Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 17 (2010) Winner
Miral al-Tahawy
ミラル・アル＝タハーウィ
Miral al-Tahawy
Aliases:
Miral Mahgoub
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- a village in Sharqia Governorate, Egypt
- Nationality
- Egyptian
- Languages
- Arabic (Modern Standard & Classical), Hebrew, Persian, English
- Residence History
- Sharqia Governorate (birthplace) → Cairo (studies, residence) → Appalachian State University, North Carolina (faculty) → Arizona (Arizona State University, faculty)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, short story writer, university professor (Arabic/foreign languages)
- Active Years
- 1995-
- Affiliations
- Appalachian State University (Department of Foreign Languages), Arizona State University (associate professor, Arabic program), Dar Sharqiyyat (publisher)
- Nominations
- Nominated for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (Arabic Booker), 2011
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zagazig University | — | Department of Arabic Literature | BA | — | Egypt |
| Cairo University | — | — | MA | — | Egypt |
| Cairo University | — | — | PhD | — | Egypt |
Zagazig University
Department of Arabic Literature
Degree:
BA
Country:
Egypt
BA in Arabic literature (year unknown)
Cairo University
Degree:
MA
Country:
Egypt
Master's degree (year unknown)
Cairo University
Degree:
PhD
Country:
Egypt
PhD (year unknown)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Naguib Mahfouz Medal | Brooklyn Heights | — | The American University in Cairo (awarding body) | winner |
Naguib Mahfouz Medal
2010
Work:
Brooklyn Heights
Organization:
The American University in Cairo (awarding body)
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Tent (Al-Khibaa)
1996 novelA novel set against Bedouin society that explores conflicts between tradition and individual desire.
tradition vs. modernitywomen's autonomytribal society
Translations
- English translation by Anthony Calderbank
Blue Aubergine (Al-Badhingana al-zarqa)
1998 short stories / novelA work portraying everyday life and conflicts in Bedouin society from the perspectives of family members and women.
oppression of womenfamily relationsmigration and settlement
Translations
- English translation by Anthony Calderbank
Gazelle Tracks (Naquarat al-Zibae)
2008 novelA novel weaving desert landscapes with women's experiences to explore identity and loss.
identitylossland and memory
Translations
- English translation by Anthony Calderbank
Brooklyn Heights
2009 novelA novel drawing on post-migration experience and urban life to portray memory and renewal of an immigrant woman.
migration experienceurban life and memoryfemale renewal
Translations
- English translation by Samah Selim
The Bedouin Sheikh's Daughter
short story / novelA work depicting the position and struggles of a woman living in Bedouin society.
tribal societyfemale oppression and resistance
Bibliography
- 1995 collection of short stories (first published)
- 1996 Al-Khibaa (The Tent)
- 1998 Al-Badhingana al-zarqa (Blue Aubergine)
- 2008 Naquarat al-Zibae (Gazelle Tracks)
- 2009 Brooklyn Heights
Translations of Works
- Works translated into English, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Urdu, and Hindi
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- realist narrativedetailed cultural depictionintimate interior perspectives from women's viewpoints
- Recurring Motifs
- yearning for freedomtension between nomadism and settlementtribal and familial bonds and constraints
Legacy
Regarded as a pioneering writer who depicted Bedouin society and Bedouin women's experiences. Her works on migration and women's autonomy have attracted international attention and been translated into multiple languages.
Quotes
-
The Washington Post described her as "the first novelist to present Egyptian Bedouin life beyond stereotypes and to illustrate the crises of Bedouin women and their urge to break free."
Source: The Washington Post (June 17, 2002) (2002)
Trivia
- Also known as Miral Mahgoub.
- Earned a BA at Zagazig University and later an MA and PhD at Cairo University (specific years not provided).
- Moved to the United States in 2007 and taught at Appalachian State University and Arizona State University.
- Won the Naguib Mahfouz Medal in 2010 for Brooklyn Heights and was nominated for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2011.
- Her works have been translated into multiple languages.
- She has a son.