Alaa Al-Aswany
was born in 1957 and educated at the Lycée Français in Cairo, Cairo University, and the University of Illinois, Chicago. He is a prolific writer of short stories, novels, literary essays, and articles on social and political issues. His second novel is the best-selling The Yacoubian Building (Arabic 2002, English translation AUC Press, 2005), and has been adapted for a high-budget film, directed by Egyptian director Marwan Hamed. Al-Aswany trained as a dentist and had his first office in the Yacoubian Building. He lives in Cairo.
Contributor's Issues
Banipal No 25 Spring 2006
Latest News
06/02/2012At a celebration of literary translation on Monday 6 February at Kings Place, Khaled Mattawa will receive the 2011 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation.
[read more]03/02/2012
The Mosaic Rooms celebrates theartistic and poetic works of the great Syrian poet Adonis with talks and events from 3-8 February and an exhibition of Adonis's collages from 3 February until 30 March. The opening evening this Friday sees Adonis in conversation with Khaled Mattawa who is the winner of the 2011 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for his translation Adonis: Selected Poems.
[read more]16/01/2012
Khaled Mattawa wins the 2011 Saif Ghobash-Banipal Translation Prize for Adonis:Selected Poems
[read more]12/01/2012
Chair of IPAF Judges Georges Tarabichi announces the shortlist authors of the 2012 International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
[read more]09/01/2012
Banipal Book Club's first book for discussion is The Tobacco Keeper by Ali Bader.
[read more]08/01/2012
Ibrahim Aslan, one of Egypt's best-loved authors, has died of heart failure at the age of 77.
[read more][read all news stories]