The Quarter

Naguib Mahfouz (1911-2006) was Egypt's most eminent writer. Over a career that lasted more than five decades, he wrote thirty-four novels, thirteen short story anthologies, numerous plays and thirty screenplays. His works range from re-imaginings of ancient myths to subtle commentaries on contemporary Egyptian politics and culture. A writer of incredible discipline, every day he wrote for one hour, smoked three cigarettes and walked by the Nile. In 1994 he was stabbed in the neck by extremists and was seriously wounded. The injury caused nerve damage that partly paralysed his right hand, preventing him from writing. Of his many works, his most famous is The Cairo Trilogy, consisting of Palace Walk, Palace of Desire and Sugar Street. Other notable works include The Children of Gebelawi, The Thief and The Dogs and Autumn Quail. Mahfouz received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988, the first writer in Arabic to do so.

Meet the people of Cairo's Gamaliya quarter. There is Nabqa, son of Adam the waterseller who can only speak truths; the beautiful and talented Tawhida who does not age with time; Ali Zaidan, the gambler, late to love; and Boss Saqr who stashes his money above the bath. A neighbourhood of demons, dancing and sweet halva, the quarter keeps quiet vigil over the secrets of all who live there. This collection by pre-eminent Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz was recently discovered among his old papers. Found with a slip of paper titled 'for publishing 1994', they are published here for the first time. Resplendent with Mahfouz's delicate and poignant observations of everyday happenings, these lively stories lay bare the beauty hidden in the infamous labyrinths of Cairo.

Foreword by Elif ShafakIntroduction by Roger AllenThe OvenYour Lot in LifePursuitSon of the QuarterThe ScreamNamla's ProphesyBad LuckShaikhunThe ArrowThe Whisper of the StarsOur Father IgwaThe StormThe End of Boss SaqrLife is a GameNabqa in the Old FortLate Night SecretThe Prayer of Sheikh QafTawhida