Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian writer and Nobel laureate, is born

Date: 11 Dec 1911
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian writer and Nobel laureate, is born

Naguib Mahfouz was born in Cairo, Egypt. He knew from a very young age that he wanted to be a writer. He began writing at the age of eleven and at 17 he published his first article. At 21 he published his first novel entitled Old Egypt. Mafhouz’s most controversial novel, The Children Gebelawi, with its religious overtones, angered the conservative Muslim community and threats were made on his life. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988 and became the first Arab to be so honoured. The award saw him gain international popularity. He published more than 50 novels and several short stories and screen plays throughout his career. He died in 2006 at the age of 94.

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01Notablebiographies.com (2011). ‘Naguib Mahfouz’ from Encyclopedia of World Biography [online]. Available at: www.notablebiographies.com [Accessed 15 November 2011]
02Encylopaedia Britannica (2011). ‘Naguib Mahfouz’ from Encyclopaedia Britannica Online [online] Available at www.britannica.com [Accessed on 15 November 2011]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, November 23). Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian writer and Nobel laureate, is born . South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070055

South African History Online (2011) 'Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian writer and Nobel laureate, is born ', South African History Online, 23 November. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070055 (Accessed: 21 August 2026).

South African History Online, Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian writer and Nobel laureate, is born [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070055, (accessed 21 August 2026).

"Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian writer and Nobel laureate, is born ." South African History Online, 23 Nov. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070055. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian writer and Nobel laureate, is born ." South African History Online. November 23, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070055.