National Endowment for the Arts READER'S GUIDE MuseurrLdLibrary NAGUIB MAHFOUZ'S The Thief and the Dogs 'There can be no doubt that a well-structured education: system could restore literat to its former status. The basi any appreciation for literature is education and a concern for language. . . . With these in plac the written word would be well able to withstand the competition constituted by television." — NAGUIB MAHFOUZ from Nagiiib Mahfouz at Sidi Gaber Preface Naguib Mahfouz is not only Egypt's most respected writer. He is also the most influential novelist in the history of Arabic literature. More than any other author, Mahfouz found innovative ways to make the novel, a primarily Western form, relevant to Arabic experience. His many novels and short stories cover almost every literary genre, but none is more exciting or original than The Thief and the Dogs. Spanning the wealthy suburbs and crowded slums of Cairo, this thrilling crime story combines stream-of-consciousness technique with the hard-boiled style of detective fiction to create a harrowing account of crime and punishment The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to revitalize the role of literary reading in American popular culture. Reading at Risk: A Survey of literary Reading in America, a 2004 NEA report, identified a critical decline in reading for pleasure among American adults. The Big Read aims to address this issue directly by providing citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities. A great book combines enlightenment with enchantment It awakens our imagination and enlarges our humanity. It can even offer harrowing insights that somehow console and comfort us. Whether you're a regular reader already or a nonreader making up for lost time, thank you for joining The Big Read. 2j&^^'< Dana Gioia Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Naguib Mahfouz Introduction to the Novel Naguib Mahfouz's The Thief and the Dogs (1961) is a multi-faceted story that is equal parts crime thriller, morality tale, and political allegory. The novel begins with career criminal Said Mahran's release from prison. He immediately sets off for the home of his ex-wife's new husband, desperate to settle a score with the man he feels betrayed him and hoping to reunite with his young daughter, Sana. Instead, she rejects him. Said next visits the posh home of his friend and mentor Rauf Ilwan, a former leader of the student resistance who has thoroughly abandoned the egalitarian principles he supported during the Revolution of 1952. Sensing Said is not willing to give up his life of crime, Rauf rebuffs him, saying, "Things are no longer what they used to be." Leaving his hideout made him all the more conscious of being hunted. He now knew how mice and foxes feel, slipping away on the run. Alone in the dark, he could see the city's lights glimmering in the distance, lying in wait for him." -NAGUIB MAHFOUZ from The Thief and the '^9*T +qqgf mm~ j «*•* fnJm 'ffULUi m THE T HIEF AND 4 , HE DOGS H " fH *> 2 THE BIG READ • National Endowment for the Arts Consumed by bitterness and motivated by a desire for revenge on the society and individuals he feels have failed him, Said's quest for vengeance carries readers from the banks of the Nile River, through the boulevards and back alleys of Cairo, to Bab al-Nasr — a medieval gateway on the outskirts of the city. Chances for redemption and a new way of life come to him in the form of Nur, a prostitute who believes her love can transform them both, and Sheikh Ali al-Junaydi, a Sufi cleric who offers Said the opportunity to reject worldly temptation in favor of a spiritual path. Unable to accept either eros or agape, Said soon finds himself the most hunted man in Egypt — aimless, desperate, and alone. Long known as a writer of realist fiction, The Thief and the Dogs marks Mahfouz's first use of the stream-of-consciousness technique. The result is a ground-breaking work that allows the reader intimate access to the thoughts, emotions, and motivations of a man consumed by rage and hell- bent on self-destruction. w *■" "~. * ' —--11111 1* * < %W*f „»■» # I ■ l National Endowment for the Arts • THE BIG Ri • I ..*~Ai~,„ Major Characters in the Novel 'Said's life was finished, spent to no purpose; he was a hunted man and would be to the end of his days; he was alone, and would have to beware of even his own reflection in a mirror — alive but without real life. Like a mummy." — from The Thief and the Dogs Said Mahran This petty thief embraces egalitarian and socialist values. Recently released from prison, he is disappointed that the revolution has failed to bring about widespread social and economic reform. Blinded by despair, he pursues revenge without thought of the consequences. Nabawiyya Said's wife and accomplice, Nabawiyya divorced him while he served time in prison. He resents her marriage to his former colleague, Ilish Sidra, and blames her for turning his daughter against him. Ilish Sidra Said is determined to seek revenge on Ilish, a small-time criminal who worked for him before his arrest and who now has both Said's wife and his money. Rauf Ilwan A former leader of the student movement, Rauf taught Said that a man "needs a gun and a book: the gun takes care of the past, the book is for the future." Rauf has abandoned the idealistic principles THE LIFE AND TIMES OF NAGUIB MAI 1910s Naguib Mahfouz is bom in Cairo, December 11, 1911. World War I begins, 1914. Egyptian Revolution against British occupation and rule, 1919. 1920s Egypt is granted independence. The Tomb of Tutankhamen discovered by English archeologist Howard Carter, 1922. Mahfouz and his family move from the Gamaliya district of Cairo to Abbasiya, 1924. 1930s Mahfouz joins civil service, 1934. King Fuad of Egypt dies and is succeeded by his son Farouk, 1936. Mahfouz's novel Khufu's Wisdom published, 1939. The Nazis invade Poland and World War II begins, 1939. 4 THE BIG READ • National Endowment for the Arts and Tarzan from the 1962 movie he held during the revolution in favor of stability and financial success. Sheikh Ali al-Junaydi The sheikh, a Sufi cleric who served as a spiritual advisor to Said's father, represents the moral voice in the novel. Said turns to him for help but refuses to accept his guidance. Nur A lower-class woman with few opportunities, Nur is a prostitute who loves Said and wants to protect him. Tarzan Tarzan, the owner of a local cafe, and his customers welcome Said enthusiastically after his release from prison. Later, the cafe serves as Said's information center while he is on the run. "No one smiled or seemed happy. But who of these people could have suffered more than he had, with four years lost, taken from him by betrayal?" — from The Thief and the Dogs General Muhammad Neguib (center) with Gamal Abdel Nasser (left) during a press conference one year after the Revolution of 1 952. Mahfouz publishes seven more novels, including Thebes at War (1944) and Midaq Alley Q947). World War II ends and the League of Arab States is formed, 1945. Representatives from fifty countries, including Egypt and the U.S., form the United Nations by signing a charter "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, "1945. The Free Officers Movement carries out a military coup against Egypt's King Farouk, abolishing the constitutional monarchy and establishing a republic led by General Muhammad Neguib, 1952. The young Naguib Mahfouz General Neguib is overthrown by Gamal Abdel Nasser, 1954. Mahfouz marries Atiyyatallah Ibrahim, 1954. Mahfouz's The Cairo Trilogy published. Remaining British troops are withdrawn from Egypt, 1956-57. National Endowment for the Arts • THE BIG READ 5 Naguib Mahfouz, 1911-2006 Naguib Mahfouz was born in Cairo on December 11, 1911, the youngest child of a family that prized both religious values and Egyptian patriotism. His education began at kuttab (Koran school), where he studied religion and reading. The discovery of detective stories in primary school ignited his passion for books and, from that point on, Mahfouz was a voracious reader. Demonstrations, protests, and massive strikes paralyzed Egypt in 1919 as the country struggled for independence from Great Britain. Hundreds of people were killed in riots before the British backed down. Witnessing what many Egyptians call "the first revolution" had a lasting effect on young Mahfouz, whose works often examine themes of nationalism, the r U C i ;* £ " * 1960s The Thief and the Dogs published, 1961. First U.S. combat troops arrive in Vietnam, 1965. Arab defeat in the Six- Day War leaves Israel occupying the Sinai Peninsula, eastern Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, 1967. 1970s Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser dies and is succeeded by Anwar Sadat, 1970. Mahfouz retires from the civil service, 1971, and publishes Karnak Cafe (1974) and The Harafish(W7). quest for democratic principles, and freedom. Mahfouz began writing during school holidays, modeling his early stories after the novels he read in translation. He studied the masters of Arabic literature in high school. After college graduation Mahfouz entered the civil service, holding a variety of government posts until his retirement in 1971. He delayed marriage until his forties fearing family life would hinder his writing. In 1954 he married Atiyyatallah Ibrahim; they raised two daughters Mahfouz with his daughters Vietnam War ends with a January cease- fire. Arab-Israeli War (known as the October War in the Arab world) begins on October 6, 1973. Anwar Sadat 6 THE BIG READ • National Endowment for the Arts 1980s President Anwar Sadat assassinated by Muslim extremists and is succeeded by Hosni Mubarak, 1981. Mahfouz publishes Arabian Nights and Days (1982) and The Day the Leader Was tftferf(1985);heis awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, 1988. together. Despite the responsibilities of a full-time job and family, he became a prolific writer whose oeuvre includes more than thirty novels, sixteen collections of short stories, and numerous other publications. In 1988, Mahfouz became the first Arab writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was a modest man who kept a disciplined routine, including regular trips to Cairo's cafes to meet with other writers, but his growing fame had a cost. In 1994, Mahfouz was stabbed in the neck by a follower of Sheikh Omar Abdul-Rahman, the blind cleric later convicted for his participation in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Mahfouz lost partial use of his right hand and wrote with difficulty thereafter. Iranian leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, issues a fatwa against Salman Rushdie, author of 7776 Satanic Verses, 1988. Mahfouz joins other Arab intellectuals in statement against the fatwa, 1989. First Gulf War begins, 1990. Mahfouz is attacked by a Muslim extremist after a fatwa condemns \\\s book Children of the /l//ey(1959),1994. Mahfouz is awarded an honorary doctorate by the American University in Cairo, 1995. President Mubarak awards the Order of the Nile to Naguib Mahfouz, 1 988. Twice a recipient of the Egyptian State Prize for Literature, Mahfouz won awards at home and abroad. In 1988, he received the Order of the Nile, Egypt's highest honor, from President Hosni Mubarak. He was elected an honorary member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1992 and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2002. Hailed as "the father of the modern Arabic novel," Naguib Mahfouz died in August 2006 at the age of ninety-four. A statue paying tribute I to Mahfouz stands in the |j middle of Sphinx Square I in Cairo. I 2000s September 11 th attacks lead to the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, 2001. Mahfouz elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2002. Mahfouz dies on August 30 and a state funeral with full military honors is held the next day, 2006. National Endowment for the Arts • THE BIG READ 7 The Egyptian Revolution of 1952 If asked to identify the most important event in modern Egyptian history, many Egyptians would point to the 1952 Revolution. Riots broke out at the beginning of that year after British forces sought to disarm a military barrack in Ismailia, a town on the west bank of the Suez Canal, killing fifty Egyptian police officers. The next day Egyptians rioted in Cairo, targeting British interests in particular. King Farouk declared martial law, adding to the popular feeling that Egypt's monarchy was too closely allied with Great Britain. On July 23, 1952, a group called the Free Officers Movement led by General Muhammad Neguib, forced King Farouk to abdicate to his infant son. To deny the British an excuse for military intervention, the child held the title of king for nearly a year, but General Neguib and his Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) assumed the operation of the government. The new government embraced socialist principles to form a political system that became known as Arab Socialism. They quickly instituted a series of reforms aimed at taking the land out of the hands The Temple of Dendur, now on permanent display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, was a gift from Egypt to the United States in recognition of American assistance in saving archeological sites threatened by the construction of the Aswan Dam. of rich landowners. Limits to land ownership were set. The government redistributed land in small plots to the peasantry. Still, more than half the rural population remained landless laborers. Eleven months after taking power, General Neguib declared the end of the monarchy in Egypt and became the country's president, prime minister, and chairman of the RCC. A young army colonel named Gamal Abdel Nasser served as deputy prime minister. Nasser accused Neguib of dictatorial ambition. In late 1954, after a political batde, General Neguib stepped down and Gamal Abdel Nasser became Egypt's head of state. As president of Egypt, Nasser pronounced the country a one- party, socialist state. When Egypt and Syria joined to form the United Arab Republic in 1958, Nasser hoped other Arab nations would follow suit. Though many Gamal Abdel Nasser viewed Nasser as a champion of Arab interests, his hopes for a pan- Arab state never materialized, and Syria withdrew from the republic in 1961. Nasser took giant steps on the road to modernization, including negotiating the construction of the Aswan Dam, which controls flooding along the Nile and provides much-needed electricity to many parts of rural Egypt; however, he also ruled the country with an iron fist. Widespread censorship, wire-tapping, the detainment of political prisoners, and fraudulent elections caused many citizens, like Naguib Mahfouz, to ask themselves whether life in post-revolutionary Egypt was truly better. King Farouk National Endowment for thi An Interview with Naguib Mahfouz For more than fifty years, the Paris Review has published interviews with great writers from around the world in the column 'The Art of Fiction/' The following is excerpted from an interview with Naguib Mahfouz that appeared in the summer 1992 issue. Charlotte El Shabrawy: The Thief and the Dogs. How did you begin? Naguib Mahfouz: The story was inspired by a thief who terrorized Cairo for a while. When he got out of prison he tried to kill his wife and his lawyer. They managed to escape unharmed, but he was killed in the process. CES: Had his wife betrayed him, as in the novel? NM: No ... I subjected my main character, Said Mahran, to all my confusion, my perplexities. I put him through the experience of looking for answers in the sheikh, in the "fallen woman," in the idealist who has betrayed his ideas for money and fame. The writer, you see, is not simply a journalist. He interweaves a story with his own doubts, questions, and values. That is art. CES: What about the role of religion in the story? NM: The sheikh rejects life as we know it. The criminal, on the other hand, is trying to solve his immediate problems. They are in two different worlds. CES: What of Nur, the woman in the story? Though "fallen" [she is] clearly good-hearted, and appears to embody the only hope for the future. NM: That is correct. CES: Why are the majority of your heroines from the lower strata of society? Do you intend them to symbolize anything larger? Egypt, for example? NM: No. CES: What do you think of such critics, who interpret your work in symbols? NM: When I first heard that [one of my female characters] symbolized Egypt, I was taken by surprise, even a little shocked And by the | THE BIG READ ■ National Endowment for the Arts ■ v J |_ ft ^ * ^ |^ r ^rr- J^*" & *-• F ^ j IfV P* 1 -./ •-• 1 r Tvgyr 1 -*' . <% ^^t . J^, >* •# 9y v y f "•- • 1HIMI1- Naguib Mahfouz time I finished reading the article, I realized that the critic was right — that while I was writing about [her] I was also subconsciously writing about Egypt. I think such symbolic parallels probably always come from the subconscious. Although I may not intend a story to convey a certain meaning that a reader sees in it, that meaning may nevertheless be a legitimate part of the story. A writer writes both consciously and unconsciously. CES: What about a conception of the hero? Heroes don't seem to exist in your stories. NM: It's true that there are no heroes in most of my stories — only characters. Why? Because I look at our society with a critical eye and find nothing extraordinary in the people I see. CES: How would you describe a hero? NM: There are many heroes in ancient Arabic literature, all of them horsemen, knights. But a hero today would for me be one who adheres to a certain set of principles and stands by them in the face of opposition. He fights corruption, is not an opportunist, and has a strong moral foundation. CES: What is the subject closest to your heart? The subject you most love to write about? NM: Freedom. Freedom from colonization, freedom from the absolute rule of a king, and basic human freedom in the context of society and the family. These types of freedom follow from one to the other. National Endowment for the Arts • THE BIG READ Mahfouz and His Other Works Self-described as a "man of two civilizations," Naguib Mahfouz saw himself as a product of both ancient Egypt and the modern Islamic era. Writing across genres and in varying styles, his work celebrates Egypt's rich history while bearing witness to the country's twentieth-century political and social issues. Mahfouz's first novel, Khufu s Wisdom (1939), explores the life of the pharaoh for whom the Great Pyramid of Giza was built. The author continued to mine the riches of Egyptian pharaonic culture in other early novels such as Rhadopis of Nubia (1943), the story of a young pharaoh's infatuation with a beautiful courtesan, and Thebes at War (1944), a tale of Egypt's defeat of an Asiatic tribe that ruled the Nile Valley for more than two hundred years. From the 1940s through the early 1980s, Mahfouz wrote screenplays and film scenarios to supplement his government income. Many of these are counted as classics of Egyptian cinema. These screenplays as well as other screenwriters' adaptations of Mahfouz's novels added to his popularity with the Egyptian people. In the late 1 940s Mahfouz began to write about contemporary Egyptian society. Novels Khan al-Khalili (1946) and Midaq Alley (1947) take their names from sections of Old Cairo, yet both are set in the modern era and populated with characters struggling to adjust to life during and after World War II. Critics almost universally agree that The Cairo Trilogy stands as Mahfouz's best work. Originally written as one single tome of nearly 1,500 pages, publishers convinced Mahfouz to release the epic family saga in three separate volumes: Palace Walk (1956), Palace of Desire (1957), and Sugar Street (1957). Long known as a writer of realistic fiction, Mahfouz experimented during the 1 960s with new | 2 THE BIG READ • National Endowment for the Arts K HAD OP IS OF NUBIA techniques such as stream-of- consciousness and second-person narration. Like The Thief and the Dogs, novels Autumn Quail (1962), The Search (1964), and The Beggar (1965) express concern over the shortcomings of the 1952 Revolution yet are filled with a love for his country and compassion for the lowest members of Egyptian society. The author continued his stunning output of fiction throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with short story collections such as Love Under the Pyramids (1979) and The Secret Organization (1984); and novels The Harafish (1977), Arabian Nights and Days ( 1 982) , and Morning and Evening Talk (1987). Though Mahfouz published his first novel in Arabic in 1939, his work remained litde-known in the United States outside academic and literary circles. Translation into English in the 1960s cemented his international reputation as an author of excellence and importance. Mahfouz was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988 — becoming the first Arab writer to receive the honor — proving to the rest of the world what Egyptians already knew: Naguib Mahfouz was one of the world's greatest writers. If you want to read English translations of other Egyptian novels, you might enjoy: A Man of Letters by Taha Hussein (1994) A Certain Woman by Hala El Badry (2003) Zayni Barakat by Gamal al-Ghitani (2004) Love in Exile by Bahaa Taher (2005) If you enjoyed The Thief and the Dogs, you might enjoy: The Maltese Falcon i by Dashiell Hammett (1930) The Stranger by Albert Camus (1942) The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene ( 1 948) The Pickup by Nadine Gordimer (2001) National Endowment for the Arts • THE BIG READ | 3 Discussion Questions When Said Mahran breathes "the air of freedom" at the beginning of The Thief and the Dogs, Naguib Mahfouz also describes the "stifling dust" and "unbearable heat." Why might the author have chosen to begin his novel in this way? After Said is released from prison, he goes direcdy to the home of Ilish Sidra. Is he more motivated by the hope of reuniting with his daughter, Sana, or by the desire for revenge? Ilish Sidra denies having Said's money and contends that he married Nabawiyya out of a sense of duty. Do you believe him? What clues about his personality do his actions in the novel's first chapter provide? What are your impressions of Said's ex- wife, Nabawiyya? Is she a sympathetic character? Why or why not? The Great Sphinx and pyramids at Giza Said first knew Rauf Ilwan as a leader in the student movement and viewed him as a friend and mentor who was "Not just a revolutionary student, but revolution personified as a student." What prompts Said's opinion of Rauf to change? Sheikh Ali al-Junaydi provides Said with food and refuge. What does he ask in return? Why is Said unable to accept his wisdom? | 4 THE BIG READ ■ National Endowment for the Arts Mahfouz leaving a shop in the bazaar in Cairo 7. Though Nur earns her living as a prostitute, she is portrayed as a good woman who offers Said hope of a new life. How can her occupation and her devotion to Said be reconciled? 8. What do we learn about Said during his encounter with Bayaza? Why does he only take ten pounds? Some readers see similarities between Said and Robin Hood. Do you agree? 9. Which characters in the novel are most supportive of Said? What do they have in common with him and with each other? 10. Discuss the ways Mahfouz describes the streets of Cairo. How is the setting similar to your city or town? How is it different? 11. How dependent is this novel on its setting? In what ways is it about Egyptian society in particular? In what ways is the story universal? "I was told by a foreign correspondent in Cairo that the moment my name was mentioned in connection with the prize silence fell, and many wondered who I was. Permit me, then, to present myself in as objective a manner as is humanly possible. I am the son of two civilizations that at a certain age in history have formed a happy marriage. The first of these, seven thousand years old, is the Pharaonic civilization; the second, one thousand four hundred years old, is the Islamic one." — NAGUIB MAHFOUZ from his Nobel lecture, 1988 National Endowment for the Arts • THE BIG READ | 5 Additional Resources Selected Works by Naguib Mahfouz Khufiis Wisdom, 1939 Rhadopis of Nubia, 1 943 Thebes at War, 1944 Midaq Alley, 1947 Palace Walk 1956 Palace of Desire, 1 957 Sugar Street, 1957 The Thief and the Dogs, 1961 Autumn Quail 1962 The Search, 1964 The Beggar, 1965 Adrift an the Nile, 1966 Respected Sir, 1975 TheHarafish, 1977 Wedding Song, 1981 Arabian Nights and Days, 1982 77^ £)#)- /"/^ Leader Was Killed, 1985 Echoes of an Autobiography, 1994 Salmawy, Mohamed. 7/^ Z^tf Station: Naguib Mahfouz Looking Back. New York* The American University in Cairo Press, 2007. Serour, Aleya, ed. Naguib Mahfouz: Life's Wisdom fom the Works of the Nobel Laureate. New York: The American University in Cairo Press, 2006. Web sites American University in Cairo Press The site contains a complete bibliography of Mahfouz's works including those in English translation, information about the author, and biographies written about Mahfouz. www. aucpress. com Resources about Naguib Mafouz Al-Ghitani, Gamal. The Mahfouz Dialogs. New York: The American University in Cairo Press, 2007. El-Enany, Rasheed. Naguib Mahfouz: His Life and Times. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2007. The Nobel Prize This site includes biographical information, a bibliography, an interview, and a transcript of Mahfouz's Nobel lecture. www. nobelpnze. org | 6 THE BIG READ ■ National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts — both new and established — bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established endowment by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the for the arts Endowment is the nation's largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art deJr^' great art. to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The ••. '•. : Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect •./••J INSTITUTE of P •;.vi. MuseurriandLibrary people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and ,•.*; SERVICES r r '" •' • in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. AH MIDWEST Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest's history spans more than 25 years. Additional support for The Big Read has also been provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Works Cited El Shabrawy, Charlotte. "Naguib Mahfouz: The Art of Fiction, No. 129." The Paris Review Issue 123, Summer 1 992, . Frangsmyr, Tore and Sture Allen, eds. Nobel Lectures, Literature 1981—1990. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co., 1 993 Mahfouz, Naguib. Naguib Mahfouz at Sidi Gaber: Reflections of a Nobel Laureate, 1994—2001. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2004. . The Thief and the Dogs. 1961. New York: Anchor Books, 2008. Works Consulted Al-Ghitani, Gamal. The Mahfouz Dialogs. New York The American University in Cairo Press, 2007. Ei-Enany, Rasheed. Naguib Mahfouz: His Life and Times. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2007. Eye Witness Travel Egypt. New York DK Publishing, 200 1 . "The Life and Work of Naguib Mahfouz, 191 1-2006." The American University in Cairo Press, 2006. Salmawv, Mohamed. The Last Station: Naguib Mahfouz Looking Back. New York The American University in Cairo Press, 2007. Acknowledgments David Kipen, NEA Director of National Reading Initiatives Writer: Molly Thomas— Hicks for the National Endowment for the Arts, with a preface by Dana Gioia Series Editor: Erika Koss for the National Endowment for the Arts Image Editor: Dan Brady for the National Endowment for the Arts Graphic Design: Fletcher Design/Washington, DC Image Credits Cover Portrait: John Sherffius for The Big Read. Inside Front Coven Courtesy of The American University in Cairo Press. Page 1: Caricature of Dana Gioia by John Sherffius. Pages 2-3: Book cover courtesy of Random House, image by Three Lions/Hulton Archive/ Getty Images. Pages 4—5: Photo of young Mahfouz and film still courtesy of The American University in Cairo Press; photo of General Neguib and Nasser courtesy of Ronald Startup/Stringer/Hulton Archive/ Getty Images. Page 6: Image of Mahfouz and daughters courtesy of The American University in Cairo Press, image of Anwar Sadat by Sahm Doherty/Time life Pictures/Getty Images. Page 7: Courtesy of The American University in Cairo Press. Page 8: The Metropolitan Museum of An, given to the United States by Egypt in 1965, awarded to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1967, and installed in the Sadder Wing in 1978 (68.154) Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Page 9: Image of Gamal Abdel Nasser by David Lees/Hulton Archive/Getty Images, image of King Farouk I by Hulton Archive/Getty Images. Page 11: Image by Barry Iverson/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images. Pages 12-13: Book coven courtesy of Random House; Mahfouz medal courtesy of The American University in Cairo Press. Page 14: © William Manning/ http:lladamjonesphoto.cornJQcrfo\s. Pages 15: Courtesy of The American University in Cairo Press. This publication is published by: National Endowment for the Arts • 1 100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. • Washington, DC 20506-0001 (202) 682-5400 • www.nea.gov www.NEABigRead.org July 2008 "A world without morals is like a universe without gravity. I want nothing, long for nothing more than to die a death that has some meaning to it." — NAGUIB MAHFOUZ Said Mahran in The Thief and the Dogs NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NBA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. A great nation deserves great art. •'ifi « -INSTITUTE '/ .. ••a. Museum , Library .•:: services