{"product_id":"the-harafish-9780385423359","title":"The Harafish","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe Harafish by Naguib Mahfouz\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\nWinner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988, Naguib Mahfouz is perhaps the best-known living Arab writer. His books have had great success in this country, particularly \u003ci\u003eThe Cairo Trilogy\u003c\/i\u003e. Fans of the famed trilogy will be delighted with \u003ci\u003eThe Harafish\u003c\/i\u003e, an epic novel that chronicles the dramatic history of the al-Nagi family -- a family that moves, over many generations, from the height of power and glory to the depths of decadence and decay.\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAn Epic Family Chronicle\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ci\u003eThe Harafish\u003c\/i\u003e begins with the tale of Ashur al-Nagi, a man who grows from humble beginnings to become a great leader, a legend among his people. Generation after generation, however, Ashur's descendants grow further from his legendary example. They lose touch with their origins as they amass and then squander large fortunes, marry prostitutes when they marry at all, and develop rivalries that end in death.\n\nThe community's upper class keeps a watchful eye on the descendants of al-Nagi for fear of losing their privileges, but they find no threat of another such as Ashur. Not, that is, until the al-Nagi who, like his noble ancestor, finds his power once again from among \u003ci\u003eThe Harafish\u003c\/i\u003e, or the common people. Through the strength of their numbers and their passion, the glory of the name of al-Nagi is restored.\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCritical Acclaim\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\"Of all [Mahfouz's] experiments in recent decades, this is the one which owes least to western inspiration and is probably the most successful. \u003ci\u003eThe Harafish\u003c\/i\u003e, fluently translated by Catherine Cobham, makes accessible and engrossing reading.\" -- \u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post Book World\u003c\/i\u003e.\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNaguib Mahfouz was born in Cairo in 1911 and began writing when he was seventeen. His nearly forty novels and hundreds of short stories range from re-imaginings of ancient myths to subtle commentaries on contemporary Egyptian politics and culture. Of his many works, most famous is The Cairo Trilogy, consisting of \u003ci\u003ePalace Walk\u003c\/i\u003e (1956), \u003ci\u003ePalace of Desire\u003c\/i\u003e (1957), and \u003ci\u003eSugar Street\u003c\/i\u003e (1957), which focuses on a Cairo family through three generations, from 1917 until 1952. In 1988, he was the first writer in Arabic to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He died in August 2006.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50680564318482,"sku":"9780385423359","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_83d4aa6d-3c51-403b-9718-913528956c8d.jpg?v=1734922864","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-harafish-9780385423359","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}