Bahaa Taher
Encyclopedia
Bahaa Taher (born 1935 in Cairo
, Egypt
), sometimes transliterated as Bahaa Tahir, Baha Taher, or Baha Tahir, is an Egypt
ian novel
ist who writes in Arabic
. He was awarded the inaugural International Prize for Arabic Fiction
in 2008.
in 1935. He graduated in literature from the University of Cairo
. Upon being banned from writing in 1975, he left Egypt and travelled widely in Africa
and Asia
seeking work as a translator. During the 1980s and 1990s he lived in Switzerland
, where he worked as a translator for the United Nations
. Afterwards he returned to Egypt, where he continues to reside.
.
in Lebanon
in 1982.
of the book is a nationalist Egyptian police officer who suffers from an existential crisis
.
’s development program for Egypt. He feels that Anwar El Sadat’s ending of this policy has been a disaster for Egypt. He calls himself a pan-Arabist
, but he says that he does not see much good in the Arab regimes of today. He feels that Westerners want to see exoticism, gender discrimination
, and problems between minorities
in the works of Arab writers
, but he refuses to comply with these stereotypes
.
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, 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...
), sometimes transliterated as Bahaa Tahir, Baha Taher, or Baha Tahir, is an 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 novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
ist who writes in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
. He was awarded the inaugural International Prize for Arabic Fiction
International Prize for Arabic Fiction
The International Prize for Arabic Fiction is a literary prize managed in association with the Booker Prize Foundation in London, and supported by the Emirates Foundation in Abu Dhabi. The prize is specifically for prose fiction by Arabic authors, along the lines of the Man Booker Prize...
in 2008.
Life
Taher was born in CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
in 1935. He graduated in literature from the University of Cairo
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
. Upon being banned from writing in 1975, he left Egypt and travelled widely in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
seeking work as a translator. During the 1980s and 1990s he lived in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where he worked as a translator for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Afterwards he returned to Egypt, where he continues to reside.
East of the Palms (1985)
(شرق النخيل) His first novel was first published in serialized formSerial (literature)
In literature, a serial is a publishing format by which a single large work, most often a work of narrative fiction, is presented in contiguous installments—also known as numbers, parts, or fascicles—either issued as separate publications or appearing in sequential issues of a single periodical...
.
Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery (1991)
(خالتي صفية والدير) His third novel, set in Upper Egypt, concerns a blood feud as a result of which a young Muslim man, fleeing vengeance, finds sanctuary in a Coptic monastery.Love in Exile (1995)
(الحب في المنفى) His fourth novel deals with the massacre of Palestinians at the Sabra and Shatila refugee campsSabra and Shatila massacre
The Sabra and Shatila massacre took place in the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut, Lebanon between September 16 and September 18, 1982, during the Lebanese civil war. Palestinian and Lebanese civilians were massacred in the camps by Christian Lebanese Phalangists while the camp...
in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
in 1982.
Sunset Oasis (2007)
(واحة الغروب) His sixth novel is set in 19th century Egypt at the beginning of the British occupation of the country. The protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the book is a nationalist Egyptian police officer who suffers from an existential crisis
Existential crisis
An existential crisis is a stage of development at which an individual questions the very foundations of his or her life: whether his or her life has any meaning, purpose or value...
.
Translations
- Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery has been translated into ten languages, including the 1996 English translation by Barbara Romaine.
- Love in Exile was translated into English by Farouk Abdel Wahab, the pen name of Farouk Mustafa. The translation was published by American University in Cairo Press in 2001 and later reissued by Arabia Books.
- Qalat Doha (As Doha Said) was translated by Peter Daniels and published by the American University in Cairo Press in 2008.
- Sunset Oasis was translated into English by Humphrey Davis and was published in the UK in 2009 by Sceptre.
- Sunset Oasis was translated into Norwegian by Unn Gyda Næss and is published by Vigmostad og Bjørke. Norwegian title: "Der solen går ned", ISBN 978-82-419-0583-4.
Awards
- 1998 State Award of Merit in Literature, which is Egypt’s highest literary award.
- 2000 Italian Giuseppe Acerbi Prize for Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery.
- 2008 International Prize for Arabic FictionInternational Prize for Arabic FictionThe International Prize for Arabic Fiction is a literary prize managed in association with the Booker Prize Foundation in London, and supported by the Emirates Foundation in Abu Dhabi. The prize is specifically for prose fiction by Arabic authors, along the lines of the Man Booker Prize...
. He is the first winner of this prize.
Political views
In his youth he was involved in left wing causes, and was a supporter of Gamal Abdel NasserGamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
’s development program for Egypt. He feels that Anwar El Sadat’s ending of this policy has been a disaster for Egypt. He calls himself a pan-Arabist
Pan-Arabism
Pan-Arabism is an ideology espousing the unification--or, sometimes, close cooperation and solidarity against perceived enemies of the Arabs--of the countries of the Arab world, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea. It is closely connected to Arab nationalism, which asserts that the Arabs...
, but he says that he does not see much good in the Arab regimes of today. He feels that Westerners want to see exoticism, gender discrimination
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
, and problems between minorities
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
in the works of Arab writers
Arabic literature
Arabic literature is the writing produced, both prose and poetry, by writers in the Arabic language. The Arabic word used for literature is adab which is derived from a meaning of etiquette, and implies politeness, culture and enrichment....
, but he refuses to comply with these stereotypes
Stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims
Stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims have been presented in various forms by the mass media in Western culture and American culture. Stereotypical representations of Arabs are often manifested in a society's media, literature, theater and other creative expressions...
.
External links
- Bahaa Taher: Excerpts, articles, interviews and videos on the website of the Prague Writers' Festival
- A short profile of the writer
- An interview with the writer in Egyptian Today in which he talks about his life and Sunset Oasis