Alaa Al Aswany
Encyclopedia
Alaa al-Aswany (born 1957) is an Egyptian
writer, and a founding member of the political movement Kefaya.
, first in Egypt
, and then later Chicago
.
He earned his Masters Degree in dentistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago
where he spent 17 years of his life. Al-Aswany has contributed numerous articles to Egypt
ian newspapers on literature, politics, and social issues. His second novel, The Yacoubian Building
, an ironic depiction of modern Egyptian society, has been widely read in Egypt and throughout the Middle East
. It has been translated into English
, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Polish, Greek and Dutch. It was adapted into a film
(2006) and a television series (2007) of the same name
.
Aswany’s name has also been included in the list of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World, issued by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in Amman
, Jordan
. He was number one in The FP Top 100 Global Thinkers list 2011.
Chicago, a novel set in the city in which the author was educated
, was published in January 2007.
Al-Aswany participated in the Blue Metropolis literary festival in Montreal
, June 2008 and April 2010, and was featured in interviews with the CBC programme Writers and Company
.
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
writer, and a founding member of the political movement Kefaya.
Biography
Alaa Al Aswany studied to be a dentistDentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
, first in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and then later Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
He earned his Masters Degree in dentistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Chicago
The University of Illinois at Chicago, or UIC, is a state-funded public research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, near the Chicago Loop...
where he spent 17 years of his life. Al-Aswany has contributed numerous articles to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian newspapers on literature, politics, and social issues. His second novel, The Yacoubian Building
The Yacoubian Building
The Yacoubian Building is a novel by Egyptian author Alaa-Al-Aswany. The book was made into a film of the same name in 2006 and into a TV series in 2007....
, an ironic depiction of modern Egyptian society, has been widely read in Egypt and throughout the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. It has been translated into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Polish, Greek and Dutch. It was adapted into a film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
(2006) and a television series (2007) of the same name
The Yacoubian Building (series)
The Yacoubian Building is a 2007 Egyptian television series based on the scenario of Atef Beshai and directed by Ahmad Saqr. The series featured major roles by Salah Al-Saadni, Izzat Abou Of, Lobna Abdel Aziz, Rania Youssef and Aser Yasin....
.
Aswany’s name has also been included in the list of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World, issued by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. He was number one in The FP Top 100 Global Thinkers list 2011.
Chicago, a novel set in the city in which the author was educated
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, was published in January 2007.
Al-Aswany participated in the Blue Metropolis literary festival in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, June 2008 and April 2010, and was featured in interviews with the CBC programme Writers and Company
Writers and Company
Writers & Company is a Canadian radio show that airs Sunday afternoons on CBC Radio One. Hosted by Eleanor Wachtel, the program broadcasts interviews with Canadian and international writers....
.
English translations
- Alaa al Aswany, Friendly Fire: Ten Tales of Today’s Cairo, Humprey Davies (translator), The American University in Cairo Press, 2008
- Alaa al Aswany, Chicago, Farouk Abdel Wahab (translator), The American University in Cairo Press, 2008
- Alaa al Aswany, The Yacoubian Building, HarperPerennial, 2007
- Alaa al Aswany, The Yacoubian Building, Fourth Estate, 2007
- Alaa al Aswany, The Yacoubian Building, Humprey Davies (translator, HarperPerennial, 2006
- Alaa al Aswany, The Yacoubian Building, Humprey Davies (translator), The American University in Cairo Press, 2004