Mamdouh Adwan

1941 – 2005

was born in Hama in Syria. He was a prolific writer, poet, playwright and critic, publishing his first collection of poetry, al-Dhul al-Akhdhar [The Green Shadow] in 1967 and since then 17 further collections. He also published two novels, twenty-four plays, translated twenty-three books from English, including the Iliad, the Odyssey and a biography of George Orwell, and wrote a number of television series.

He wrote regularly on Arab current affairs, and also taught at the Advanced Institute for Theatre in Damascus.

Banipal 21, Autum/Winter 2004 published a profile on Mamdouh Adwan by literary critic Faisal Darraj entitled "Mamdouh Adwan and the freedom of the prolific creator".

Banipal 32's Feature on Contemporary Syrian Literature, part 2, published selected poems by Adwan, translated by Sinan Antoon