“That is how this man, along with Taha Hussein—both of whom were legendary figures who dominated our intellectual and spiritual life—transformed into a mighty monster, one whose only virtue was to degrade me.”Continue Reading

The Egypt Independent has just posted my farewell to Ibrahim Aslan: “Goodbye Ibrahim Aslan.” It begins: “The most beautiful of the Nile’s birds leaves the lake this evening,” Palestinian poet Mourid Barghouti wrote yesterday on Twitter. “Goodbye, Ibrahim Aslan.” Aslan, one of Egypt’s greatest authors, entered the hospital yesterday withContinue Reading

The great Ibrahim Aslan (1935-2012) died yesterday after entering the hospital with heart trouble. He was 77. His funeral will be held today at the Mosque of Bilal bin Rabah in Moqattam, according to Shorouk News. Numerous writers, friends, and readers have expressed their sorrow at the loss. From acclaimedContinue Reading

Thanks to Kotob Khan for making these available. Diwan also posts some bestsellers here, although their ranking or time frame isn’t clear. I have not seen bestseller lists from other booksellers. Many of the titles are familiar from last month’s list. A few are new: Mekkawi Said’s Downtown Acquisitions (3)Continue Reading