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Description edit
Never has Nobel Prize-winner Naguib Mahfouz's talent for rich and luxurious storytelling been more evident than in this outstanding novel, first published in Arabic in 1947. One of his most popular books (and considered by many to be one of his best), Midaq Alley centers around the residents... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Dr. Booshy: Doctor in name only. He performs tooth extractions for the people of the alley.
- Uncle Kamil: Sells sweets and is really good friends with Abbas, a young man of the alley.
- Abbas: A young man of the alley who is also the barber. He's in love with Hamida.
- Hamida: The town beauty who many want to marry.
- Salim Alwan: Richest man of the alley. He owns a large company.
- Kirsha: Owns a coffee house in the alley where lots of people gather for conversations.
- Radwan Hussainy: The alley's spiritual leader and advisor.
- Sheikh Darwish: A man of words, maybe the same person as the nameless poet mentioned at the beginning. He knows the most English in the alley. He was once a teacher at a religious foundation school until he worked for the government in the Ministry of Religious Endowments.
- Sanker: A waiter at Kirsha's coffee house.
- Mrs. Saniya Afify: Owns an apartment complex in the alley that she rents to others.
- Umm Hamida: Hamida's mother and the alley's marriage match-maker.
- Hussain Kirsha: Kirsha's son and a member of the British Army camp.
- Zaita: A man who hides in shadows. He cripples people, so they can become beggars.
- Ibrahim Faraji: Hamida's love interest.
- Mrs. Kirsha: The wife of Kirsha and the mother of Hussain Kirsha.
Setting & Locations edit
- Cairo - Egypt: Where the alley is located
First Sentence edit
Many things combine to show that Midaq Alley is one of the gems of times gone by and that it once shone forth like a flashing star in the history of Cairo.
Series & Lists edit
This book is in Arabic books. (community list)
This book is in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. (authoritative list)
Authors & Contributors edit
- Naguib Mahfouz (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: Arabic
Publisher: Anchor
Country: USA
Publication Date: .1992
ISBN: 0385264763
Page Count: 286
Publisher: Anchor
Country: USA
Publication Date: .1992
ISBN: 0385264763
Page Count: 286
Awards edit
- Nobel Prize (1988)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: PJ7846.A46 Z4813 1992
- Dewey: 892.736
Subjects edit
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