Literature Presentation

2013 CARAVAN Festival of the Arts

A talk and book-signing with Alaa El Aswany

On 13 May at 7 PM, Dr Alaa Al Aswany, best-selling novelist (The Yacoubian Building) and writer, gave a talk and signed his newly released novel, The Automobile Club. Dr. Al Aswany’s talk was on his own life and of how he became a writer, about his writing life, and the role writing plays in shaping society today. Following his presentation, he took questions from the floor and then signed copies of his books for eager fans.

Dr. Alaa Al Aswany speaking		Speaking to a packed audience
Answering questions		Signing his books for eager fans

Alaa Al Aswany is not only a best-selling novelist but also a noted political and social commentator. He grew up in Cairo and attended Le Lycée Français and received a bachelor's degree in dental and oral medicine at Cairo University in 1980. He went on to pursue a master's degree in dentistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1985 and he is still a practicing dentist today.

He has won numerous literary awards around the world.

Over the years he has written weekly articles and columns in numerous newspapers and magazines here in Egypt (such as Al-Shorouk, Al-Masry Al-Youm, etc). , and his articles have been published in international newspapers such as the NY Times, Le Monde, El Pais, the Guardian, The Independent, etc. Incidentally, he speaks Arabic, English, French and Spanish.

He has written four novels. His second novel, The Yacoubian Building, which captured the world’s attention, is an ironic depiction of modern Egyptian society, and has been translated into over 30 languages. In 2006, The Yacoubian Building was adapted into “the biggest budget movie ever produced in Egypt”. The movie was screened at international film festivals and was a huge hit in Egypt.

However, Dr. Al-Aswany was banned from attending the premiere. The Yacoubian Building is one of a few movies, closely following the novel, that addresses social taboos and widespread governmental corruption, such as the rigging of elections. In fact, many intellectuals in Egypt believe that this work played a crucial role in triggering revolutionary sentiments among the Egyptian people.

Chicago, his third novel, set in the city in which he obtained his Master’s degree, was published in January 2007.

His fourth novel, The Automobile Club, was released in Arabic in spring 2013. It is about the first car in Egypt and the rise of the elite Automobile Club, which was peopled by Europeans but excluded Egyptians.

Dr. Al-Aswany was in Tahrir Square each of the 18 days before Mubarak fell from power and he was one of the few prominent faces of the leaderless revolution. Following Mubarak’s resignation, he confronted the Mubarak-appointed Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik on an Egyptian channel. Shafik lost his temper under persistent grilling by Dr. Al Aswany and it was the first time for Egyptians to witness a ruler publicly questioned in such a direct way.

Interestingly, for the last ten years he has been holding a weekly seminar (soirees) to discuss the different issues of the Egyptian society (socially, culturally & politically). Also the seminar contributes in presenting talented youth to the literary field. It is a place where he gathers with his readers from all spectrums, ages & political backgrounds.