Mohamed Shoair Books

Naguib Mahfouz's novel *Children of the Alley*, published in Egypt in 1959, has been a contentious work, facing bans and censorship while also being sold both openly and clandestinely. It has provoked anxiety among secular authorities and outrage from the religious right, drawing sharp lines among Arab intellectuals and writers. This novel haunted Mahfouz throughout his career, contributing to an attempted assassination and igniting ongoing public discourse that persists even after his death in 2006. It stands as Egypt's iconic novel, reflecting the complexities of society and sparking varied interpretations of truth and blasphemy. In this award-winning account, Mohamed Shoair explores the novel's journey as a cultural and political artifact, from its initial release to Mahfouz's Nobel Prize win in 1988 and the 1994 assassination attempt. He delves into the debates surrounding the work and the diverse Egyptian figures involved, from state actors to secular intellectuals and Islamists. Shoair also contextualizes the interactions among the novel's characters, which have significantly influenced Egypt's contemporary landscape. This extensively researched narrative is both a compelling piece of investigative journalism and an insightful examination of the intense cultural and religious debates in Egyptian society over the last fifty years.