The World's Literature in Europe discussion

A descriptive essay of the historical novels. They range from the era of ancient Egypt to contemporary Egyptian politics and culture.

"Naguib Mahfouz – The Son of Two Civilizations". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2014. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prize...

It would be very nice to have a Naguib Mahfouz Challenge sometime. I have to look further into the topic.

The Harafish is probably among the first of his works after we've finished the present The Cairo Trilogy.

A. Fedosia wrote: "It would be very nice to have a Naguib Mahfouz Challenge sometime. I have to look further into the topic.

The Harafish is probably among the first of his works after we've finishe..."

I've read it but wouldn't mind reading it again. It has been a while.

Sue,
The Harafish is regarded as a fable or myth. That is the next Mahfouz but the dates aren't set.

When the time comes, the book cover will be featured on TWL's group page. It'll be discussed in this same topic: "The Writings of Naguib Mahfouz".

A. Fedosia wrote: "Sue,
The Harafish is regarded as a fable or myth. That is the next Mahfouz but the dates aren't set.

When the time comes, the book cover will be featured on TWL's group page. It'll b..."

OK. I will very likely try to read it again then. My regard for Mahfouz just keeps growing.

Quotes posted on the anniversary of his passing.

http://stepfeed.com/entertainment/quo...

Mahfouz certainly has thoughtful passages in his writing. I especially liked: “Home is not where you were born. Home is where all your attempts to escape cease.”

Thanks for posting the link.

You're welcome, Haaze.

Quote #7 from above, “Art is a criticism of society and life, and I believe that if life became perfect, art would be meaningless and cease to exist.”

Apparently, the industrial age is imperfect.

From "the definition of fiction he advanced in 1945: Fiction is art for the industrial age. It represents a synthesis of man’s passion for fact and his age-old love affair with the imagination", he says in The Paris Review interview of 1992. http://www.theparisreview.org/intervi...

Do you agree (or resonate) with Mahfouz's definition of fiction, Asma?

As I'm not a fiction writer, I can't speak from experience. My opinion is that fiction in its raw form is the uncensored expression of an author's sub-conscious, especially in poetry writing. You sometimes hear, "Is there another novel in you?" There is the feeling that writers must write. When fiction writers research their subject, the story contains more stepping stones of recognition for readers, blending "fact" with "imagination", in Mahfouz's sense. Readers who are not (yet) writers partake of an author's courageous exploration of mind. I sort of understand what Mahfouz is saying there.

And what about you?

Hmm, tricky. I sense that fiction existed long before industrialism so at the core I disagree with Mahfouz's definition. At the same time I sense that he is touching upon its realm by blending facts and imagination as writers surely pull on experience to create the realms of the imagined worlds shaped in fiction. I guess my main issue is with industrialism within his definition. Besides, is it not a dance between the words of the creative writer and the experiences and culture of the reader? I suspect that there are as many definitions of fiction as there are writers as well as readers, don't you think?

I like the Paris interviews. They are interesting encounters with authors.

Haaze wrote: "...I guess my main issue is with industrialism within his definition...."

That part of his quote from Message 8 above is, "Fiction is art for the industrial age." (spoken 1945). Mahfouz hints that the end of the industrial age will coincide with a different kind of art. Not so fast. Wikipedia ("Industrial Age") says,

"While it's commonly believed that the Industrial Age was supplanted by the Information Age in the late 20th century, a view that's become common since the Revolutions of 1989, as of 2013 electric power generation is still based mostly on fossil fuels and much of the Third World economy is still based on manufacturing. Thus it is debatable whether we have left the Industrial Age already or are still in it and in the process of reaching the Information Age."

So there remains fiction, more precisely "literary modernism" (see Wikipedia for definition). Profitibility, efficiency, scientific development are apt to leave behind past practices as does modernism depart from traditions.

If someone has insight into literary modernism, their comment would be of great interest.