AUC Press to Bring Out Edited ‘Diaries of Waguih Ghali’

In January 2017, AUC Press is set to bring out the first volume of The Diaries of Waguih Ghali, from entries 1964-66, edited by May Hawas:

Much of Waguih Ghali’s (1930-1969) unpublished work is available online at ghali.library.cornell.edu/. This includes unpublished papers, diaries from the 1960s, and manuscript fragments from the iconic Egyptian author of the cult classic Beer in the Snooker Club.

According to AUC Press:

Covering the last four years of his life, Ghali’s Diaries offer an exciting glimpse into London’s swinging sixties. Volume 1 tells of Ghali’s life in Rheydt, West Germany, providing unique insights from the perspective of an Egyptian immigrant on postwar Germany and shedding light on Ghali’s own writing and personality when he was at the peak of his depression. This volume also includes his reminiscences of his childhood in Alexandria and Cairo, drawing in bittersweet nostalgia a picture of a bygone era in Egypt. Meanwhile, in the background loom what would become milestone events in his adopted countries in subsequent decades: the Treblinka trials and the gains of the National Democratic Party in Germany and the rise of the Labour Party in Britain.

Including an interview conducted by Deborah Starr with celebrated literary editor Diana Athill OBE, the Diaries bring together those most familiar with Ghali’s life and work, and offer a fresh take on a distinctive author and a vibrant decade.

Certainly a must-read for anyone interested in Ghali’s work and perhaps of wider interest.

From the catalog: