Sheikh Zayed Book Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (2007) Winner
Denys Johnson-Davies
デニス・ジョンソン＝デイヴィス
Denisu Jonson-Deivizu
Aliases:
Abdul Wadud
Pen Names:
Abdul Wadud（Used as an Islamic/Arabic name or alternate byline）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1922-01-01 （Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada）
- Died
- 2017-05-22 （Egypt） age 94
- Nationality
- Canadian, British
- Languages
- English, Arabic
- Residence History
- Vancouver (birth) → Sudan (childhood) → Egypt (childhood and later years) → Uganda (childhood) → Kenya (childhood) → England (education from age 12) → Marrakesh (later years) → Cairo (later years)
Career
- Occupations
- Translator, Editor, Lecturer, Author
- Active Years
- 1950-2017
- Influenced By
- Naguib Mahfouz (close relationship as translator of his work), Tayeb Salih (author whose works he translated), Modern and contemporary Arabic literature (general influence)
- Influenced
- Generations of Arabic-to-English translators and Arabic literary studies in the English-speaking world, Reception of Arabic literature among English-language readers
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge | Oriental Languages | Arabic / Middle Eastern studies (related) | — | 在学年代は20世紀半ば（正確年不明） | United Kingdom |
St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge
Oriental Languages
/ Arabic / Middle Eastern studies (related)
Period:
在学年代は20世紀半ば（正確年不明）
Country:
United Kingdom
Studied Oriental languages; specific degree and graduation year are not consistently reported in sources.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sheikh Zayed Book Award (Cultural Personality of the Year) | — | Cultural Personality of the Year | Department of Culture & Tourism, Abu Dhabi (Sheikh Zayed Book Award) | 受賞 |
Sheikh Zayed Book Award (Cultural Personality of the Year)
2007
Category:
Cultural Personality of the Year
Organization:
Department of Culture & Tourism, Abu Dhabi (Sheikh Zayed Book Award)
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Wedding of Zein and Other Stories
1968 Short story collection (translation)An English translation of Tayeb Salih's short stories, presenting Sudanese society and characters to an English-language readership.
HomeCulture and modernizationIdentity
Season of Migration to the North
1969 Novel (translation)Johnson-Davies's English translation of Tayeb Salih's landmark novel, bringing themes of colonialism, exile, and belonging to English readers.
ColonialismExileBelonging and identity
The Smell of It & Other Stories
1971 Short story collection (translation)A collection translating contemporary Egyptian writers such as Sonallah Ibrahim, presenting socially critical short fiction to English readers.
Social critiqueEveryday violenceIndividual vs. system
The Music of Human Flesh
1980 Poetry (translation)A translation volume of Mahmoud Darwish's poetry, an effort to render modern Arabic verse into English.
LossHomePolitics and the personal
Distant View of a Minaret
1983 Short story collection (translation)An English translation collecting stories by female Arab writers like Alifa Rifaat, conveying women's perspectives and everyday life.
Women's perspectivesFamily and traditionPersonal experience
Fate of a Prisoner
1999 Short story collection (authored/collected)A collection including some of his own short stories and adaptations of traditional Arabic tales, some aimed at younger readers.
FolktaleMoral lessonsImagination
Bibliography
- The Wedding of Zein and Other Stories (translator, 1968)
- Season of Migration to the North (translator, 1969)
- The Smell of It & Other Stories (translator, 1971)
- Fate of a Prisoner (author/collection, 1999)
- Memories in Translation (memoir, 2006)
- The AUC Press Book of Modern Arabic Literature (editor, 2006)
- The Essential Naguib Mahfouz (editor, 2011)
Translations by Author
- Authored memoirs and children's adaptations in English
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Faithful to source text while prioritizing readable and literary EnglishCareful rendering of cultural context
- Recurring Motifs
- Cross-cultural mediationHome and exilePolitics latent in everyday life
Legacy
Denys Johnson-Davies was a leading Arabic-to-English translator from the late 20th to early 21st century. He produced early English translations of writers such as Naguib Mahfouz, substantially contributing to the reception of Arabic literature in the English-speaking world.
Quotes
-
One of the leading Arabic-to-English translators of our time.
Source: Edward Said (citation needed)
Trivia
- Real name Denys Johnson-Davies; also known as Abdul Wadud.
- Born 1922, died in Egypt in 2017 (aged 94).
- Translated several major Arab writers, including Naguib Mahfouz.
- Awarded the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (Cultural Personality of the Year) in 2007.