ashur al-Nagi, a man who grows from humble beginnings to become a great leader, a legend among his people. Generation after generation, however, Ashur's descendants grow further from his legendary example. They lose touch with their origins as they amass and then squander large fortunes, marry prostitutes when they marry at all, and develop rivalries that end in death. The community's upper class keeps a watchful eye on the descendants of al-Nagi for fear of losing their privileges, but they find no threat of another such as Ashur. Not, that is, until the al-Nagi who, like his noble ancestor, finds his power once again from among "The Harafish, or the common people. Through the strength of their numbers and their passion, the glory of the name of al-Nagi is restored. "Of all [Mahfouz's] experiments in recent decades, this is the one which owes least to western inspiration and is probably the most successful. "The Harafish, fluently translated by Catherine Cobham, makes accessible and engrossing reading." -- "The Washington Post Book World.

About this edition

• Publisher: Doubleday
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0385423241
• ISBN 13: 9780385423243
• Binding: Hardcover